Lethal Service Quick Guide

File:PVE-3856, Date:Oct 7, 2011, By:LRB, Last updated June 17 2015

Introductions
Requirements for lethal service are scattered through VIII-1, the code cases and the interpretations. ASME VIII-1 section UW-2
has most of the requirements for lethal service. Two definitions of lethal service are provided in UW-2. The second definition
is also duplicated in the end notes:

[A] vessel is to contain fluids of such a nature that a very small amount mixed or unmixed with air is dangerous to life when
inhaled[.]
By lethal substances are meant poisonous gases or liquids of such a nature that a very small amount of the gas or of the
vapour of the liquid mixed or unmixed with air is dangerous to-life when inhaled. For purposes of this Division, this class
includes substances of this nature which are stored under pressure or may generate a pressure if stored in a closed vessel.
It is up to the user to determine if a service is lethal. We at Pressure Vessel Engineering do not determine if the vessel
service is lethal (but we might have opinions based on previous jobs).
ASME VIII-1 Lethal Service Code References
UW-2 Service Restrictions is a very important section for lethal service vessels and must be read in its entirety. A few brief
points from UW-2:

UW-2(a) and UW-11(a)(1) All butt welds shall be 100% radiographed

UW-2(a) ERW pipe (like some grades of SA-53) is not permitted but interpretation VIII-1-01-118
says it is acceptable if the long seam is fully radiographed
UW-2(a) Post weld heat treatment is required for CS and Low Alloy
UW-2(a)(1)(a) Category A welds shall be type 1 only (butt welded with no permanent backing
strip)
UW-2(a)(1)(b&c) &Interpretation VIII-1 92-211 Category B & C welds shall be type 1 or 2 only
(butt welded). No slip on flanges! No Figure UW-13.2 Flange or Head to Shell attachments
Interpretation VIII-I-98-23 Category D welds (typically nozzles) shall be full penetration.
UW-2(a)(1)(c) Category C joints for stub ends have a long list of requirements
UW-2(a)(2 and 3) Heat exchangers have a long list of requirements
Read all of UW-2 for more restrictions
When it has been determined that a vessel is in Lethal Service, some of the following code sections will apply. Other code
sections might also be required. (List last updated June 16 2015 based on the ASME 2013 VIII-1 code edition.)

U-2(a)(2) The user determines if the service is lethal.

UG-16(5)(a) Air cooled and cooling tower heat exchanger tube walls to be 1/16 min.
UG-24(6) Casting RT requirements.
UG-25(e) No telltale holes.
UG-99(g),(k) Hydro test visual leak inspection cannot be waived. Do not paint prior to the
hydro test.
UG-100(d)(4) Pneumatic tests cannot be used for lethal service vessels, but also see code
cases 2046-2, 2055-2, 2407 regarding pneumatic instead of hydrostatic testing

UG-116(c) L stamping must be added to the nameplate.

UG-120(d)(1) lethal service is added to the data report
UW-2 Service Restrictions main source of info on Lethal Service (see lots more from UW-2
below)
UW-11(a)(1) All shell and head butt welds to be 100% RT
Fig UW-13.5 One possible lap joint stub end configuration see also interpretation BC-79-680
/ VIII-80-111
UB-3 Brazed vessels shall not be used
UCS-6 Do not use SA-36, 38W or SA-283
UCS-79 PWHT and extreme fiber elongation read for rules when heat treatment is required
UCI-2, UCD-2 Cast iron and ductile cast iron vessels are not allowed.
UIG-2(c) Metal parts for graphite vessels are to be designed to UIG requirements
UIG-23(b) Factor of safety for lethal service
UIG-60 Lethal service
UIG-99 Lethal service pressure tests
ULW-1 & ULW-26(b)(4) Layered vessels lethal restrictions apply to the inner shell and heads
only
UHX-19.1(b) Heat exchanger markings
Appendix 2-5(d) & 2-6 Maximum Flange Bolt Spacing
Appendix 2-14(a) Mandatory flange flexibility
Appendix 7-1, 7-5 Steel casting examination for 100% quality factor
Appendix 9-8 if the jacket does not carry lethal substances, lethal service restrictions do not
apply to it
Appendix 17-2(a) Dimple jackets will not contain lethal substances
Appendix 35-3(c) & 35-7(d) Mass production rules
Appendix W Table W-3 Filing out the U forms
Appendix KK (note 12) Filling out User Design Requirements forms
Appendix NN Table NN-6-5 User or designated again determines if the contents are lethal
End notes 65 Definition of lethal service

Weld restrictions by category

Special lap joint stub end for lethal service see also Fig UW-13.3

All partial penetration nozzles are prohibited

and Fig 2-4(5) and (6)

All figure UW-13.2 corner welds are prohibited

No slip on flanges

Code Cases
The following Code Cases refer to lethal service for VIII-1 vessels (2013 edition)

1750-20(g) A126 not to be used for prvs, or rupture disks.

2249 Furnace Brazing
2318 slip on flanges in lethal service
2321-1 PWHT of P4 and P5A materials
2324 Ultrasonic inspection
2334 single fillet lap joint tubesheet to shell connection
2346-1 & 2537 Alternative rules for SE and F&D head to shell attachment
2369 Testing of covers separate from vessels
2377 RT of SA-612 steel
2421 Single fillet joints in Heat exchanger tubes
2437 Diffusion bonded heat exchangers
2527 Pneumatic testing of UM vessels
2537 alternative F&D and SE head to shell attachment is not for lethal service
2621 Diffusion bonding
2751 alternative spherical head to shell attachment is not for lethal service
Interpretations
With interpretations now available on line at cstools.asme.org/Interpretation/SearchInterpretation.cfm it is now easier to find
relevant and up to date interpretations. A search for BPV Section VIII Div 1 keyword: lethal returns 44 records. The
comments on the most interesting lethal service interpretations are listed below. Refer to the actual interpretations for the
actual text.

VIII-1-01-118 and VIII-1-83-77R ERW pipe may only be used if the long seam is radiographed
VIII-82-65 volumetric examination of category D joints is not always required
VIII-1-01-42 and VIII-1-04-48 cone >30 and and corner joints not permitted
VIII-1-86-84 and VIII-1-95-138 prohibited flange attachments Fig UW-13.2(m) and Fig 2-4
sketches (7), (8), (8a), (8b), and (9)
VIII-1-92-112 full radiography of category C and D butt welds is required except for UW-11(a)
(4)
VIII-1-92-194 full penetration angle joints are not permitted
VIII-1-92-211 Fig UW-13.2 attachments are not permissible
VIII-1-98-113 permissible repad and flange pad arrangements
VIII-1-98-23 Fig UW-16.1 (a) and (c) are permissible nozzle attachments, others are not
discussed
VIII-77-62 It is the intent of Section VIII, Division 1 that Category B and C butt welds in nozzles
and communicating chambers that neither exceed 10 in. nominal pipe size or 1-1/8 wall
thickness are excluded from the provisions of radiography, even though the vessel is in lethal
service. This overrides the provisions of UW-2(a).
VIII-80-02 do not use corner joints from Fig UW-13.2 redesign to create butt joints that can

be radiographed
VIII-80-111 acceptable lap joint flanges include Fig. 2-4(1) and Fig. UW-13.3 and Fig. 2-4(5) and
(6)
Disclaimer: This material is provided for educational uses only. Only ASME can make code interpretations.

Contact Us
For further information on this subject. Please contact our team members below.
Laurence Brundrett
B.Sc., P.Eng.
lrb@pveng.com
(519)880-9808 ext 223

Brian Munn
C.E.T.
bem@pveng.com
(519)880-9808 ext 245

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