Warning: Spotted a safety valve wired shut on a brewery's steam boiler

I was running conduit near a craft brewery's main boiler last month and noticed the pressure relief valve was held closed with a twist of copper wire. The brewmaster admitted the previous crew did it to stop a minor steam leak during peak seasons. Now I'm debating if I should make a big deal about the code violation or just cut the wire and say nothing to keep the peace.

3 comments

3 Comments

elizabeth2202mo ago

I had a similar issue with a blocked fire exit at a packaging plant. I told the site manager directly because bypassing safety gear is never worth the risk. They grumbled but cleared the path after I showed them the regulation. Letting it slide means you share blame if something goes wrong. I always report these things now to cover my own back. It keeps the site safer and avoids legal trouble for everyone.

the_blair1mo ago

What if reporting just gets you fired?

the_pat2mo ago

Cut the wire, report it. Like @elizabeth220 said, covering your back is key.