ASME Section VII, Recommended Guidelines for the Care of Power Boilers, falls within the purview of the BPV Committee on Power Boilers (BPV I). There have been no significant changes to Section VII for the last several Editions and as of this writing neither BPV I nor the ASME Board on Pressure Technology Codes and Standards (BPTCS) have plans to update the document. With that said, Section VII remains very useful tool for operators of power boilers to follow. As stated in the Introduction of Section VII:

The purpose of these recommended guidelines is to promote safety in the use of power boilers. These guidelines are intended for use by those directly responsible for operating, maintaining, and inspecting power boilers.

As with other ASME Sections, the nine subsections — C1–C9 — of Section VII discuss guidelines for safe, reliable operation as well as avoiding unsafe conditions in the power boilers.

This chapter is written from the perspective of Owner— Operators personnel experienced in operating, maintaining, and inspecting industrial and utility power boilers. Certain parts of this chapter are, in some instances, reiterations of Section VII subsections, which was done to stress the importance of the information already provided; in other instances, however, additional information is provided where it is felt to be warranted. Where there are no comments on a section, the material is believed to have been covered sufficiently to not need additional clarification. The reader is suggested to review existing literature, such as manufacturer's instructions or company procedures, for additional pertinent information.