BRITISH STANDARD BS 470:1984

Specification for

Inspection, access and

entry openings for
pressure vessels

UDC 621.772.4 774:621.183.4

BS 470:1984

Committees responsible for this

British Standard

The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted by the Pressure Vessel
Standards Committee (PVE/-) to Technical Committee PVE/11 upon which the
following bodies were represented:

Associated Offices Technical Committee

Association of Consulting Engineers
British Chemical Engineering Contractors Association
British Gas Corporation
Chemical Industries Association
Electricity Supply Industry in England and Wales
Engineering Equipment and Materials Users Association
Health and Safety Executive
Institution of Gas Engineers
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Process Plant Association

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the
direction of the Pressure Vessel
Standards Committee, was
published under the authority of
the Board of BSI and comes
into effect on
31 January 1984

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First published October 1932 Amendments issued since publication

First revision September 1957
Second revision February 1976 Amd. No. Date of issue Comments
Third revision January 1984

The following BSI references

relate to the work on this standard
Committee reference PVE/11
Draft for comment 82/77675 DC

ISBN 0 580 13452 0

 BS 470:1984

Contents

Page
Committees responsible Inside front cover
Foreword ii
1 Scope 1
2 Definitions 1
3 General 1
4 Sizes 1
5 Minimum number of openings and their positions 2
Figure 1 Length of hole 2
Figure 2 Viewing for sightholes, handholes and headholes 3
Table 1 Maximum lengths of manholes 2
Table 2 Minimum number of openings 3

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BS 470:1984

Foreword

This revision of this British Standard has been prepared under the direction of
the Pressure Vessel Standards Committee. It supersedes BS 470:1976, which is
withdrawn.
This standard has been revised in order to clarify the size and length
requirements of access and inspection openings. Opportunity has also been taken
to clarify the text in general.
The BSI committee responsible for this standard is firmly of the view that, for
adequate safety, the openings in vessels should be either sufficiently large for
rescue operations or too small for entry. Considerations which support the
committee view are as follows:
a) a user, having specified a manhole on the basis that rescue from a vessel is
not foreseeable, may find that due to some unforeseen change in the vessel
usage it becomes necessary to provide a large opening for rescue;
b) experimental work has indicated that 460 mm diameter is a reasonable
minimum for rescue by persons wearing air-line breathing apparatus but it is
not large enough for persons entering with self-contained breathing apparatus;
c) section 30 of the Factories Act 1961 requires an opening of 18 in (now
interpreted as 460 mm) as a minimum wherever a person is liable to be
overcome in a vessel.
Access to a vessel by any opening other than that specifically provided for the
purpose is deprecated; responsibility for such entry rests with the user.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 to 3 and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on
the inside front cover.

ii BSI 03-1999
 BS 470:1984

1 Scope
This British Standard specifies requirements for the
provision and dimensions of sighthole, handhole,
headhole and manhole openings into static and
mobile pressure vessels requiring inspection
facilities. It does not include openings for steam
raising plant because of the different problems
associated with these vessels, which may require
separate consideration.
2 Definitions
For the purposes of this standard the following
definitions apply.
2.1
access
insertion into a vessel of no more than a persons
head and arm
2.2
entry
insertion into a vessel of more than a persons head
and arm
2.3
sightholes
holes that are intended for viewing only
2.4 handholes
holes that are intended for insertion of one hand
gripping a lamp during viewing
2.5
headholes
holes that are intended for insertion of the head and
one arm
2.6
manholes
holes that permit a person entry and exit
2.7
length of hole
the perpendicular distance from the face of the
flange to the inside of the opening including lining
or any projection of the branch within the vessel.
In the case of a hole in a cylindrical shell the length
is measured as the shortest distance at the
intersection, accepting that the length of the hole
increases to a maximum at a plane at 90 to this to
an extent dependent on the diameter of the vessel
(see Figure 1)
2.8
purchaser
the organization or individual who buys the finished
pressure vessel for its own use or as an agent for the
owner
2.9
manufacturer
the organization that designs and fabricates the
pressure vessel in accordance with the purchasers
specification. The design and fabrication may be
carried out by separate organizations
2.10
inspecting authority
the body or association that checks that the design,
materials and construction comply with the
purchasers specification
3 General
3.1 Holes shall be either large enough to permit
entry and the rescue of persons, or so small that
persons cannot enter.
NOTE It is for this reason that the headhole sizes given in this
standard are maximum values.
3.2 Detachable ends, or covers, or branches and
fittings that are easily removed shall be used as
access openings, if their dimensions are at least
equal to the minimum dimensions required by this
standard, and permit a general view of the interior
at least equal to that obtained by the examination
holes that would otherwise be required.
3.3 The dimensions of openings in lined vessels shall
be maintained after the lining is applied.
NOTE It is recommended that in large vessels, consideration be
given to the provision of footholds and/or hand-holds on the vessel
surfaces.
4 Sizes
4.1 General. The sizes of inspection, access and
entry openings shall be as specified in 4.2 to 4.5.
Diameters and axis dimensions refer to actual
internal measurements. Where lengths of
sightholes and handholes exceed the stated limits,
the size shall be modified to give an equivalent
inspection facility, either by increasing the size of
the hole or by providing a conical hole. In the case of
vessels having non-interconnecting pressure
compartments, the requirements of this standard
shall apply to each compartment as if it were a
separate vessel.
4.2 Sightholes. The minimum diameter shall
be 30 mm for vessels up to 300 mm diameter when
the length does not exceed 30 mm; the minimum
diameter shall be 50 mm for vessels above 300 mm
diameter when the length does not exceed 50 mm.
For greater lengths see 4.1.

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BS 470:1984
Figure 1 Length of hole
4.3 Handholes. Where one hole only is provided,
the minimum size shall be 180 mm diameter
or 180 mm 120 mm oval; where more than one
hole is provided, the minimum size shall be 130 mm
diameter or 130 mm 110 mm oval. The above sizes
are related to a length of hole not greater
than 65 mm. For greater lengths see 4.1.
4.4 Headholes. The maximum size shall
be 320 mm diameter or 320 mm 200 mm oval. The
maximum length of hole shall be 100 mm.
NOTE The minimum size should not be substantially less
than 320 mm diameter or 320 mm 200 mm oval.
4.5 Manholes. The minimum size shall be 460 mm
diameter or 460 mm 410 mm oval. The minimum
size to afford full rescue facilities with
self-contained breathing apparatus shall
be 575 mm diameter or minor axis.
The maximum length of a manhole is dependent on
the diameter, or, if oval, the major axis, and shall be
in the relationship given in Table 1.
Table 1 Maximum lengths of manholes
Diameter or major axis Maximum length
mm mm
460 250
575 500
over 575 not restricted
Maximum lengths shall be interpolated linearly for
hole diameters between 460 mm and 575 mm.
NOTE 1 Minimum manhole sizes of 18 in diameter or 18 in 16
in oval in line with current practice will be acceptable pending
re-tooling by manufacturers.
NOTE 2 Lengths should be kept to a practical minimum.
2 BSI 03-1999
NOTE 3 Where design considerations make it impossible to
satisfy the maximum length requirement, the design of the
manhole should be the subject of special consideration and
agreement among manufacturer, purchaser and inspecting
authority.
5 Minimum number of openings and
their positions
5.1 In pressure vessels, the minimum number and
type of openings provided shall be in accordance
with Table 2 and 5.2, except where suitable optical
devices (e.g. fibre optic probes) are to be used.
Spherical vessels shall be treated as vessels with
zero length of cylindrical section.
NOTE 1 This standard does not specify requirements for the
minimum number, size and type of openings for optical devices
and these should be agreed by the purchaser, manufacturer and
inspecting authority.
NOTE 2 For optic probe inspection openings, reference may be
made to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Industry Technical
Association (UK), Code of practice No. 1, Part 2, Inspection and
Testing of Bulk Liquefied Petroleum Gas Storage at Consumers
Premises.
5.2 All parts subject to inspection by means of
sightholes, handholes or headholes shall be within a
distance of 1 200 mm of sightholes and handholes,
and 1 700 mm of headholes.
NOTE This facility may be achieved by any combination of the
three types of holes, provided that the requirements of Table 1
are satisfied. The distance should be measured along a straight
line from the area to be inspected to the centre of the opening at
the external face of the flange, taking into account that the path
of viewing need not be in a straight line, e.g. when optical devices
are used (see Figure 2).
 BS 470:1984

Table 2 Minimum number of openings

Vessel inside diameter Length of cylindrical section Minimum number and type of openings

Sight Hand Head Manholes

mm mm
Up to 450 Unlimited 2 or 1 or 1 0
Over 450 up to 800 Up to 1 500 2 or 1 or 1 or 1
Over 1 500
0 2 or 1 or 1
Up to 2 000
Over 2 000 0 3 or 1 or 1
Over 800 up to 1 500 Up to 2 000 0 2 or 1 or 1
Over 2 000 0 3 or 1 or 1
Over 1 500 Unlimited 0 0 0 1
5.3 Where there are openings provided for entry into Manholes should be provided at the location on the vessel which
internal compartments of a vessel, the openings provides easy entry, especially for rescue.
NOTE 2 The number and siting of holes should take into
shall be not less than the size of the external account the shape and the internal structure of the vessel,
manhole. e.g. agitators, baffles, etc. and the need for adequate illumination
NOTE 1 In view of the difficulties associated with rescue to be provided.
through side entry manholes, their position should be sited with When cleaning out of a vessel prior to inspection is required, the
regard to platform access. opening(s) provided should be of adequate size, and positioned for
cleaning to be carried out.

NOTE This is a typical example illustrating the effective viewing range provided by sightholes, handholes and headholes (see 5.2).
Hatching indicates the range of viewing for each hole.
All dimensions are in millimetres.
Figure 2 Viewing for sightholes, handholes and headholes

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