Ab-528 Requirements For Reduced Supervision

the pressure equipment safety authority
Requirements for Reduced Supervision

of Power Plants,
Thermal Liquid Heating Systems,
and Heating Plants
AB-528
Edition 3, Revision 1 – Issued 2020-02-18

Requirements for Reduced Supervision of Power Plants
Thermal Liquid Heating Systems and Heating Plants
Table of Contents
FOREWORD ........................................................................................................... ii
1.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1
2.0 DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................... 2
3.0 REFERENCED CODES AND STANDARDS AND OTHER PROVISIONS . 3
4.0 POWER PLANTS ......................................................................................... 4
4.1 Power Plants Containing Thermal Liquid Under Pressure ................. 4
4.1.1 Technical and Supervision Requirements ............................... 4
4.1.2 Integrity Management System Requirements ......................... 5
4.2 Power Plants Using Water-Glycol Mixture ......................................... 6
4.3 Power Plant Recovering Energy from Waste Heat ............................ 6
5.0 THERMAL LIQUID HEATING SYSTEMS .................................................... 9
5.1 Definition ............................................................................................ 9
5.2 The Pressure Equipment Exemption Order ....................................... 9
5.3 Determining Requirements for Thermal Liquid Heating Systems ...... 9
6.0 HEATING PLANTS .................................................................................... 11
7.0 OPERATING EXPERIENCE UNDER REDUCED SUPERVISION ............ 12
8.0 REVISION LOG.......................................................................................... 13
Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 i

FOREWORD
The Administrator in the pressure equipment discipline has established that this ABSA
document Requirements for Reduced Supervision of Power Plants, Thermal Liquid
Heating Systems, and Heating Plants (AB-528, Edition 3, Revision 1), specifies the
technical and supervision requirements that must be met by an owner to operate a
power plant, thermal liquid heating system, or heating plant with reduced supervision as
permitted respectively under Sections 2.1, 3.1 and 4.1 of the Power Engineers
Regulation.
Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 ii

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Power Engineers Regulation AR 85/2003 (hereunder referred to as “PER”), with
amendments up to and including AR 84/2014, establishes provisions for operating
certain plants under reduced supervision.
This document, AB-528, describes the requirements for operation under a reduced level
of supervision established by the Administrator in accordance with the provisions of the
PER. It was developed following wide consultation and is endorsed by the Pressure
Equipment Sub-Council of the Safety Codes Council.
“Reduced supervision” in this document, and in the PER, refers to a reduced physical
presence of competent personnel at certain types of plants. Reduced supervision was
permitted in recognition that an equal or greater degree of safety is expected and has
been made possible as a result of technological changes that have taken place since
the original requirements were established decades ago.
The owner of a power plant, thermal liquid heating system, or heating plant may
operate the plant with reduced supervision, provided that
 the owner has reviewed the operating hazards of the installation in order to
determine that the necessary safety objectives can be achieved
 all the requirements set forth in this document are met
This document is scheduled to be reviewed and reaffirmed by February 28, 2022.
Note: Nothing in this document provides any exemption from, nor supersedes, the
requirements described in the PER or in the PEEO.
Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 Page 1 of 12

2.0 DEFINITIONS
Administrator - means the Administrator in the pressure equipment discipline
appointed under the Act. [PESR 1(1)(b)]
Competent - in relation to a person, means possessing the appropriate qualifications,

knowledge, skills, and experience to perform the work safely and in accordance with the
Act. [PER 1(1)(i)]
Instrumentation Alternative - means a technology designed to ensure the safe

operation of pressure equipment without the level of supervision by a power engineer or
other competent operator that would otherwise be required, specifically,
(i) a power plant or thermal liquid heating system designed to operate with reduced
supervision, or
(ii) a remote monitoring system for heating plants. [PER 1(k.2)]
Pressure Equipment Integrity Management (PEIM) - a PEIM is a quality

management system that meets the requirements of AB-512 and for which the owner
holds a Certificate of Authorization Permit in accordance with Section 11(3) of the
Pressure Equipment Safety Regulations.
Power Engineer - means a person who holds a certificate of competency referred to in

Section 7 of the Power Engineers Regulation. [PER 1(n)]
Remotely located facility - means a facility at which any danger to persons possibly
affected by a failure of pressure equipment is significantly reduced because of the
distance of the facility from other areas of human habitation or use. [PER 1(p.1)]
Thermal liquid heating system - means one or more thermal liquid heaters, and any
connected piping system or vessel, in which a thermal liquid that is not pressurized by
the application of a heat source is used as the heat transfer medium. [PESR 1(1)(ff.1)]

3.0 REFERENCED CODES AND STANDARDS AND OTHER

PROVISIONS
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VI, Recommended Rules for the Care
and Operation of Heating Boilers
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VII, Recommended Guidelines for the
Care of Power Boilers
ASME CSD-1 Controls and Safety Devices for Automatically Fired Boilers
NFPA 85: Boiler and Combustion Systems Hazards Code
AB-512 Owner-User Pressure Equipment Integrity Management Requirements

This document specifies quality management system requirements for owners who hold
a certificate of authorization permit under Section 11(3) of the Pressure Equipment
Safety Regulation.

4.0 POWER PLANTS

The PER permits specific types of power plants to operate under reduced supervision
from the requirements described in Section 2 of the PER. The requirements for
reduced supervision of power plants are described below in 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3.
When an owner elects to operate a facility under reduced supervision, the owner must
report the change in supervision status to ABSA’s E&C department so that they may
update the plant registry.
4.1 Power Plants Containing Thermal Liquid Under Pressure
A plant containing thermal liquid where a blanketing gas is not prevented from
exceeding 103 kPa and has a rated operating temperature exceeding 121°C is
classed as a power plant. This type of power plant may be eligible to be operated
under reduced supervision if the blanketing gas pressure imposed on the system
does not exceed 700 kPa.
Normal Supervision
Section 2.1(1) of the PER establishes that this type of power plant must have the
same supervision requirements as a thermal liquid heating system as defined in
Section 3 and Table 5 of the PER.
Reduced Supervision – Remotely Located Plant
Section 2.1(2) of the PER specifies the reduced supervision requirements for a
remotely located power plant that does not produce steam and uses a thermal
liquid under pressure of a blanketing gas not exceeding 700 kPa.
The reduced supervision permitted allows the owner to
 suspend general, continuous, and overall supervision
Operation under reduced supervision is permitted only if all the following

technical, supervision, and integrity management system requirements are
satisfied.
4.1.1 Technical and Supervision Requirements
 No personnel are allowed on the plant site while it is in

operation unless the plant is under the on-site supervision of a
competent person who holds a Certificate of Competency as
listed in Row 1,2,3,4 or 7in Table 1 of the Schedule in the PER.
 When on-site supervision is suspended, the plant operation
must be monitored by instrumentation on a continuous basis,
and an automated callout system, or a person remotely

monitoring the plant is required to contact a competent on-call

power engineer to respond to abnormal conditions. The power
engineer on call must also confirm a response to the call-out
whenever the plant is not under on-site supervision.
 Any loss of remote monitoring must trigger an alarm condition,
and supervision must revert to the supervision requirements of
Section 2.1(1) or Section 2(1) of the PER, as applicable.
 The plant must be equipped with instrumentation and control
logic that has been designed for unattended operation, which
conforms to the requirements of CSD-1 or an appropriate
alternative (such as NFPA 85).
 Automatic shutdowns are required for all critical control
parameters.
 Automatic shutdowns must switch to a lockout condition with no
possibility of an unattended or remote restarting.
 The owner shall ensure that all controls, safety devices, and
burners are installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions. Safety control functions shall be installed in such a
way as to prevent a bypass.
 There must be a shift engineer of record for each shift that is
covered by continuous or general supervision.
 A plant log book must be maintained as per Section 6 of the
PER, with entries signed by the shift engineer of record for that
shift.
 Any time the plant is not under the on-site supervision of a
competent, adequately certified power engineer, a locked
perimeter fence must prevent access to the site.
4.1.2 Integrity Management System Requirements
The plant owner must have a Pressure Equipment Integrity Management

System (PEIM) with a valid certificate of authorization permit. The
following requirements must also be addressed in the Operations element
of the PEIM documentation for each plant operating under reduced
supervision.
The PEIM documentation must
 specify the duties and responsibilities of the owner and the

power engineers with respect to supervision of the pressure
equipment in the plant
 specify the maximum allowable period between on-site
physical checks of power plant equipment
 include details of the required training for power engineers
who provide supervision for the plant, as well as the
requirements for retention of training records

 require the owner to set, follow, and document an inspection,

cleaning, and maintenance schedule for all controls, burners,
and safety devices in accordance with the manufacturer-
suggested intervals or, at minimum, on an annual basis
 require periodic testing of controls and protective devices to
verify functionality and set-points
 require that the competent individual performing maintenance,
inspection, and testing is trained and familiar with all operating
procedures, as well as equipment functions, and is capable of
determining if the equipment is in an as-designed operating
condition
 require the quality of the heat medium to be regularly tested
and maintained
 contain a summary of the analysis that has determined the
facility is remotely located, as well as a determination of risk to
public safety
Note: The PEIM is subject to periodic audits conducted by ABSA.
4.2 Power Plants Using Water-Glycol Mixture
Section 2.1(2) of the PER specifies the reduced supervision requirements for
remotely located power plants that do not produce steam and use a water-glycol
mixture with a minimum of 40% glycol.
 suspend general, continuous and overall supervision

 have an operator holding a Certificate of Competency as listed in Row
1,2,3,4 or 7 in Table 1 of the Schedule in the PER to provide
supervision.
Operation under reduced supervision is permitted only if all the technical,

supervision, and integrity management system requirements specified in 4.1.1
and 4.1.2 of this document are satisfied.
4.3 Power Plant Recovering Energy from Waste Heat
Section 2.1(3) of the PER specifies the reduced supervision requirements for
remotely located power plants that use a water-glycol or other organic fluid
mixture that has a reduced degree of expansion, whereby the mixture is heated
by waste heat with no secondary fuel input.
The reduced supervision permitted allows the owner to:

 have supervision provided by a competent operator who does not

hold a certificate of competency issued under the PER

satisfied.
Technical and Supervision Requirements
 The plant must be under supervision by a competent operator at all times

while the plant is in operation and other personnel are on site.
 All competent operators responsible for supervision of pressure equipment
must be fully trained on all of the power plant’s operating procedures.
 The plant must be monitored on a continuous basis, and the individual
monitoring is required to contact a competent on-call operator if abnormal
conditions arise. The competent operator on call must also confirm a
response to the call-out whenever the plant is not under on-site
supervision.
 Any loss of remote monitoring must trigger an alarm condition, and
supervision must revert to the continuous supervision provided by a
competent operator.
 The power plant must be equipped with instrumentation and control logic
that has been designed for unattended operation, which conforms to the
requirements of CSD-1 or an appropriate alternative (such as NFPA 85).
 Automatic shutdowns are required for all critical control parameters.
 The automatic shutdowns must enter a lockout condition with no
possibility of an unattended or remote restarting.
 The owner shall ensure that all controls, safety devices, and burners are
installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Safety control
functions shall be installed in such a way as to prevent a bypass.
 There must be a competent operator of record for each shift that is
covered by on-site supervision.
 A plant log book must be maintained as per Section 6 of the PER, with
entries signed by the competent operator of record for that shift.
 Any time the plant is not under the supervision of a competent operator, a
locked perimeter fence must prevent access to the site.
Integrity Management System Requirements
The plant owner must have a Pressure Equipment Integrity Management System
(PEIM) with a valid certificate of authorization permit. The following requirements
must be addressed in the “Operations” element of the PEIM documentation for
each plant operating under reduced supervision.

 specify the duties and responsibilities of the owner and the competent
operators with respect to supervision of the pressure equipment in the
plant
 specify the maximum allowable period between on-site physical checks of
power plant equipment
 include details of the required training for competent operators who
provide supervision for the plant, as well as the requirements for the
retention of training records
 require the owner to set, follow, and document an inspection, cleaning,
and maintenance schedule for all controls, sources of waste heat, and
safety devices in accordance with the manufacturer-suggested intervals
or, at a minimum, on an annual basis
 require periodic testing of controls and protective devices to verify
functionality and set-points
 require that the competent individual performing maintenance, inspection,
and testing is trained and familiar with all operating procedures, as well as
equipment functions, and is capable of determining if the equipment is in
an as-designed operating condition
 require the quality of the heat medium to be regularly tested and
maintained
 specify how the owner will satisfy the regulatory responsibilities normally
assigned to the chief power engineer
 contain a summary of the analysis that has determined the facility is
remotely located, as well as a determination of risk to public safety

5.0 THERMAL LIQUID HEATING SYSTEMS

5.1 Definition
As defined by the PER, “thermal liquid heating system” means one or more
thermal liquid heaters in which a thermal liquid that is not pressurized by the
application of a heat source is used as the heat transfer medium, and includes any
connected piping system or vessel.
5.2 The Pressure Equipment Exemption Order
The Pressure Equipment Exemption Order AR 56/2006 Section 2.2(1) states:
The Power Engineers Regulation (AR 85/2003) does not apply to a thermal liquid
heating system in a chemical processing plant, natural gas processing plant or oil
refinery.
5.3 Determining Requirements for Thermal Liquid Heating Systems
The AB-537 provides guidance on determining requirements for thermal liquid

heating systems
Note: Plants that use thermal liquid under pressure of a blanketing gas that
exceeds 103 kPa are subject to part 4.1 Power Plants Containing Thermal Liquid
Under Pressure.
Section 3.1 of the PER specifies the reduced supervision requirements for a
thermal liquid heating system at a remotely located facility if it is not exempt
under provisions of the PEEO.
When an owner elects to operate a facility under reduced supervision the owner
must report the change in supervision status to ABSA’s E&C department to

satisfied.

Technical and Supervision Requirements
 No personnel are allowed on the plant site while it is in operation, unless the
plant is under the on-site supervision of a competent power engineer who
holds at minimum, a certificate of competency listed in rows 3, 4 or 7 of Table
5 of the Schedule in the PER.
 When on-site supervision is suspended, the plant operation must be
monitored by instrumentation on a continuous basis, and an automated
callout system, or a person remotely monitoring the plant is required to
contact a competent on-call power engineer to respond to abnormal
conditions. The power engineer on call is also required to confirm a response
to the call-out whenever the plant is not under on-site supervision.
 Any loss of remote monitoring must trigger an alarm condition, and
supervision must revert to the general supervision requirements of Section
3(4) of the PER.
 The thermal liquid heating system must be equipped with instrumentation and
control logic that has been designed for unattended operation, which
conforms to the requirements of CSD-1 or an appropriate alternative (such as
NFPA 85).
 Automatic shutdowns are required for all critical control parameters.
 The automatic shutdowns must enter a lockout condition with no possibility of
unattended or remote restarting.
 The owner shall ensure that all controls, safety devices, and burners are
installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Safety control
functions shall be installed in such a way as to prevent a bypass.
 A plant log book must be maintained as per Section 6 of the PER.
 Any time the plant is not under the supervision of a competent, adequately
certified power engineer, a locked perimeter fence must prevent access to the
site.
Integrity Management System Requirements
The plant owner must have a Pressure Equipment Integrity Management System
(PEIM) with a valid certificate of authorization permit. The following requirements
must be addressed in the “Operations” element of the PEIM documentation for
each plant operating under reduced supervision.
 specify the duties and responsibilities of the owner and the power
engineers with respect to supervision of the pressure equipment in the
plant
 specify the maximum allowable period between on-site physical checks of
the thermal liquid heating system
 include details of the required training for power engineers who provide
supervision for the plant as well as the requirements for retention of
training records

 require the owner to set, follow, and document an inspection, cleaning,

and maintenance schedule for all controls, burners, and safety devices in
accordance with the manufacturer-suggested intervals or, at minimum, on
an annual basis
 require periodic testing of controls and protective devices to verify
functionality and set-points
 require that the competent individual performing maintenance, inspection,
and testing is trained and familiar with all operating procedures, as well as
equipment functions, and is capable of determining if the equipment is in
an as-designed operating condition
 require the quality of the heat medium to be regularly tested and
maintained
 contain a summary of the analysis that has determined the facility is
remotely located as well as a determination of risk to public safety
6.0 HEATING PLANTS
Section 4 of the PER governs requirements for supervision of heating plants. A heating
plant that has a capacity exceeding 750 kW and 0.085 m 3 must be under general
supervision. This means the power engineer in charge of the plant must conduct checks
of the heating plant’s equipment twice within each 24-hour period, at least 7 hours
apart, while the heating plant is in operation. The power engineer in charge may provide
supervision to not more than two heating plants, unless authorized to do so by the
Administrator.
Section 4(4) of the PER allows for suspension of the heating plant checks, provided the
buildings served by the heating plant are unoccupied. Furthermore, Section 4.1 of the
PER permits a reduction to the level of supervision outside normal Monday to Friday
working hours.
Note: Refer to Section 4.1 of the PER for the specific reduced supervision
requirements defined by the PER.
 have a power engineer in charge who must conduct checks of the heating plant
equipment once within each 24-hour period
 have a power engineer supervise no more than five hot-water heating plants or
two steam-heating plants during the period of reduced supervision, who is
responsible for conducting an operational check on each heating plant at least
once daily
When an owner elects to operate a facility under reduced supervision, the owner must
report the change in supervision status to ABSA’s E&C department so that they may

Operation under reduce supervision is permitted only if all the following technical and
supervision requirements are satisfied:
 The period of reduced supervision falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday that

is observed in the community where the heating plant is located.
 The heating plant under reduced supervision must be monitored on a continuous
basis from a remotely located centre using a Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) system.
 There must be a competent power engineer on call during all periods of reduced
supervision. The power engineer must be available to respond immediately when
abnormal conditions are detected at the remote monitoring centre.
 The SCADA system must not allow for remote re-starts of a heating plant that
has shut down to a lockout condition.
 The owner must set, follow, and document an inspection, cleaning, and
maintenance schedule for all controls, burners, and safety devices in accordance
with the manufacturer-suggested intervals or, at a minimum, on an annual basis.
 Safety control(s) that can electronically reset without local manual intervention,
such as when power or control input to the device is interrupted and then
restored, shall not be permitted.
 Each heating plant operating under reduced supervision must have, at minimum,
functional shutdown-to-lockout protection against conditions of low-water level
and/or flow, high temperature, and flame failure.
 The owner must provide appropriate training and retain training records for the
power engineers responsible for supervision of the heating plant(s).
7.0 OPERATING EXPERIENCE UNDER REDUCED SUPERVISION
Credit may be granted for two-thirds of the time worked in a reduced supervision power
plant towards the experience required for a higher level of certification, except that no
credit shall be granted toward the experience required for first class certification.
Regardless of the job title, the experience credit granted and required shall be as shift
engineer for the next level of certification based on the kilowatt rating of plant under
reduced supervision.
Example: Reduced supervision power plant using water-glycol mixture in accordance

with section 4.2 of this document. Plant capacity is 6000kW (Second class plant per
Power Engineers Regulation Table 1, row 2.
5th class engineer Experience required for 4th 6 months ÷ 2/3 = 9 months
4th class engineer Experience required for 3rd 12 months ÷ / 2/3 = 18 months
3rd class engineer Experience required for 2nd 24 months ÷ 2/3 = 36 months
2nd class engineer Experience required for 1st Not permitted in reduced
supervision plants
Experience credit for time worked in a reduced supervision heating plant may be
granted for all of the time worked.

8.0 REVISION LOG
Edition Rev # Date Description

1 0 2014-05-21 Initial Issue
1 2 2015-03-17 Editorial Updates
1 1 2015-10-06 Correction made to Rev #’s
2 0 2016-07-15 Editorial Rewrite
2 1 2016-09-12 Added Foreword and Editorial Correction:
Replaced “power engineer” with “competent
operator” in two places in section 4.3
3 0 2018-12-21 Owners must report to E&C when operating a
plant under reduced supervision; new section 7
added; clarification on which rows within a table
applies to supervision.
3 1 2020-02-18 Revisions made for clarity and to address with the
TLHS exemption amendment to the PEEO.

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the pressure equipment safety authority

Requirements for Reduced Supervision

Edition 3, Revision 1 – Issued 2020-02-18

Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 i

Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 ii

This document is scheduled to be reviewed and reaffirmed by February 28, 2022.

Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 Page 1 of 12

Competent - in relation to a person, means possessing the appropriate qualifications,

Instrumentation Alternative - means a technology designed to ensure the safe

Pressure Equipment Integrity Management (PEIM) - a PEIM is a quality

Power Engineer - means a person who holds a certificate of competency referred to in

Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 Page 2 of 13

3.0 REFERENCED CODES AND STANDARDS AND OTHER

NFPA 85: Boiler and Combustion Systems Hazards Code

AB-512 Owner-User Pressure Equipment Integrity Management Requirements

Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 Page 3 of 13

4.0 POWER PLANTS

4.1 Power Plants Containing Thermal Liquid Under Pressure

Reduced Supervision – Remotely Located Plant

The reduced supervision permitted allows the owner to

 suspend general, continuous, and overall supervision

Operation under reduced supervision is permitted only if all the following

4.1.1 Technical and Supervision Requirements

 No personnel are allowed on the plant site while it is in

Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 Page 4 of 13

monitoring the plant is required to contact a competent on-call

4.1.2 Integrity Management System Requirements

The plant owner must have a Pressure Equipment Integrity Management

The PEIM documentation must

 specify the duties and responsibilities of the owner and the

Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 Page 5 of 13

 require the owner to set, follow, and document an inspection,

Note: The PEIM is subject to periodic audits conducted by ABSA.

4.2 Power Plants Using Water-Glycol Mixture

The reduced supervision permitted allows the owner to

 suspend general, continuous and overall supervision

Operation under reduced supervision is permitted only if all the technical,

4.3 Power Plant Recovering Energy from Waste Heat

The reduced supervision permitted allows the owner to:

 suspend general, continuous, and overall supervision

Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 Page 6 of 13

 have supervision provided by a competent operator who does not

Operation under reduced supervision is permitted only if all the following

Technical and Supervision Requirements

 The plant must be under supervision by a competent operator at all times

Integrity Management System Requirements

Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 Page 7 of 13

The PEIM documentation must

Note: The PEIM is subject to periodic audits conducted by ABSA.

Issued 2020-02-18 AB-528 Edition 3, Revision 1 Page 8 of 13

5.0 THERMAL LIQUID HEATING SYSTEMS

5.2 The Pressure Equipment Exemption Order

The Pressure Equipment Exemption Order AR 56/2006 Section 2.2(1) states:

5.3 Determining Requirements for Thermal Liquid Heating Systems

The AB-537 provides guidance on determining requirements for thermal liquid

The reduced supervision permitted allows the owner to

 suspend general, continuous, and overall supervision

Operation under reduced supervision is permitted only if all the following