The National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) Committee Meeting, held January 13-16 at Hyatt Place Charleston/Historic District in Charleston, South Carolina, was another busy and productive gathering.
This meeting marked the end of the first development cycle for the 2027 NBIC, and more than 200 boiler and pressure vessel industry professionals met – both in person and virtually – to discuss interpretations, code revisions, and code additions.
Fourteen meetings were conducted:
- NR, Historical Boilers, and Interpretations Task Groups
- Part 2 & 3 Joint Task Group
- Installation, Inspection, Repairs and Alterations, and Pressure Relief Devices Subgroups
- Installation, Inspection, Repairs and Alterations, and Pressure Relief Devices Subcommittees
- NBIC Chairs Committee
- NBIC Main Committee
Over the course of the meetings, 107 business items were addressed. By the end of the week, the committees:
- Approved 10 code change requests
- Reviewed and closed 12 items
- Approved four new interpretations
During the Subcommittee Repairs and Alterations meeting, Tim McBee (ARISE, Subcommittee R&A member) and Chuck Becker (Bureau Veritas, Subcommittee Inspection member) presented a report on a quick-actuating closure failure incident. Their presentation sparked in-depth discussions, reinforcing the need to address these vessels within the NBIC. Both presenters are part of a task group developing a new supplement, “General Requirements for Repairs to Quick-Actuating Closures.”
In addition, 24 committee members were recognized for their years of service on NBIC committees. The following members received awards:
- Task Group Historical Boilers: Tom Dillon (15 years), Frank Johnson (15 years), Dennis Rupert (15 years) and Mike Wahl (15 years)
- Subgroup Installation: Todd Creacy (10 years), Ron Spiker (5 years)
- Subgroup Inspection: Jim Clark (5 years), Darrell Graf (10 years), and Tom Vandini (10 years)
- Subgroup Pressure Relief Devices (PRD): Prakash Dhobi (5 years), Alfred Donaldson (5 years), and Tom Tarbay (5 years) • Subcommittee Installation: Matt Downs (5 years)
- Subcommittee Inspection: Tim Barker (15 years), Mark Horbaczewski (15 years)
- Subcommittee Repairs and Alterations: Pat Becker (5 years), McBee (5 years), Paul Shanks (5 years)
- Subcommittee PRD: Kim Beise (10 years), David McHugh (10 years)
- Main Committee: George Galanes (25 years), Brian Morelock (10 years), Venus Newton (10 years), Marty Toth (5 years)
The National Board extends its gratitude to these members and all those who serve on NBIC committees. Their dedication is instrumental in maintaining and advancing the NBIC.
At the Main Committee meeting on January 16, the following members announced their retirement from NBIC committee duties:
- Alton Cox (JAC Consulting) – Served on Pressure Relief Device committees for over 30 years
- Jeff Petersen (Idaho National Laboratory) – Served on Subgroup & Subcommittee Inspection for five years
- David Buechel (Hartford Steam Boiler) – Served on Subgroup & Subcommittee Inspection for nine years
- Tim Barker (Factory Mutual) – Served on Subcommittee Inspection for 15 years, Subgroup Inspection for 13 years, and Main Committee for three years
The National Board appreciates these members’ invaluable contributions and lasting impact on the NBIC. Their expertise and leadership will be missed.
If you’re interested in attending the NBIC meetings and participating in its development process, contact the NBIC secretary at NBICSecretary@nbbi.org. For the latest updates on the NBIC and committee meetings, visit the NBIC tab at NBBI.org.