319 East 16th Street, Hutchinson, Kansas 67501
The Kansas Antique Engine Show Safety Association, Inc., feels
the 1977 Kansas Legislature and Governor Bennett has given us the
kind of backing that was needed by passing and signing the 1977
Senate Bill #7 concerning engine boilers.
The passage of this piece of legislation shows their confidence
in our Safety Association and its efforts towards safety of antique
engines that are used for exhibition. It also shows their awareness
of the place our shows and exhibitions are taking with the general
public, for both educational purposes as well as entertainment.
The part of Kansas Senate Bill #7 that gives our Safety
organization and the engine shows in Kansas the kind of backing we
have needed since the old boiler act was discontinued two years ago
is in Section 8. It is as follows:
(a) In addition to the deputy inspectors authorized by section
7, the secretary, upon the request of any company licensed to
insure and insuring boilers in this state or of the Kansas Antique
Engine Show Safety Association, shall issue to any inspectors of
such insurance company or association certificates of competency as
special inspectors, provided that each such inspector shall hold a
commission issued by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure
Vessel Inspectors or shall be approved by the Kansas Antique Engine
Show Safety Association as the case may be.
(b) Special inspectors shall receive no salary from, nor shall
any of their expenses be paid by the state, and the continuance of
their certificates of competency shall be conditioned upon their
continuing in the employ of the boiler insurance company duly
authorized as aforesaid or upon the continuing approval of the
Kansas Antique Engine Show Safety Association and upon their
maintenance of the standards imposed by this act and by rules and
regulations adopted hereunder.
(c) Special inspectors shall inspect all boilers insured by
their respective companies or those boilers designated by the
Kansas Antique Engine Show Safety Association and, when so
inspected, the owners and users of such boilers shall be exempt
from the payment to the state of the inspection fees provided for
in subsection (a) of section 14.
Section 9 (a) A special inspector’s certificate of
competency may be suspended by the secretary, after due
investigation, for the incompetence or untrustworthiness of the
holder thereof or for wilful falsification of any matter or
statement contained in such inspector’s application or in a
report of any inspection made by such inspector. Written notice of
any such suspension shall be given by the secretary within not more
than ten (10) days thereof to the inspector and the inspector’s
employer.
Our Association and all that are concerned hope this new law
will enable us to secure more favorable attention and a better
image with insurance companies to secure adequate liability
protection.
The annual meeting of the Kansas Antique Engine Show Safety
Association, Inc., was held in April at the Deemer Welding
Headquarters in McPherson, Kansas. The weather was inclement but
the Shows Association members from Bird City, Kansas, Ft. Scott,
Gossell and Haviland were in attendance. The meeting was called to
order by President Earl Bressler of Bird City, Kansas. Procedural
activities were then taken care of by Vice-President, George
Jackson of Ft. Scott and Secretary-Treasurer, Deemer Unruh of the
Gossell Kansas Wheat Heritage Engine Association.
The recently signed Senate Bill #7 was studied and commented
upon and approval was expressed. All members present were
appreciative of the work that had been done and agreed to write
words of appreciation to their State Senators and Representatives
and particularly to Rep. John Hayes of the 104th District which
includes Hutchinson, Kansas.
With the new Senate bill fresh in mind, a discussion and study
of inspector’s procedures were outlined and many requirements
finalized, the special inspectors as provided for in the above
quoted Sec. 8 will be recommended by each Kansas City Association,
this recommendation in writing will be filed with the secretary of
the Kansas Antique Engine Shows Safety Association. Then these
recommendations will be approved or disapproved by the members of
the Safety Association. After approval, the secretary will be
instructed to forward these names to Mr. Jim McLain who is head of
the Kansas State Human Resources Department. Upon that departments
approval, the appointment will be sent back to the association
secretary and the action will be then finalized.
In view of the fact that safety at our shows depends so much
upon the engineer operating the engine, it was decided to issue an
Engineer’s Card to all qualified member engineers in the Kansas
shows. These names are to be submitted and approved by each show
association. The Kansas Antique Engine Shows Safety Association
will then record such names and issue the credentials.
Such a pool of qualified capable engineers has been needed by
all of the shows for some time and will become more needed as the
older men drop out. It is our sincere desire that only men that are
qualified to run an engine, either his, or mine or anybody
else’s will be recommended to carry such a card. These men will
be available and qualified to assist at any show at any time. We
further feel this card will help in identifying our Kansas
Engineers when they are in attendance at out of state shows and
events.
Particulars were stressed concerning training young men (or
women) for handling steam engines of the traction type. This was
agreed upon as a must for the future welfare of engine shows.
Certainly our qualified engineers are going to play an important
part in this sort of training program.
At a later date, we hope to set up rules and regulations and
safety procedures for operating of internal combustion engines and
tractors at exhibitions and shows. This we know has been sadly
lacking in the past by some of the ‘hot-rodding’ and antics
that have been observed at the shows.
All officers were re-elected by acclamation for the year of
1977.
More will follow on what Kansas is doing to promote safety and
continuity and uniformity of actions and procedures at the various
shows in the state. We would like to hear what others are doing
about these things in their association.
