What happens if a high-pressure boiler lacks necessary safety equipment?

In the context of high-pressure boilers, the presence of necessary safety equipment is critical for the safe operation of the system. Safety equipment typically includes devices like pressure relief valves, safety shut-off switches, and other monitoring tools designed to prevent accidents.

If a high-pressure boiler lacks this essential safety equipment, it may pose a safety risk due to several factors. Without adequate safety measures, the boiler can potentially operate under conditions that lead to overpressure, overheating, or even catastrophic failures, such as explosions or leaks. These scenarios can endanger not only the equipment and the facility, but also the personnel working in and around the boiler.

In contrast, the other options suggest scenarios that are unrealistic in the absence of necessary safety equipment; the operation of the boiler would not remain normal, efficiency would not increase, and maintenance needs wouldn't go down. Rather, safety equipment is designed specifically to mitigate risks and ensure safe operational parameters. Therefore, without this equipment, the potential for injury and damage increases significantly, affirming that the boiler indeed may pose a safety risk.