national board of boiler and pressure vessels

#National board of boiler and pressure vessels full

His interest in explosions bordered on the obsessive. That meeting between Edward Reed and Jeremiah Merwin Allen resulted in creation of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company.Īllen became president of the HSB shortly after it started. In 1866, two members of the Polytechnic Club met to explore combining the boiler inspection and insurance business. This group had a profound interest in boiler explosions and public safety. Hartford was home to a young group of engineers and businessmen called the Polytechnic Club. The regulatory process was spawned by the 1854 explosion at the Fales & Gray Car Works in Hartford, Connecticut. Most of you know how the industry evolved. To fully appreciate the National Board's origin is to understand our industry's history. With only a candle, the inspector would crawl inside the boiler, and upon exiting, he was covered head to toe with rust, soot and scale. The testing was supplemented with visual inspection.

#National board of boiler and pressure vessels full

That meant standing back and pumping the vessel full of water to 150 percent of the operating pressure and then saying a prayer. Back in the 1860s, inspections generally mandated only hydrostatic testing. Informal inspection of boilers goes back several hundred years. As America headed into the industrial revolution in 1910, it was estimated there were 25 explosions per week killing one person every day of the year. Suffices to say that during the 18th century, hundreds upon hundreds of lives were lost each year to explosions. But without the support of other organizations back then, the National Board might never have come to be. He knew the potential and strength of organizational teamwork that began in 1919. I am sure if Sam were alive today, he would marvel at how the National Board has evolved, and he would delight in celebrating the National Board's longevity.

Well, that may be a somber note for some of you. It was across the street at Little America, less than a couple hundred feet from where we are now gathered, that Sam Harrison died in his room during the 54th General Meeting in 1985.

How poetic we meet here in this hotel, where 34 years ago one of the National Board's most iconic executive directors had passed. It's an honor to stand before you this afternoon in celebration of one hundred years of safety, and of all places, Salt Lake City. It truly has been extraordinary, and I wanted to add my compliments to those of you who have also complimented the people, the staff, in putting together this wonderful, wonderful observation.

BRENNAN: Before I start, I just wanted to say that I am so impressed with what I have seen graphically and editorially in preparation for this 100-year celebration. Brennan’s slide presentation can be accessed here. One Hundred Years, will be released later this year. He is the author of the acclaimed engineering history book, Blowback: An Anecdotal Look at Pressure Equipment and Other Harmless Devices That Can Kill You! His second book detailing the history of the National Board, One Code. INTRODUCTION: Paul Brennan served as Director of Public Affairs at the National Board for 26 years before retiring in 2018. It has been edited for content and phrasing. The following presentation was delivered at the 88 th General Meeting Monday General Session, May 6, 2019. “One Code, One Inspector, One Stamp, One Hundred Years: The 88 th General Meeting Speaker Presentation