The St. Louis Board of Aldermen perfected Board Bill 69 on Friday, an ordinance that updates inspection rules and inspector qualifications for boilers, pressure vessels and steam generators to conform with the National Board inspection code and to implement recommendations from federal investigators.

The measure addresses safety changes prompted by a 2017 accident at a Russell Street facility where a boiler exploded. During floor remarks the Alderman from the Fourth Ward recounted the incident and said the bill implements U.S. Chemical Safety Board recommendations to prevent similar accidents.

Why it matters: the bill changes local inspection and qualification requirements for heating and pressure equipment to enhance public safety. "This board bill is a really straightforward bill to address an issue that happened back in 2017 ... As a result of this incident, the Chemical Safety Board ... put forward some recommendations to prevent this kind of thing from happening again," the Alderman from the Fourth Ward said.

The bill was perfected after members asked to be added as co-sponsors; the motion to perfect carried on the floor. The ordinance language references adoption of National Board inspection-code standards and amends the existing ordinance numbered 70800.

What happens next: with perfection achieved, the bill moves toward final passage steps required by the board's legislative process. Sponsors said the revision is intended to strengthen inspector qualifications and inspection procedures to reduce the risk of catastrophic equipment failures.

The perfection vote carried; members supporting the change urged that it be enacted to improve safety compliance and inspector training.