【Safety Management and Standardization of Special Equipment】Do special equipment have a designed service life, and what should be done if it is exceeded?

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For those working in the area of safety management for special equipment, equipment operation and maintenance, as well as factory safety and environmental protection, one of the most common pitfalls they encounter, and issues that are frequently checked during on-site inspections, is whether each piece of special equipment has a designated service life Is it mandatory to scrap the vehicle when its service life is up? Can it still be used after the expiration date? I. Supreme Legal Basis: First, it is necessary to clarify the fundamental rules set forth in the higher-level laws. All special equipment must comply with Article 48 of the \"Special Equipment Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China\": When special equipment poses serious safety hazards, is no longer worth modifying or repairing, or meets other conditions specified in the safety technical standards for disposal, the entity using such equipment shall fulfill its legal obligations to dispose of it, eliminate its functional capabilities, and go through the procedures for canceling its registration. Reaching the designed service life does not mean mandatory retirement; equipment that has not met the conditions for retirement but has reached its intended lifespan can continue to be used after passing inspections/safety assessments and undergoing procedures to update its registration details ； During the renewal period, encrypted inspections must be conducted and routine maintenance enhanced. II. Detailed Explanation of 8 Categories of Special Equipment (I) Boilers (Basis: TSG 11-2020 \"Technical Regulations for Boiler Safety\") 1. The current revised version of the Boiler Regulations does not specify a unified fixed design service life for boilers as a whole. 2. Class D boilers, Regulation 10.4.2: The standard service life specified on the steam boiler nameplate is not more than 8 years, which is a mandatory limit set specifically for such boilers. (II) Fixed pressure vessels (Basis: TSG 21-2016 \"Regulations on Safety Technical Inspection of Fixed Pressure Vessels\") 1. Articles 3.1.3 and 3.1.4 of the regulations require that the overall design diagram of the pressure vessel and the product data sheet issued at the time of delivery must clearly indicate the designed service life. 2. No design service life specified: Clause 7.1.7 explicitly states that if a structure has been in use for more than 20 years, it is deemed to have reached its design service life. 3. Simple pressure vessels (simple gas storage tanks): They come with a specified design life at the time of manufacture, and in principle should be scrapped once that period has elapsed. Can it still be used after exceeding its designed service life? It can be reused. Process: Entrust a specialized inspection agency to conduct inspections in accordance with the requirements for regular inspections; if necessary, carry out a safety assessment in accordance with Chapter 8.9 → If the assessment is successful → Approval by the person in charge of the unit → Update of the registration certificate for use → Extension of the service life and increased frequency of inspections. Simple pressure vessels: They should be scrapped upon reaching their designed service life; if continued use is intended, inspections shall be carried out in accordance with Chapter 8 of the regulations. (III) Pressure pipelines (Reference: TSG 31 \"Safety Technical Regulations for Industrial Pipelines\"). The current TSG regulations for all pressure pipelines do not specify a fixed design service life; instead, the inspection interval is determined based on the risk level. (IV) Elevators (Basis: GB/T 31821 \"Technical Requirements for the Retirement of Key Components in Elevators\", GB/T 42615 \"Specifications for Safety Assessment of Operating Elevators\", TSGT 7001 Elevator Inspection Rules) 1. There is **no unified mandatory design service life for elevators as a whole. 2. GB/T31821-2015 specifies only the quantitative criteria for the disposal of core components, and does not set a mandatory service life for the entire device. (5) Lifting machinery (Basis: TSG51-2023 \"Safety Technical Regulations for Lifting Machinery\"); 1. There is no unified statutory fixed design life specified for lifting machinery as a whole under TSG51. 2. “Fragile components such as hooks, steel cables, and brakes have clear limits for wear at which they must be replaced, as specified in the relevant national standards.” For example: steel wire ropes are in accordance with GB/T 5972-2023, hooks are in accordance with GB/T 10051.2, and brakes are in accordance with GB/T 6067.1. (VI) Special motor vehicles used within sites (plants) (primarily forklifts; references: TSGN 0001-2017 \"Safety Technical Regulations for Special Motor Vehicles Used within Sites (Plants)\", GB/T 44679-2024 \"Technical Specifications for Banning and Scrapping Forklifts\"). 1. The regulations do not specify a mandatory service life for the entire vehicle. 2. As of April 2025, the latest national standard GB/T44679-2024 will establish a fixed service life: for forklifts with a rated lifting capacity of ≤10,000 kg, the designed service life is 15 years ； Forklifts with a rated lifting capacity of >10,000 kg in the heavy-duty category: 20 years design service life. (7) Large-scale amusement rides (Basis: TSG 71-2023 \"Safety Technical Regulations for Large-scale Amusement Rides\") 1. The regulations do not specify a mandatory service life for the entire equipment. 2. Can it be used beyond its designed service life? Comply with Clause 6.3 of the regulations. (8) Passenger cable cars (in accordance with GB/T 34368 \"Technical Requirements for Major Repairs of Passenger Cable Cars\"): 1. There is no unified mandatory design life for such cable cars; a first major repair should be carried out when the cumulative operating time reaches ≥40,000 hours or when the cable car has been in use for ≥15 years. The second major repair should be carried out before 30,000 hours of cumulative operation have passed since the first major repair, and no more than 10 years after the first major repair ； The third major repair should be carried out before the cumulative operating time reaches 15,000 hours after the second major repair, and no more than 5 years after the second major repair. If there are sufficient reasons, and following an assessment by the cable car manufacturer, major repairs can be postponed for three years. 2. Grippers and cable clamps should be phased out after 15 years of use. Notice of the State Administration for Market Regulation on Accelerating the Update of Special Equipment ； III. General core rules + unified process for renewal beyond the specified lifespan (I) 3 core concepts that must be clearly understood 1. Design service life: the theoretical safe operating life provided by the design/manufacturing unit; it is not equal to the mandatory retirement point. 2. Regular inspection cycle: Routine safety inspections only verify that the equipment is currently compliant; they do not extend its service life. 3. Conditions for scrapping: When there are significant safety hazards, no value remains for renovation or repair, or the regulations specify mandatory scrapping, the device must be scrapped and deregistered; there is no strict correlation with the age of the device. (II) Standard procedure for continuing to use special equipment beyond its designed service life: 1. Stop its operation, and conduct a thorough internal inspection of the current condition of the equipment as well as its inspection records ； 2. Entrust a qualified entity with legal authorization for special equipment inspection to carry out a comprehensive specialized inspection + safety assessment ； 3. The assessment conclusion is deemed satisfactory: reviewed by the safety officer of the using unit and officially approved by the principal responsible person ； If the evaluation is unsatisfactory, it will be directly sent for disposal ； 4. Bring the evaluation report, equipment documentation, and registration certificate to the market supervision department to proceed with the change of usage registration; the certificate should indicate that the device has exceeded its designed service life ； During the renewal period, strict compliance is enforced: encryption inspection cycles are maintained, regular inspections as well as monitoring of key components are intensified, and a dedicated record-keeping system is established for equipment that has exceeded its specified usage period.