Licensing And Grades
Not publishedof exam
Law, Inspection, Records
Not publishedof exam
Safety Valves And Controls
Not publishedof exam
Operation And Water
Not publishedof exam
Quick Facts
- Administrator
- MA Department of Fire Services
- Program
- Boiler and Pressure Vessel
- Format
- Written plus oral exam
- Grades
- Two fireman, three engineer
- Application fee
- $100 or $150 by grade
- Renewal
- $90, five-year term
- Continuing education
- 30 hours, 6 special
- Retake limit
- Once per 60 days
- Question count
- Not published by DFS
- Pass mark
- Not published by DFS
- Exam site
- DFS Stow campus
- Governing law
- M.G.L. c.146 and 522 CMR
Fee Ladder
Firemen 100, third 100, top engineers 150
Renewal $90, every gradeSpecial license $100 newTerm is five years
Fireman vs Engineer
Fireman
- Boilers only
- Charge capped at 25 psi
- Two grades issued
Engineer
- Boilers and engines
- Three grades issued
- Top grade is unlimited
Fireman charge caps at 25 psi
Which License Grade
- Operate under supervision only→2nd Class Fireman(Entry grade)
- Charge boilers at 25 psi→1st Class Fireman(Safety valve setting)
- Solid fuel, 150 hp→3rd Class Engineer(Aggregate limit)
- Oil or gas, 500 hp→3rd Class Engineer(Aggregate limit)
- Engines up to 150 hp→2nd Class Engineer(No boiler cap)
- Any plant, no limit→1st Class Engineer(Highest grade)
- One named plant only→Special license(Owner request needed)
- Plant over 250 hp→Regular engineer grade(Special license capped)
License Grades And Scope
- 2nd Class Fireman
- Operate under direct charge
- 1st Class Fireman
- Charge boilers to 25 psi
- 3rd Class Engineer
- 150 hp solid fuel
- 3rd Class, other fuels
- 500 hp aggregate limit
- 2nd Class Engineer
- Engines up to 150 hp
- 1st Class Engineer
- Any steam plant, unlimited
- Special license
- One named plant only
- No 4th Class
- That grade does not exist
Third vs Second Class Engineer
3rd Class Engineer
- 150 hp solid fuel
- 500 hp other fuels
- Engines 50 hp each
2nd Class Engineer
- No boiler horsepower cap
- Engines up to 150 hp
- Operates first class plants
Engine size sets the grade
Grade Privileges Ladder
- 2nd Fireman limit
- Never has charge
- 1st Fireman may operate
- 3rd class plant, supervised
- 3rd Engineer may operate
- 2nd class plant, supervised
- 2nd Engineer may operate
- 1st class plant, supervised
- 3rd Engineer engines
- 50 hp each maximum
- 1st Engineer scope
- No horsepower limit
- Two plants, one engineer
- Only within one mile
- Alternative to one mile
- Licensed attendant on site
Special To Operate vs Charge
Special to Operate
- Operates one named plant
- Cannot have charge
- $100, oral exam
Special to Have Charge
- Has charge of it
- Owner designates you
- $100, oral exam
Both cover one plant only
Experience Routes By Grade
- 2nd Class Fireman
- Evidence of previous training
- 1st Class Fireman
- One year plant employment
- 1st Fireman shortcut
- Six months 2nd Fireman
- 3rd Class Engineer
- 1.5 years plant employment
- 3rd Engineer shortcut
- One year 1st Fireman
- 2nd Class Engineer
- Two years, 50 hp engine
- 2nd Engineer shortcut
- One year 3rd Engineer
- 1st Class Engineer
- Three years, engine over 150 hp
- 1st Engineer shortcut
- 1.5 years 2nd Engineer
- Merchant Marine time
- Equivalent license time counts
- Out-of-state license
- Equivalent time counts too
Application Facts
- Fireman, engineer form
- BPV-010 for all grades
- Special license form
- BPV-012 special engineer licenses
- Engineer in Charge form
- BPV-021 notification
- Accommodations form
- BPV-018 with application
- Minimum age
- 18 years old
- Citizenship
- Engineer grades; declaration accepted
- Endorsement
- Same or higher grade
- Endorsement exempt
- 2nd Fireman and special
- False endorsement
- Endorser loses own license
- Photo
- Passport photo or RMV
- Mail to
- DFS Stow, Massachusetts 01775
Fees And Renewal
- 1st, 2nd Class Fireman
- $100 each application
- 3rd Class Engineer
- $100 application fee
- 1st, 2nd Class Engineer
- $150 each application
- Special license
- $100 new application
- Renewal, every grade
- $90 flat
- License term
- Five years
- Continuing education
- 30 hours per term
- Special license education
- 6 hours per term
- Renewal exam
- None required
- Renewal packet mailed
- 60 days before expiry
- Return renewal by
- 30 days before expiry
Exam Logistics
- Exam format
- Written plus oral required
- Special license format
- Oral examination only
- Special exam location
- At your work site
- Regular exam venue
- DFS Stow campus
- Exam frequency
- Roughly monthly, published schedule
- Application deadline
- About one month prior
- Attempts per application
- One examination only
- Reapply limit
- Once every 60 days
- Appeal window
- Within one week
- Appeal board
- Three inspectors, decision final
- Question count
- Not published by DFS
- Time limit
- Not published by DFS
- Pass mark
- Not published by DFS
Attendance Tier Breaks
250 periodic, 500 noncontinuous, above that continuous
9-250 hp: periodic251-500 hp: noncontinuous501 hp up: continuousUnder 9 hp: exempt
Power vs Heating Boiler
High Pressure/Power
- Steam above 15 psig
- Water above 160 psig
- Water above 250 degrees
Low Pressure/Heating
- Steam 15 psig or less
- Water 160 psig or less
- Water 250 degrees or less
15 psig steam is the line
Attendance Requirement Picker
- Plant under nine hp→No license needed(Section 46 exemption)
- 9 to 250 hp→Periodic attendance(Stay in building)
- 251 to 500 hp→Noncontinuous attendance(Remote monitoring)
- 501 hp or more→Continuous attendance(Manned always)
- Boiler in private residence→No license needed(Section 46 exemption)
- Apartment under five units→No license needed(Section 46 exemption)
- Second plant within mile→Same engineer allowed(Or licensed attendant)
Attendance Tiers
- 9 to 250 hp
- Periodic attendance
- 251 to 500 hp
- Noncontinuous attendance
- 501 hp or more
- Continuous attendance
- Periodic means
- Same building, daily maintenance
- Noncontinuous adds
- Remote monitoring station required
- Noncontinuous checks
- Four to six per shift
- Continuous means
- Manned during all operation
- Under 9 hp
- No licensed operator required
Pressure Boundary Numbers
15 steam, 160 water, 250 degrees
Above any: power boilerAt or below: heating522 CMR 1.02 definition
Repair vs Alteration
Repair
- Restores safe operation
- Form R-1 filed
- Routine repair option exists
Alteration
- Changes pressure-containing capability
- Form R-2 filed
- MAWP increase counts
Changing MAWP is an alteration
Repair Or Alteration Path
- Restores safe condition→Repair, Form R-1(NBIC Part 3)
- Raises the MAWP→Alteration, Form R-2(Nonphysical change counts)
- Welded pressure work→R Certificate Holder(Accredited organization)
- Mechanical piping repair→Engineer in Charge supervises(File in seven days)
- Boiler judged unsafe→Certificate removed(No operation allowed)
Licensing Exemptions, Section 46
- Private residences
- Exempt from licensed operator
- Small apartment houses
- Fewer than five units
- Under nine horsepower
- Boilers and engines exempt
- 15 psi limiter
- Marshal-approved device exempts
- Agricultural use
- Horticultural, floricultural also exempt
- Locomotives, motor vehicles
- Named in the exemption
- Turbine test stands
- Qualified testing personnel only
- Federal jurisdiction
- United States units exempt
- Unlicensed engine operator
- 150 hp, manufacturing, supervised
- Unlicensed helper
- One per licensed person
DFS vs Board Of Boiler Rules
Department of Fire Services
- Issues licenses, certificates
- Employs district inspectors
- Runs written, oral exams
Board of Boiler Rules
- Writes 522 CMR
- Adopts national codes
- Hears variance requests
Board writes, DFS enforces
Inspection And Certificate Rules
- Power boiler inspection
- Annual, internal and external
- External inspection window
- Within six months after
- First inspection
- District Engineering Inspector only
- Later inspections
- Inspector or Authorized Inservice
- Air tank interval
- Every two years
- Air tank pressure trigger
- Design MAWP over 50 psi
- Air tank size trigger
- Over six inches diameter
- Air tank volume trigger
- Over one cubic foot
- Certificate posting
- Conspicuous, near the boiler
- Certificate protection
- Shield from dirt, moisture
- Unsafe boiler
- Inspector removes the certificate
- Inspection extension
- Six months maximum
- Mass Tag
- Inspector-only removal
Records And Reporting Duties
- Record retention
- Seven years at boiler
- Engineer's Record Book
- Engineer in Charge signs daily
- Operator's Log Book
- Signed each shift assumed
- Log review
- Engineer in Charge, daily
- Plant visits
- Daily unless Chief approves
- Appointment notice
- Division within seven days
- Leaving a position
- Division within seven days
- Designation letter
- Signed by the owner
- Accident reporting
- MEMA within 24 hours
- Repair form
- R-1 report of repair
- Alteration form
- R-2 report of alteration
- Who may weld
- Accredited R Certificate Holder
- Piping repair report
- Filed within seven days
522 CMR Definitions
- High Pressure/Power Boiler
- Steam above 15 psig
- Also high pressure
- Hot water above 160 psig
- Temperature trigger
- Hot water above 250 degrees
- Low Pressure/Heating Boiler
- At or below all three
- Massachusetts Heat Boiler
- Section IV, unstamped steel
- Repair
- Restores safe operating condition
- Alteration
- Changes pressure-containing capability
- Deaerator
- Heat Storage Source vessel
- Temporary Use Boiler
- Portable, one year maximum
- Ton of refrigeration
- 12,000 Btu per hour
- Engineer in Charge
- Owner-designated operating authority
- Authorized Inservice Inspector
- Insurance company boiler inspector
Adopted Codes And Editions
- ASME boiler code
- 2021 edition adopted
- Section I
- Power boiler construction
- Section IV
- Heating boiler construction
- Section VIII
- Pressure vessel construction
- Section IX
- Welding and brazing qualification
- NBIC edition
- 2021, Parts 1 through 4
- CSD-1 edition
- ASME CSD-1-2021
- Power piping
- ASME B31.1-2020
- NFPA 85 edition
- 2019 edition adopted
Flame Safeguard Timers
Four to trip, fifteen to light, five to close
Flame failure: 4 secondsEstablishing period: 15 secondsValve close: 5 seconds
Safety Valve vs Safety Relief
Safety valve
- Steam and vapor service
- Rapid pop action
Safety relief valve
- Vapor or liquid service
- Used on water boilers
Pop action versus dual service
Safety Device Response
- Level left the glass→Secure fuel immediately(Never feed water)
- Safety valve leaking→Qualified valve repair(Never gag it)
- Valve lifts early→Offline for recalibration(Certified shop)
- Cutoff fails its test→Lock out the boiler(Repair before service)
- Flame signal lost→Fuel valve closes(4 seconds maximum)
- Flame never established→Safety shutdown(15 seconds maximum)
- Reportable accident occurs→Call MEMA(Within 24 hours)
Safety Valve Rules
- Minimum valves
- At least one required
- Two valves required
- Over 500 sq ft
- What surface counts
- Bare tube water-heating surface
- Electric boiler threshold
- Input over 1,100 kW
- Overpressure limit
- 6% above highest setting
- Second overpressure cap
- 6% above MAWP
- Relieving capacity basis
- ASME Code determines minimum
- Manual test
- Lift lever on start-up
- Leaking valve
- Never gag or plug
- Premature lifting
- Offline, recalibrate at shop
Controls And Water Level
- Two gauge glasses
- MAWP above 400 psi
- Remote level indicators
- May replace one glass
- Low-water cutoff
- Cuts fuel on low water
- Cutoff test
- Daily, lower level slowly
- Cutoff test failure
- Lock out, repair first
- Flame safeguard
- Proves flame, closes fuel
- Flame failure response
- 4 seconds maximum
- Flame-establishing period
- 15 seconds maximum
- Valve closing time
- 5 seconds after de-energization
- Operating control
- Cycles burner normally
- High-limit control
- Shuts down on failure
- Fusible plug
- Melts to warn overheating
Prohibited Massachusetts Control Setups
- Very low pressure
- Below 10% normal prohibited
- Dual pressure controls
- Prohibited above 15 psig
- Bypass switches
- Need dead-man capability
- Fail-closed bypass
- Never permitted
- Remote monitoring minimum
- Steam pressure and level
- Remote shutdown
- Switch must be included
- Monitoring signals
- Uninterruptible, visible alarms required
Emergency Response
- Water out of sight
- Secure fuel, shut down
- Never do this
- Feed an overheated boiler
- Furnace explosion cause
- Unburned fuel, bad purge
- Tube failure
- Trip fuel, clear area
- Emergency shutdown
- Fuel off, isolate steam
- Purge, multiple burner
- 25% full-load mass airflow
- Single burner purge
- Four firetube, eight watertube
- Single burner purge rate
- 70% of maximum airflow
Horsepower Divisors
34.5 steam, 41,840 input, 33,475 output
lb/hr steam / 34.5Btu/hr input / 41,840Btu/hr output / 33,475Nameplate beats every formula
Horsepower Formulas
- First source
- Manufacturer's nameplate horsepower
- Steam output route
- Pounds per hour / 34.5
- Btu input route
- Btu per hour / 41,840
- Btu output route
- Btu per hour / 33,475
- Missing nameplate
- Notarized manufacturer letter accepted
- Simple engine
- 40 psi mean effective
- Condensing engine
- 50 psi mean effective
- Compound engine
- 70 psi mean effective
- Turbine pipe to 1.75 in
- Rated under nine horsepower
- Turbine pipe to 3.5 in
- Rated 50 horsepower
- Turbine pipe to 5 in
- Rated 150 horsepower
Daily Log Duties
Blow, blow, blow, test, lift, lube, light, clean
Bottom, surface, water columnTest cutoff and regulatorLift safety valves manuallyLube, ignition, housekeeping
Water Treatment Targets
- Boiler water pH
- About 10.5-11.5 typical
- Oxygen scavenger
- Sodium sulfite after deaerator
- Why after deaerator
- Trace oxygen still pits
- Sulfite residual test
- Confirms scavenger still present
- Surface blowdown
- Removes dissolved solids
- Bottom blowdown
- Removes sludge, settled solids
- Conductivity test
- Estimates dissolved solids level
- Softener
- Ion exchange removes hardness
- Chelant program
- Keeps metals soluble, unprecipitated
- Scale danger
- Insulates, overheats, ruptures tubes
- Carryover causes
- High level, high solids
- Caustic embrittlement
- Cracking at stressed joints
- Condensate carbon dioxide
- Forms carbonic acid, corrodes
Daily Checklist, Section 46A
- Who performs it
- Operator, boilers over nine hp
- Bottom blowdown
- Measured, per treatment supplier
- Surface blowdown
- Remove water-surface accumulations
- Water column
- Blow down the column
- Cutoff and regulator
- Test both every day
- Safety valves
- Operate manually on start-up
- Lubrication
- Check auxiliary equipment lubrication
- Ignition
- Verify proper ignition, start-up
- Housekeeping
- Keep the boiler room clean
Combustion Basics
- Three T's
- Time, temperature, turbulence
- Excess air purpose
- Prevents carbon monoxide, soot
- Too much air
- Dry flue gas loss
- No. 6 fuel oil
- Heavy, must be preheated
- No. 2 fuel oil
- Light, no preheat needed
- Draft
- Moves air and gases
- Water hammer
- Condensing steam slugs pipes
- Foaming
- High solids, oil, alkalinity
Lay-up And Maintenance
- Dry lay-up
- Drain, dry, add desiccant
- Wet lay-up
- Fill treated, hold high pH
- Skipping lay-up
- Invites oxygen pitting
- Confined space entry
- Permit, test, attendant, rescue
- Lockout/tagout
- Isolate fuel, power, steam
- Old gaskets, insulation
- Assume asbestos, test first
- Nameplate data
- MAWP, surface, code stamp
Common Traps
Fourth Class Engineer
Massachusetts issues three engineer grades ≠ No 4th Class exists
DPS is not DFS
Department of Fire Services ≠ Not Department of Public Safety
Exam fee is not $50
$100 fireman and third engineer ≠ $150 first and second engineer
Renewal fee is flat
$90 for every grade ≠ Not scaled by license class
Question count is unpublished
DFS publishes no item count ≠ Written plus oral is confirmed
Reciprocity is not transfer
No direct license conversion ≠ Outside time counts as experience
Special license is limited
Valid at one named plant ≠ Capped at 250 hp aggregate
Fireman is not low-pressure only
First Class caps at 25 psi ≠ May operate high-pressure supervised
Third Class entry route
1.5 years plant experience ≠ Two-year route is Second Class
Air tanks are not annual
Air tanks every two years ≠ Power boilers every year
Special exam is oral only
Special license: oral exam ≠ Fireman, engineer: written plus oral
Last Minute
- 1.Five grades: there is no 4th
- 2.1st Fireman charge = 25 psi
- 3.3rd Engineer = 150 solid, 500 other
- 4.Fees $100 or $150; renewal $90
- 5.Attendance breaks at 250, 500 hp
- 6.Power boiler = steam over 15 psig
- 7.Boiler hp = lb/hr / 34.5
- 8.Boilers annual; air tanks biennial
- 9.Records kept seven years onsite
- 10.Accident: notify MEMA in 24 hours
- 11.Reapply once per 60 days
- 12.Renewal needs 30 education hours
- 13.Special license needs 6 hours
- 14.Low water: secure fuel first
- 15.Flame failure trip: 4 seconds
- 16.Endorsement needed except 2nd Fireman
Buy on AmazonSame family resources
Explore More Boiler Operator
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
More From This Family
Videos and articles for deeper review.