Directive 2009/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

6 Fire-extinguishing arrangements in machinery spaces (R 7) U.K.

Machinery spaces of category A shall be provided with:

IN NEW CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS OF 24 METRES IN LENGTH AND OVER: U.K.

.1 any one of the following fixed fire-extinguishing systems: U.K.

.1

a gas system complying with the relevant provisions of paragraphs .1 and .2 of Regulation 4, or an equivalent water-based system as an alternative arrangement for halon systems, complying with the provisions of MSC/Circ. 668 of 30 December 1994 and MSC/Circ. 728 of June 1996, taking into consideration the date of construction of the ship;

.2

a high-expansion foam system complying with the relevant provisions of paragraph .4 of Regulation 4, taking into consideration the date of construction of the ship;

.3

a pressure water-spraying system complying with the relevant provisions of paragraph .5 of Regulation 4, taking into consideration the date of construction of the ship;

.2 at least one set of portable air-foam equipment consisting of an air-foam nozzle of an inductor type capable of being connected to the fire main by a fire hose, together with a portable tank containing at least 20 litres of foam-making liquid and one spare tank. The nozzle shall be capable of producing effective foam suitable for extinguishing an oil fire, at a rate of at least 1,5 m³ per minute; U.K.

.3 in each such space, approved foam-type fire extinguishers, each of at least 45 litres capacity, or equivalent, sufficient in number to enable foam or its equivalent to be directed on to any part of the fuel and lubricating oil pressure systems, gearing and other fire hazards. In addition, there shall be provided a sufficient number of portable foam extinguishers or equivalent which shall be so located that no point in the space is more than 10 metres walking distance from an extinguisher and that there are at least two such extinguishers in each such space; U.K.

IN NEW CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS OF LESS THAN 24 METRES IN LENGTH AND EXISTING CLASS B SHIPS: U.K.

.4 one of the fixed fire-extinguishing systems specified in paragraph .1 above, and in addition in any space containing internal combustion engines, or oil-fuel settling tanks or oil-fuel units, one foam fire extinguisher of at least 45 litres capacity or one carbon dioxide extinguisher of at least 16 kg capacity shall be provided, and U.K.

.5 one portable fire extinguisher suitable for extinguishing oil fires for each 736 kW or part thereof of such machinery; provided that not less than two nor more than six such extinguishers shall be required in any such space. U.K.

The use of low-expansion foam fixed system in lieu of some of the six portable fire extinguishers required by this regulation is permitted.

IN NEW CLASS B, C AND D AND EXISTING CLASS B SHIPS CARRYING MORE THAN 36 PASSENGERS: U.K.

.6 Each machinery space shall be provided with two suitable water fog applicators, consisting of a metal L-shaped pipe, the long limb being about two metres in length capable of being fitted to a fire hose and the short limb being about 250 mm in length fitted with a fixed water fog nozzle or capable of being fitted with a water spray nozzle. U.K.

IN NEW CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS AND EXISTING CLASS B SHIPS: U.K.

.7 When heated oil is used as heating medium, it may be additionally required that boiler rooms are equipped with permanently installed or portable equipment for local systems for jet spraying of water under pressure or the spreading of foam above and below the floor for fire-extinguishing purposes. U.K.

IN NEW CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS CONSTRUCTED ON OR AFTER 1 JANUARY 2003, WITH A LENGTH OF 24 METRES AND ABOVE: U.K.

.8

.1

Machinery spaces of category A above 500 m³ in volume shall, in addition to the fixed fire-extinguishing system required in this regulation, be protected by an approved type of fixed water-based or equivalent local application fire-fighting system, based on the guidelines developed by the IMO; see MSC/Circ. 913 ‘Guidelines for the approval of fixed water-based local application fire-fighting systems for use in category A machinery spaces’.

In the case of periodically unattended machinery spaces, the fire-fighting system shall have both automatic and manual release capabilities. In the case of continuously manned machinery spaces the fire-fighting system is only required to have a manual release capability.

.2

Fixed local application fire-fighting systems are to protect areas such as the following without the necessity of engine shutdown, personnel evacuation or sealing of spaces:

.1

the fire hazard portions of internal combustion machinery used for the ship's main propulsion and power generation,

.2

boiler fronts,

.3

the fire hazard portions of incinerators, and

.4

purifiers for heated fuel oil.

.3

Activation of any local application system shall give a visual and distinct audible alarm in the protected space and at continuously manned stations. The alarm shall indicate the specific system activated. The system alarm requirements described within this paragraph are in addition to and not a substitute for the detection and fire alarm systems required elsewhere in this chapter.

IN NEW CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS CONSTRUCTED BEFORE 1 JANUARY 2003 AND IN EXISTING CLASS B SHIPS, AND IN ALL SHIPS CERTIFIED TO CARRY MORE THAN 400 PASSENGERS: U.K.

.9 Fixed local application fire-fighting systems shall be fitted in accordance with paragraph .8 of this regulation not later than 1 October 2005. U.K.