Vessel Fire Safety Regulations (SOR/2017-14)

Doors in Fire-resisting Divisions in Cargo Vessels

• 121 (1) In addition to the requirements of regulation 9.4.2.1, the following requirements must be met:

  • (a) the gap between every door leaf and its frame in an “A” class division, as installed on board the vessel, must not exceed the gap measured when the door was tested in accordance with the FTP Code, but, in the case where the door was approved without a sill being part of the frame, the gap under the door, as installed on board the vessel, must not exceed the gap set out in regulation 9.4.2.1 for an “A” class division;

  • (b) a grille or louvre must not be fitted in a door in an “A” class division; and

  • (c) every door in an “A” or “B” class division must be fitted with a thin metal identification plate that

    • (i) has clearly stamped on it the door manufacturer’s name, the “A” or “B” class rating, the type approval certificate number and the number of the drawing to which the door has been manufactured, and

    • (ii) is screwed or riveted to either of the vertical edges of the door panel.

• (2) For the purposes of regulation 9.4.2.2, if hold-back arrangements fitted with remote-release devices of the fail-safe type are utilized,

  • (a) the arrangements must be capable of being operated at the door and from the wheelhouse; and

  • (b) a fire door open-close indicator panel must be provided in the wheelhouse.

Protection of Openings in Cargo Pump-rooms

122 In addition to the requirements of regulation 9.5.2.6, a vessel that has cargo pump-rooms must not be fitted with windows in the boundaries of those rooms.

Ventilation Systems

• 123 (1) Despite regulation 9.7.2.1, the galley ventilation systems must, on all cargo vessels and all passenger vessels, be separate from the ventilation systems serving other spaces.

• (2) The requirements of regulation 9.7.4.3 apply in respect of every stairway enclosure serving more than one deck on all cargo vessels and all passenger vessels.

Regulation 10 of Chapter II-2 of SOLAS — Firefighting

Fire-extinguishing Systems and Equipment

124 Every pressure container for a fixed fire-extinguishing system required by Regulation 10 must bear a mark indicating that it

• (a) meets the applicable requirements for transport by road or ship that are set out in section 5.10 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations;

• (b) meets the applicable requirements for transport by road or ship that are set out in Title 49, subpart C of part 178 of the Code of Federal Regulations of the United States; or

• (c) meets the applicable requirements for transportable pressure equipment that are set out in Directive 2010/35/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and has undergone a conformity assessment procedure in accordance with that Directive by a notified body designated by a member state of the European Union.

Water Supply Systems

125 The pipes, valves and fittings used with the equipment required by regulation 10.2

• (a) must be made of corrosion-resistant metal or galvanized steel; and

• (b) must not be readily rendered ineffective at an anticipated low ambient temperature or by heat from a fire.

Isolating Valves

• 126 (1) If the fire main is an integral part of a fixed deck foam fire-extinguishing system with monitors, the isolating valves required by regulation 10.2.1.4.1 must be fitted immediately forward of each monitor.

• (2) In addition to the isolating valves required by regulation 10.2.1.4.1, valves must be fitted to sections of the fire main that

  • (a) are subject to freezing;

  • (b) could be damaged because of a fire or explosion; or

  • (c) might not be required when any other part of the fire main is used.

• (3) The valves required by subsection (2) must be

  • (a) operable from positions that are readily accessible

  • (b) protected from freezing, fire and explosions; and

  • (c) clearly marked.

• (4) Every valve fitted to fire piping must be designed to open with a counter-clockwise rotation of the valve’s handle.

• (5) The requirements of regulation 10.2.1.4.4 apply in respect of combination carriers.

Number and Position of Hydrants

127 Despite regulation 10.2.1.5.1, on a cargo vessel of less than 500 gross tonnage or on a passenger vessel of less than 500 gross tonnage that is not a Safety Convention vessel, the number and position of hydrants must be such that one jet of water can reach any part of the vessel.

• 128 (1) In addition to being provided with the hydrants required by regulation 10.2.1.5.1,

  • (a) a passenger vessel on a near coastal voyage, Class 1, or an unlimited voyage and a vessel of 500 gross tonnage or more must be provided, in each machinery space of category A, with one hydrant on the port side and one hydrant on the starboard side; and

  • (b) any other vessel of less than 500 gross tonnage must be provided with one hydrant in each machinery space of category A.

• (2) A fire hose and nozzle must be fitted on each hydrant required by subsection (1).

• (3) If the size or configuration of a machinery space of category A would render a hydrant required by subsection (1) ineffective, the hydrant must be located near the main access to the space.

• (4) In addition to being provided with the hydrants required by regulation 10.2.1.5.1, a cargo vessel of 2 000 gross tonnage or more must

  • (a) be provided with a hydrant in the shaft tunnel, if any, adjacent to the engine room watertight door; and

  • (b) meet the requirements of regulation 10.2.1.5.2.2.

129 Every fire hydrant must be installed so that

• (a) a fire hose can be easily connected to it;

• (b) it is limited to a position from the horizontal to the vertical pointing downward, so that the fire hose will lead horizontally or downward in order to minimize the possibility of kinking; and

• (c) there is sufficient clearance below it to accommodate the radius of bend of the fire hose under pressure and to allow deployment of the hose in every direction.

International Shore Connection

130 The international shore connection required by regulation 10.2.1.7 must be stored on the vessel so as to be readily accessible. A notice in English and French indicating the connection’s location and the maximum working pressure of the piping system must be posted on the vessel.

Fire Pumps

131 In addition to the requirements of regulation 10.2.2, the following requirements must be met in respect of a vessel’s fire pumps:

• (a) if the vessel is fitted with two or more power-driven fire pumps, a non-return valve must be fitted to the discharge line of each pump to prevent water from backing through the pump when it is not operating;

• (b) a power-driven fire pump must be self-priming and fitted with pressure gauges on their suction and discharge sides;

• (c) a manual fire pump must be operable without the need for manual priming and must be capable of delivering a jet of water of at least 12 m from the nozzle;

• (d) a fire pump’s sea connection must have arrangements to prevent blockage of the connection’s inlet by ice, slush and debris; and

• (e) a fire pump must not have an impeller that can be damaged by heat from the pump or by the pump running dry.

132 If a bilge pump is used as a fire pump as permitted by regulation 10.2.2.1, the bilge pumping system and the fire pumping system must be capable of simultaneous operation.

• 133 (1) One of the fire pumps required by regulation 10.2.2.2 may be manually operated if the vessel is not a Safety Convention vessel, is of less than 1 000 gross tonnage and, in the case of a passenger vessel, is engaged on a sheltered waters voyage or a near coastal voyage, Class 2. If one of the fire pumps is manually operated and is located outside the space where the other fire pump required by that regulation and its source of power are located, the manually operated fire pump may also be used as an emergency fire pump if one is required by regulation 10.2.2.3.1.2.

• (2) A power-driven fire pump that is required by regulation 10.2.2.2.2 to be on a vessel of less than 1 000 gross tonnage, but that is not required to be independently driven, must not be powered by a main engine unless the engine can be operated independently of the propeller shafting.

• (3) Despite regulation 10.2.2.2.2 and subsection (1), if a cargo vessel to which that subsection applies is engaged on a sheltered waters voyage or a near coastal voyage, Class 2,

  • (a) only one independently driven fire pump is required in order to meet the requirements of that regulation, and it must be power-driven; and

  • (b) regulation 10.2.2.3.1.2 does not apply.

• 134 (1) For the purposes of regulation 10.2.2.4.2,

  • (a) “in any event be capable of delivering at least the two required jets of water” is to be read as “in normal operating conditions be capable of delivering at least the required jets of water”; and

  • (b) “at least the two jets of water required in paragraph 2.1.5.1” is to be read as “at least the required jets of water”.

• (2) The fire pumps on vessels of less than 500 gross tonnage, other than passenger vessels that are Safety Convention vessels, are not required to meet the minimum capacity requirement of 25 m³/h set out in regulation 10.2.2.4.2.

Fire Hoses and Nozzles

• 135 (1) In addition to the requirements of regulation 10.2.3.1.1, the fire hoses in a machinery space of category A or that serve a space that contains flammable materials must be connected to the fire hydrants at all times. If there is more than one fire hose in a machinery space of category A, one of the fire hoses in that space must also be connected to a portable foam applicator.

• (2) In addition to the requirements of regulation 10.2.3.1.1, every fire hose must be

  • (a) stowed in a space designed to permit the deployment of the hose without it becoming entangled; and

  • (b) stored in a fire hose cabinet that protects the hose from the anticipated low ambient temperatures.

• (3) The nozzles, couplings and fittings for the fire hoses on a tanker must be made of brass, bronze or other equivalent non-sparking material.

• (4) For the purposes of regulation 10.2.3.2.1,

  • (a) the design of the piping system must be taken into consideration in determining the number of fire hoses;

  • (b) the minimum diameter of a fire hose must be 38 mm; and

  • (c) every fire hose must have the same diameter, but hoses in machinery spaces and other interior locations may have a smaller diameter than hoses in other locations if the smaller diameter is for the purpose of convenient handling.

• (5) For the purposes of regulation 10.2.3.3.3, if section 127 applies and the number and position of hydrants on the vessel is such that only one jet of water may reach any part of the vessel, “from two jets” is to be read as “from one jet”.

Portable Fire Extinguishers

• 136 (1) For the purposes of regulation 10.3.2.1, on a passenger vessel

  • (a) each main vertical zone below the bulkhead deck must be provided with the greater of

    • (i) two portable water fire extinguishers of at least 9 L capacity each or two portable fire extinguishers of equivalent fire-extinguishing capability, and

    • (ii) two portable fire extinguishers of a type described in subparagraph (i) for each 15 m, or fraction of 15 m, in length of the zone;

  • (b) each main vertical zone on or above the bulkhead deck must be provided, on each side of the vessel, with one portable fire extinguisher of a type described in subparagraph (a)(i); and

  • (c) despite paragraph (b), if the vessel is of less than 500 gross tonnage and is engaged on a sheltered waters voyage or a near coastal voyage, Class 2, each main vertical zone on or above the bulkhead deck must be provided with one portable fire extinguisher of a type described in subparagraph (a)(i).

• (2) For the purposes of regulation 10.3.2.1, on a cargo vessel

  • (a) the area within the outside boundary of each accommodation space below the bulkhead deck must be provided with the greater of

    • (i) two portable water fire extinguishers of at least 9 L capacity each or two portable fire extinguishers of equivalent fire-extinguishing capability, and

    • (ii) two portable fire extinguishers of a type described in subparagraph (i) for each 15 m, or fraction of 15 m, in length of the area; and

  • (b) the area within the outside boundary of each accommodation space on or above the bulkhead deck must be provided with one portable fire extinguisher of a type described in subparagraph (a)(i) for each 15 m, or fraction of 15 m, in length of the area.

• (3) For the purposes of regulation 10.3.2.1, in addition to the portable fire extinguishers required by subsections (1) and (2),

  • (a) one portable water fire extinguisher of at least 9 L capacity or one portable fire extinguisher of equivalent fire-extinguishing capability must be provided next to the access to each storeroom for each 232 m², or fraction of 232 m², of surface area of the storeroom;

  • (b) each galley and each pantry that contains cooking facilities must be provided with one portable dry-chemical fire extinguisher of at least 4.5 kg capacity or one portable fire extinguisher of equivalent fire-extinguishing capability for each 232 m², or fraction of 232 m², of surface area of the galley or pantry; and

  • (c) each control station must be provided with one portable fire extinguisher of a type described in paragraph (b).