Indian Boilers Act
An Act to consolidate and amend the low relating to steam-boilers.
1. Short title, extent and commencement
2. Definition
2A. Application of Act to feed-pipes
2B. Application of Act to economizers
3. Limitation of application
4. Power to limit extent
5. Chief Inspector, Deputy Chief Inspectors and Inspectors
6. Prohibition of use of unregistered or uncertificated boiler
7. Registration
8. Renewal of certificate
9. Provisional orders
10. Use of boiler pending grant of certificate
11. Revocation certificate or Provisional order
12. Alterations and renewals to boilers
13. Alterations and renewals to steam-pipes
14. Duty of owner at examination
15. Production of certificates, etc.
16. Transfer of certificates, etc.
17. Powers of entry
18. Report of accidents
19. Appeals to chief Inspector
20. Appeals to appellate authority
20A. Power of Central Government to revise order of appellate authority
21. Finality of orders
22. Minor penalties
23. Penalties for illegal use of boiler
24. Other penalties
25. Penalty for tampering with register marks
26. Limitation and previous sanction for prosecutions
27. Trial of offences
27A. Central Boilers Boards
28. Power to make regulations
28A. Power of Central Government to make rules
29. Power to make rule
30. Penalty for breach of rules
31. Publication of regulations and rules
31A. Power of Central Government to give directions
32. Recovery of fees etc.
33. Applicability to the Government
34. Exemption
35. [Repealed by the Repealing Act, 1927]
Footnotes
1. Short title, extent and commencement
(1) This Act may be called the Indian Boilers Act, 1923.
2[(2) It extends to the whole of
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
2. Definition
In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or
context, -
(a) "accident" means an explosion of a boiler or
steam-pipe or any damage to a boiler or steam-pipe which is calculated to
weaken the strength thereof so as to render it liable to explode;
5[(aa) "Board" means the Central Boilers Board
constituted under section 27A;]
(b) "boiler" means any closed vessel exceeding 6[22.75
liters] in capacity which is used expressly for generating steam under pressure
7[***] and includes any mounting or other fitting attached to such
vessel, which is wholly or partly under pressure when is shut off;
8[(c) "Chief Inspector", "Deputy Chief
Inspector", and "Inspector" mean, respectively, a person
appointed to be a Chief Inspector, a Deputy Chief Inspector and an Inspector
under this Act;]
9[cc) "economiser" means any part of a feed-pipe
that is wholly or partially exposed to the action of flue gases for the purpose
of recovery of waste heat;
(ccc) "feed-pipe" means any pipe or connected fitting
wholly or partly under pressure through which feed water passes directly to a
boiler and which does not form an integral part thereof;]
(d) "owner" includes any person using a boiler as
agent of the owner thereof and any person using a boiler which he has hired or
obtained on loan from the owner thereof;
(e) "prescribed" means prescribed by regulations or
rules made under this Act;
10[(f) "steam-pipe" means any pipe through which
steam passes from a boiler to a prime-mover or other user or both, if-
(i) the pressure at which steam passes through
such pipe exceeds 3.5 kilograms per square centimeter above atmospheric
pressure; - or
(ii) such pipe exceeds 254 millimeters in
internal diameter;
and includes in either case any connected fitting of a
steam-pipe;]
(g) "structural alteration, addition or renewal" shall
not be deemed to include any renewal or replacement of a petty nature when the
part or fitting used for replacement is not inferior in strength, efficiency or
otherwise to the replaced part or fitting.
Comment: The definition of �owner� is inclusive. It extends the dictionary meaning of the word and does not restrict it. An agent who uses boiler for his absentee owner is included in the definition, though under the ordinary meaning of the term he is not the owner. AIR 1937 Patna 500
2A. Application of Act to feed-pipes
Every reference in this Act [except where the word "steam-pipe" is Act used in clause (f) of section 2] to a steam-pipe or steam-pipes shall be deemed to include also a reference to a feed-pipe or feed-pipes, respectively.)
2B. Application of Act to economizers
Every reference in this Act to a boiler or boilers except in clause (ccc) of section 2, 13[***] 14[***] shall be deemed to include also a reference to an economiser or economizers, respectively.]
3. Limitation of application
(1) Nothing in this Act shall apply in the case of any boiler or
steam-pipe -
(a) in any steam-pipe as defined in section 3
of the 15Indian Steam-ships Act, 1884, or in any steam-vessel as
defined in section 2 of the Inland Steam-vessels Act, 1917; or
16[(b) belonging to, or under the control
of, the Army, Navy or Air Force; or]
17[(c) appertaining to a sterilizer or
disinfector of a type such as is commonly used in hospitals, if the boiler does
not exceed 18[ninety-one liters] in capacity.]
(2) The 19[Central Government] may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare that the provisions of this Act shall not apply in the case of boilers or steam-pipes, or any specified class of boilers or steam-pipes, belonging to or under the control of any railway administered 20[by the 21[Central Government] or by any State Government] or by any railway company as defined in clause (5) of section 3 of the Indian Railways Act, 1890.
4. Power to limit extent
The 23[State Government] may, by notification in the Official Gazette, exclude any specified area from the operation of all or any specified provisions of this Act.
5. Chief Inspector, Deputy Chief Inspectors and Inspectors
(1) The State Government may appoint such persons as it thinks
fit to be Inspectors for the State for the purposes of this Act, and may define
the local limits within which each Inspector shall exercise the powers and
perform the duties conferred and imposed on Inspectors by or under this Act.
(2) The State Government may appoint such persons as it thinks
fit to be Deputy Chief Inspectors for the State and may define the local limits
within which each Deputy Chief Inspector shall exercise his powers and perform
his duties under this Act.
(3) Every Deputy Chief Inspector may exercise the powers and
perform the duties conferred and imposed on Inspectors by or under this Act
and, in addition thereto, may exercise such powers or perform such duties
conferred or imposed on the Chief Inspector by or under this Act, as the State
Government may assign to him.
(4) The State Government shall appoint a person to be Chief
Inspector for the State who may, in addition to the powers and duties conferred
and imposed on the Chief Inspector by or under this Act, exercise any power or
perform any duty so conferred or imposed on Deputy Chief Inspectors or
Inspectors.
(5) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Deputy Chief
Inspectors and Inspectors shall exercise the powers and perform the duties
conferred and imposed on them by or under this Act under the general
superintendence and control of the Chief Inspector.
(6) The Chief Inspector, Deputy Chief Inspectors and Inspectors
may offer such advice as they think fit to owners regarding the proper
maintenance and safe working of boilers.
(7) The Chief Inspector and all Deputy Chief Inspectors and Inspectors shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.]
6. Prohibition of use of unregistered or uncertificated boiler
Save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, no owner of a
boiler shall use the boiler or permit it to be used-
(a) unless it has been registered in accordance with the
provisions of this Act;
(b) in the case of any boiler which has been transferred from
one State to another, until the transfer has been reported in the prescribed
manner;
(c) unless a certificate or provisional order authorizing the
use of the boiler is for the time being in force under this Act;
(d) at a pressure higher than the maximum pressure recorded in
such certificate or provisional order;
(e) where the State Government has made rules requiring that
boilers shall be in charge of persons holding 25[certificates of
proficiency or competency], unless the boiler is in charge of a, person holding
the certificate required by such rules
Provided that any boiler registered, or any boiler certified or licensed, under any Act hare by repealed shall be deemed to have been registered or certified, as the case may be, under this Act.
7. Registration
(1) The owner of any boiler which is not registered under the
provisions of this Act may apply to the Inspector to have the boiler
registered. Every such application shall be accompanied by prescribed fee.
(2) On receipt of an application under sub-section (1), the
Inspector shall fix a date, within thirty days or such shorter period as may be
prescribed from the (late of the receipt, for the examination of the boiler and
shall give the owner thereof not less than ten days� notice of the date so
fixed.
(3) On the said date the Inspector shall proceed to measure and
examine the boiler and to determine in the prescribed manner the maximum
pressure, if any, at which such boiler may be used, and shall report the result
of the examination to the Chief Inspector in the prescribed form.
(4) The Chief Inspector, on receipt of the report, may-
(a) register the boiler and assign a register
number thereto either forthwith or after satisfying himself that any structural
alteration., addition or renewal which he may deem necessary has been made in
or to the boiler or any steam-pipe attached thereto, or
(b) refuse to register the boiler:
Provided that where the Chief Inspector refuses to register
a boiler, he shall forthwith communicate his refusal to the owner of the boiler
together with the reasons therefore.
(5) The Chief Inspector shall, on registering the boiler, order
the issue to the owner of a certificate in the prescribed form authorizing the
use of the boiler for a period not exceeding twelve months at a pressure not
exceeding such maximum pressure as he thinks fit and as is in accordance with
the regulations made under this Act:
27[Provided that a certificate issued under this sub-section
in respect of an economiser 28[or of an unfired boiler which forms
an integral part of a processing plant in which steam is generated solely by
the use of oil, asphalt or bitumen as a heating medium] may authorize its use
for a period not exceeding twenty-four months.]
(6) The Inspector shall forthwith convey to the owner of the boiler the orders of the Chief Inspector and shall in accordance therewith issue to the owner any certificate of which the issue has been ordered, and, where the boiler has been registered, the owner shall within the prescribed period cause the register number to be permanently marked thereon in the prescribed manner.
8. Renewal of certificate
(1) A certificate authorizing the use of a boiler shall cease to
be in force-
(a) on the expiry of the period for which it
was granted; or
(b) when any accident occurs to the boiler; or
(c) when the boiler is moved, the boiler not
being a vertical boiler the heating surface of which is less than 29[18.58
square meters], or a portable or Vehicular boiler; or
(d) when any structural alteration, addition
or renewal is made in or to the boiler; or
(e) if the Chief Inspector in any particular
case so directs, when any structural alteration, addition or renewal is made in
or to any steam-pipe attached to the boiler; or
(f) on the communication to the owner of the
boiler of an order of the chief Inspector or Inspector prohibiting its use on
the ground that it or any steam-pipe attached thereto is in a dangerous
condition.
(2) Where an order is made under clause (1) of sub-section (1),
the grounds on which the order is made shall be communicated to the owner with
the order.
(3) When a certificate ceases to be in force, the owner of the
boiler may apply to the Inspector for a renewal thereof for such period not
exceeding twelve months as he may specify in the application:
30[Provided that where the certificate relates to an
economiser 31[or an unfired boiler which forms an integral part of a
processing plant in which steam is generated solely by the use of oil, asphalt
or bitumen as a heating medium], the application for its renewal may be for a
period not exceeding twenty-four months.]
(4) An application under sub-section (3) shall be accompanied by
the prescribed fee and, on receipt thereof, the Inspector shall fix a date,
within thirty days or such shorter period as may be prescribed from the date of
the receipt, for the examination of the boiler and shall give the owner thereof
not less than ten days notice of the date so fixed
Bthat, where the certificate has ceased to be in force owing to
the making of any structural alteration, addition or renewal, the Chief
Inspector may dispense with the payment of any fee:
32[Provided further that in the case of an economiser
or of an unfired boiler which forms an integral part of a processing plant in
which steam is generated solely by the use of oil, asphalt or bitumen as a
heating medium, the date fixed for its examination shall be within sixty days
from the date of receipt of the application and the owner shall be given not
less than thirty days� notice of the date so fixed.]
(5) On the said date the Inspector shall examine the boiler in
the prescribed manner, and if he is satisfied that the boiler and the
steam-pipe or steam-pipes attached thereto are in good condition shall issue a
renewed certificate authorizing the use of the boiler for such period not
exceeding twelve months and at a pressure not exceeding such maximum pressure
as he thinks fit and as is in accordance with the regulations made under this
Act:
33[Provided that renewed certificate issued under
this sub-section in respect of an economiser 31[or of an unfired
boiler which forms an integral part of a processing plant in which steam is
generated solely by the use of oil, asphalt or bitumen as a heating medium] may
authorize its use for a period not exceeding twenty-four months :]
Provided 33[further] that if the Inspector-
(a) proposes to issue any certificate-
(i) having validity for a less period than the
period entered in the application, or
(ii) increasing or reducing the maximum
pressure at which the boiler may be used, or
(b) proposes to order any structural alteration, addition or
renewal to be made in or to the boiler or any steam-pipe attached thereto, or
(c) is of opinion that the boiler is not fit for use, the
Inspector shall, within forty-eight hours of making the examination, inform the
owner of the boiler in writing of his opinion and the reasons therefor, and
shall forthwith report the case for orders to the Chief Inspector.
(6) The Chief Inspector, on receipt of a report under
sub-section (5), may, subject to the provisions of this Act and of the
regulations made hereunder, order the renewal of the certificate in such terms
and on such conditions, if any, as he thinks fit, or may refuse to renew it:
Provided that where the Chief Inspector refuses to
renew a certificate, he shall forthwith communicate his refusal to the owner of
the boiler, together with the reasons therefor.
(7) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prevent an owner of a boiler from applying for a renewed certificate therefor at any time during the currency of a certificate.
9. Provisional orders
Where the Inspector reports the case of any boiler to the Chief
Inspector under sub-section (3) of section 7 or sub-section (5) of section 8,
he may, if the boiler is riot a boiler the use of which has been prohibited
under clause (f) of sub-section (1) of section 8, grant to the owner thereof a
provisional order in writing permitting the boiler to be used at a pressure not
exceeding such maximum pressure as he thinks fit and as is in accordance with
the regulations made under this Act pending the receipt of the orders of the
Chief Inspector. Such provisional order shall cease to be in force-
(a) on the expiry of six months from the date on which it is
granted, or
(b) on receipt of the orders of the Chief Inspector, or
(c) in any of the cases referred to in clauses (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of sub-section (1) of section 8, and on so ceasing to be in force shall be surrendered to the Inspector.
10. Use of boiler pending grant of certificate
(1) Notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained, when the
period pending grant of a certificate relating to a boiler has expired, the
owner shall, provider that he has applied before the expiry of that period for
a renewal of the certificate, be entitled to use the boiler at the maximum
pressure entered; in the former certificate pending the issue of orders on the
application.
(2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall be deemed to authorize the use of a boiler in any of the cases referred to in clauses (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of sub-section. (1), of section 8 occurring after the expiry of the period of the certificate.
11. Revocation certificate or Provisional order
The Chief Inspector may at any time withdraw or revoke any
certificate or provisional order on the report of an Inspector or otherwise-
(a) if there is reason to believe that the certificate or provisional
order has been fraudulently obtained or has been granted erroneously or without
sufficient examination; or
(b) if the boiler in respect of which it has been granted has
sustained injury or has ceased to be in good condition; or
(c) where the State Government has made rules requiring that
boilers shall be in charge of persons holding 34[certificates of
proficiency or competency], if the boiler is in charge of a person not holding
the certificate required by such rules; or
(d) where no such rules have been made, if the boiler is in
charge of a, person who is not, having regard to the condition of the boiler in
tile opinion of the Chief Inspector competent to have charge thereof
Provided that where the Chief Inspector withdraws or revokes a certificate or provisional order on the ground specified in clause (d), he shall communicate to the owner of the boiler his reasons in writing for the withdrawal or revocation, and the order shall not take effect until the expiry of thirty days from the receipt of such communication.
12. Alterations and renewals to boilers
No structural alteration, addition or renewal shall be made in or to any boiler registered under this Act unless such alteration, addition or renewal has been sanctioned in writing by the Chief Inspector.
13. Alterations and renewals to steam-pipes
Before the owner of any boiler registered under this Act makes any structural alteration, addition or renewal in or to any steam-pipe attached to the boiler, he shall transmit to the Chief Inspector a report in writing of his intention and shall send therewith such particulars of the proposed alteration, addition or renewal as may be prescribed.
14. Duty of owner at examination
(1) On any date fixed under this Act for the examination of a boiler,
the owner thereof shall be bound-
(a) to afford to the Inspector all reasonable
facilities for the examination and all such information as may reasonably be
required of him;
(b) to have the boiler properly prepared and
ready for examination in the prescribed manner; and
(c) in the case of all application for the
registration of a boiler, to provide such drawings, specifications,
certificates and other particulars as may be prescribed.
(2) If the owner fails, without reasonable cause to comply with the provisions of sub-section (1), the Inspector shall refuse to make the examination and shall report the case to the Chief Inspector who shall, unless sufficient cause to the contrary is shown, require the owner to file a. fresh application under section 7 or section 8, as the case may be, and may forbid him to use the boiler notwithstanding anything contained in section 10.
15. Production of certificates, etc.
The owner of any boiler who holds a certificate or provisional order relating thereto shall, at all reasonable times during the period for which the certificate or order is in force be bound to produce the same when called upon to do so by a District Magistrate, Commissioner of Police or Magistrate of the first class having jurisdiction in the area in which the boiler is for the time being or by the Chief Inspector or by an Inspector or by any Inspector appointed under the Indian Factories Act, 191135, or by any person specially authorized in writing by a District Magistrate or Commissioner of Police.
16. Transfer of certificates, etc.
If any person becomes the owner of a boiler during the period for which a certificate or provisional order relating thereto is in force, the preceding owner shall be bound to make over to him the certificate or provisional order.
17. Powers of entry
An Inspector may, for the purpose of inspecting or examining a boiler or any steam-pipe attached thereto or of seeing that any provision of this Act or of any regulation or rule made hereunder has been or is being observed, at all reasonable times enter any place or building within the limits of the area for which he has been appointed in which he has reason to believe that a boiler is in use.
18. Report of accidents
(1) If any accident occurs to a boiler or steam-pipe, the owner
or person in charge thereof shall within twenty-four hours of the accident,
report the same in writing to the Inspector. Every such report shall contain a
true description of the nature of the accident and of the injury, if any,
caused thereby to the boiler or to the steam-pipe or to any person, and shall
be in sufficient detail to enable the Inspector to judge of the gravity of the
accident.
(2) Every person shall be bound to answer truly to the best of his knowledge and ability every question put to him in writing by the Inspector as to the cause, nature or extent of the accident.
19. Appeals to chief Inspector
Any person considering himself aggrieved by,-
(a) an order made or purporting to be made by an Inspector in
the exercise of any power conferred by or under this Act, or
(b) a refusal of an Inspector to make any order or to issue any certificate which he is required or enabled by or under this Act to make or issue, may, within thirty days from the date on which such order or refusal is communicated to him, appeal against the order or refusal to the Chief Inspector.
20. Appeals to appellate authority
Any person considering himself aggrieved by an original or
appellate order of the Chief Inspector-
(a) refusing to register a boiler or to grant or renew a
certificate in respect of a boiler; or
(b) refusing to grant a certificate having validity for the full
period applied for; or
(c) refusing to grant a certificate authorizing the use of a
boiler at the maximum pressure desired; or
(d).withdrawing or revoking a certificate or provisional order;
or
(e) reducing the amount of pressure specified in any certificate
or the period for which such certificate has been granted; or
(f) ordering any structural alteration, addition or renewal to be made in or to a boiler or steam-pipe, or refusing sanction to the making of any structural alteration, addition or renewal in or to a boiler, may, within thirty days of the communication to him of such order, lodge with the Chief Inspector an appeal to an appellate authority to be constituted by the State Government under this Act.
20A. Power of Central Government to revise order of appellate authority
(1) Any person considering himself aggrieved by an order of the appellate
authority refusing under section 20 to interfere with an order not to register.
a boiler or not to grant or renew a certificate in respect thereof on the
ground that the boiler does not conform to the regulations made under this Act
may, within two months of the communication to him of such order, make an
application to the Central Government for a revision of that order on the
ground that such boilers are in use in other countries.
(2) Upon the receipt of such an application, the Central Government may, after calling for relevant records and other information from the appellate authority and considering the observations, if any, of that authority on the application and after obtaining such technical advice as the Central Government may consider necessary, pass such order in relation to the application, as the Central Government thinks fit; and, where the revision is allowed, the order shall specify the terms and conditions on which any variations from the regulations made under this Act are to be dealt with during the examination of the boiler.]
21. Finality of orders
An order of the Central Government under section 20A and, save as otherwise provided in sections 19, 20 and 20A, an order of an appellate authority, or of the Chief Inspector, or of a Deputy Chief Inspector, or of an Inspector, shall be final and shall not be called in question in any court.]
22. Minor penalties
Any owner of a boiler who refuses or without reasonable excuse
neglects-
(i) to surrender a provisional order as required by section 9,
or
(ii) to produce a certificate or provisional order when duly
called upon to do so under section 15, or
(iii) to make over to the new owner of a boiler a certificate or provisional order as required by section 16, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees.
23. Penalties for illegal use of boiler
Any owner of a boiler who, in any case in which a certificate or provisional order is required for the uses of the boiler under this Act, uses the boiler either without any such certificate or order being in force or at a higher pressure than that allowed thereby, shall be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, and, in the case of a continuing offence, with an additional fine which may extend to one hundred rupees for each day after the first day in regard to which he is convicted of having persisted in the offence.
24. Other penalties
Any person who-
(a) uses or permits to be used a boiler of which he is the owner
and which has been transferred from one State to another without such transfer
having been reported as required by section 6, or
(b) being the owner of a boiler fails to cause the register
number allotted to the boiler under this Act to be marked on the boiler as
required by sub-section (6) of section 7, or
(c) makes any structural alteration, addition or renewal in or
to a boiler without first obtaining the sanction of the Chief Inspector when so
required by section 12, or to a steam-pipe without first informing the Chief
Inspector, when so required by section 13, or
(d) fails to report an accident to a boiler or steam-pipe when
so required by section 18, or
(e) tampers with a safety valve of a boiler so as to render it
inoperative at the maximum pressure at which the use of the boiler is
authorized under this Act, 38[or]
38[(f) allows another person to go inside a boiler without
effectively disconnecting the same in the prescribed manner from any steam or
hot water connection with any other boiler or from fuel mains,]
shall be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees.
25. Penalty for tampering with register marks
(1) Whoever removes, alters, defaces, renders invisible or
otherwise tampers with the register number marked on a boiler in accordance
with the provisions of this Act or any Act repealed hereby, shall be punishable
with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees.
(2) Whoever fraudulently marks upon a boiler a register number which has not been allotted to it under this Act or any Act repealed hare by, shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
26. Limitation and previous sanction for prosecutions
No prosecution for an offence made punishable by or under this Act shall be instituted except within 39[twenty-four months] from the date of the commission of the offence, and no such prosecution shall be instituted without the previous sanction of the Chief Inspector.
27. Trial of offences
No offence made punishable by or under this Act shall be tried by a Court inferior to that of a Presidency Magistrate or a Magistrate of the first class.
27A. Central Boilers Boards
(1) A Board to be called the Central Boilers Board shall be
constituted to exercise the powers conferred by section 28.
41[(2) The Board shall consist of the following members,
namely
(a) such number of members, including the
Chairman, not exceeding fifteen, as the Central Government may nominate in the prescribed
manner to represent that Government, the Union territories, the railways, the
coal industry, the Indian Standards Institution, the boiler manufacturing
industry, the users of boilers and, any other interests which, in the opinion
of the Central Government, ought to be represented on the Board;
(b) a senior technical officer conversant with
the inspection and examination of boilers, to be nominated by the Government of
each State (other than a Union territory).]
(3) Any vacancy occurring in the Board 42[***] shall
be filled as soon as may be by a nomination made by the authority by whom the
member vacating office was nominated.
43[(4) The Board shall have full power to regulate by means
of bye-laws or otherwise its own procedure and the conduct of all business to
be transacted by it, the constitution of committees and sub-committees of
members and the delegation to them of any of the powers and duties of the
Board.]
(5) The powers of the Board may be exercised notwithstanding any vacancy in the Board.]
28. Power to make regulations
The 44[Board] may, by notification in the Gazette of
India, make regulations consistent with this Act for all or any of the
following purposes, namely :-
(a) for laying down the standard conditions in respect of material,
design and construction which shall be required for the purpose of enabling
registration and certification of a boiler under this Act;
46[(aa) for prescribing the circumstances in which, the
extent to which, and the conditions subject to which variation from the
standard conditions laid down under clause (a) may be permitted;]
(b) for prescribing the method of determining the maximum
pressure at which a boiler may be used;
(c) for regulating the registration of boilers, prescribing the
fees payable therefor 47[and for the inspection and examination of
boilers or parts thereof], the drawings, specifications certificates and
particulars to be produced by the owner, the method of preparing a boiler for
examination, the form of the Inspector�s report thereon, the method of marking
the register number, and the period within which such number is to be marked on
the boiler;
(d) for regulating the inspection and examination of boilers and
steam-pipes, and prescribing forms of certificates therefor;.
(e) for ensuring the safety of persons working inside a boiler;
and
(f) for providing for any other matter which is not, in the opinion of the 44[Board], a matter of merely local or State importance.
28A. Power of Central Government to make rules
(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, make rules to provide for-
(a) the procedure to be followed in making
applications under section 20A and the fees payable in respect of such
applications; and
(b) any matter relating to the nomination of
members under clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 27A.
(2) Every rule made under sub-section (1) shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made before each House of Parliament while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two successive sessions, and if before the expiry of the session in which it is so laid or the session immediately following, both Houses. agree in making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be, so however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule.],
29. Power to make rule
The State Government may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, make rules consistent with this Act and the regulations made
thereunder for all or any of the following purposes, namely :-
(a) for prescribing the qualifications and duties of the Chief
Inspector, 49[of Deputy Chief Inspectors] and of Inspectors, 50[***]
for prescribing or constituting authorities to which they shall respectively be
subordinate, and the limits of the administrative control to be exercised by
such authorities;
(b) for regulating the transfer of boilers;
(c) for providing for the registration and certification of
boilers in accordance with the regulations made under this Act;
(d) for requiring boilers to be in charge of persons holding 51[certificates
of proficiency or competency], and for prescribing the conditions on which such
certificates may be granted;
(e) for prescribing the times within which Inspectors shall be
required to examine boiler under section 7 or section 8;
52(f) for prescribing the fees payable for the issue of
renewed certificates, for the inspection and examination of boilers or parts
thereof or drawings for steam-pipes, for the testing of welders or for any
other matter which, in the opinion of the State Government, would involve time
and labor and prescribing the method of determining the amount of such fees in
each case;]
(g) for regulating inquiries into accidents;
(h) for constituting the appellate authority referred to in section
20, and for determining its powers and procedure;
(i) for determining the mode of disposal of fees, costs and
penalties levied under this Act; and
(j) generally to provide for any matter which is, in the opinion of the State Government, a matter of, merely. local importance in the State;
30. Penalty for breach of rules
Any regulation or rule made under section 28 or section 29 54[may direct that a person contravening such regulation or rule shall be punishable, in the case of a first offence, with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees, and in the case of any subsequent offence, with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees].
31. Publication of regulations and rules
(1) The power to make regulations and rules conferred by sections
28 and 29 shall be subject to the condition of the regulations and rules being
made after previous publication.
55[(2) Regulations and rules so made shall he published in the Gazette of India and the local official Gazette, respectively, and, on such publication, shall have effect as if enacted in this Act.]
31A. Power of Central Government to give directions
The Central Government may give such directions as it may deem necessary to a State Government regarding the carrying into execution of the provisions to this Act, and the State Government shall comply with such directions.]
32. Recovery of fees etc.
All fees, costs and penalties levied under this Act shall be recoverable as arrears of land-revenue.
33. Applicability to the Government
Save as otherwise expressly provided, this Act shall apply to boilers and steam-pipes belonging to Government.
34. Exemption
57[(1) The State Government may, by notification in the
Official Gazette, exempt from the operation of this Act, subject to such conditions
and restrictions as it thinks fit, any boilers or classes or types of boilers
used exclusively for the heating of buildings or the supply of hot water.]
57[58[(2) In case of any emergency, the State
Government may, by general or special order in writing, exempt any boilers or
steam-pipes or any class of boilers or steam-pipes or any boiler or steam-pipe
from the operation of all or any of the provisions of this Act.
(3) If the State Government is satisfied that, having regard to the material, design or construction of boilers and to the need for the rapid industrialization of the country, it is necessary so to do, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette and subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be specified in the notification, exclude arty specified class of boilers or steam-pipes in the whole or any part of the State, from the operation of all or any of the provisions of this Act.]
35. [Repealed by the Repealing Act, 1927]
Footnotes
Foot Notes
1. This Act has been extended to Berar by Act No. 4 of 1941; to
Goa, Daman and Diu by Reg. 12 of 1962; to Dadra and Nagar Haveli by Reg. 6 of
1963; to Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi Islands by Reg. 8 of 1965 and to
Pondicherry by Act No. 26 of 1968.
2. Substituted by the A.O. 1950 for the former sub-section (2).
3. Substituted by the Act No. 3 of 1951, for the words
"except Part B States".
4. The appointed day is 1st January, 1924, vide Notification No.
A-61, dated the 4th December, 1923, see GOI, 1923, Pt. I, p. 1695.
5. Inserted by Act No. 11 of 1937.
6. Substituted by Act No. 18 of 1960, for the words "five
gallons".
7. The word "for use outside such vessel" omitted by Act
No. 9 of 1929.
8. Substituted by Act No. 18 of 1960, for earlier clause (c).
9. Substituted by Act No. 34 of 1947, for the former (cc).
10. Substituted by Act No.18 of 1960, for the earlier clause
(f).
11. Inserted by Act No.17 of 1943.
12. Inserted by Act No. 34 of 1947.
13. The words, brackets, letters and figures "clause (e) of
section 6, clauses (c) and (d) of section 11, clause (d) of 29" omitted by
Act 25 of 1952.
14. The words and figures "and section 34" omitted by
Act No.18 of 1960.
15. See now the Indian Merchant Shipping Act, 1923.
16. Substituted by Act No. 38 of 1951, for the former clause.
17. Added by Act 5 of 1942.
18. Substituted by Act No.18 of 1960, for the words "twenty
gallons".
19. Substituted by the A.O. 1948, for the words "Safety
Controlling Authority".
20. Substituted by the A.O. 1937, for the words "by the
Government".
21. Substituted by the A.O. 1948, for the words "Federal
Railway Authority".
22. Words omitted by the A.O. 1948.
23. The words "G.G. in C. " have been successively
amended by the A.O. 1937 and the A.O. 1950.
24. Substituted by Act No.18 of 1960, for the earlier section 5.
25. Substituted by Act No.18 of 1960, for the words
"certificate of competency".
26. Proviso omitted by Ant 34 of 1939.
27. Added by Act No. 34 of 1947.
28. Inserted by Act No.18 of 1960.
29. Substituted, ibid., for the words "two hundred square
feet".
30. Added by Act No. 34 of 1947.
31. Inserted by Act No.18 of 1960.
32. Substituted, ibid, for the second proviso which was inserted
by Act No. 34 of 1947.
33. Added by Act No. 34 of 1947.
34. Substituted by Act No.18 of 1960, for the words
"certificates of competency".
35. See now the Factories Act, 1948 (63 of 1948).
36. Inserted by Act No.18 of 1960.
37. Sub., ibid., for earlier section 21.
38. Inserted by Act No.18 of 1960.
39. Substituted, ibid, for the words "six months".
40. Inserted by Act No.11 of 1937.
41. Substituted, by Act No.18 of 1960, for former sub-section
(2).
42. Omitted by Act No.18 of 1960.
43. Substituted, ibid. for sub-section (4).
44. Substituted by Act No.11 of 1937, for the word and letters
"G.G. in C."
45. Inserted by Act No. 18 of 1960.
46. Inserted by Act No.11 of 1937.
47. Inserted by Act No.18 of 1960.
48. Inserted by Act No.18 of 1960.
49. Inserted by Act No.18 of 1960.
50. The words "for regulating their salary, allowances and
conditions of service" omitted by the A. O. 1937.
51. Substituted by Act No.18 of 1960, for the words
"certificates of competency".
52. Substituted, ibid., for earlier clause (f).
53. Proviso omitted by the A.O. 1937.
54. Substituted by Act No.18 of 1960.
55. Sub-section (2) stands unmodified. See the A. O. 1937.
56. Inserted by Act No.18 of 1960.
57. The original section 34 re-numbered as sub-section (2) of
that section, and sub-section (1) inserted by Act 9 of 1929.
58. Substituted by Act No.18 of 1960, for former sub-section (2).