Section 2 Fire Protection and Fire Fighting

201. Fire protection

1. Where necessary, oil fuel and lubricating oil pipes should be screened or otherwise suitably pro- tected to avoid, as far as practicable, oil spray or oil leakages on to hot surfaces or into machinery air intakes and the number of joints in such piping systems should be kept to a minimum. Where practicable, leakages from high-pressure oil fuel pipes are to be collected and arrangements provided for an alarm to be given.

2. Where daily service oil fuel tanks are filled automatically, or by remote control,

means are to be

provided to prevent overflow spillages. Other equipment which treats flammable liquids automati-

cally, e.g., oil fuel purifiers, which, whenever practicable, is to be installed in a

special space re-

served for purifiers and their heaters, should have arrangements to prevent overflow spillages.

3. Where daily service oil fuel tanks or settling tanks are fitted with heating arrangements, a high- temperature alarm is to be provided if the flashpoint of the oil fuel can be exceeded.

202. Fire detection

1. An approved fire detection system designed with self-monitoring properties and including facilities for periodical testing is to be installed in periodically unattended machinery spaces.

2. The fire detection system is to comply with the following.

(1) This fire detection system is to be so designed and the detectors so positioned as to detect rap- idly the onset of fire in any part of those spaces and under any normal conditions of operation of the machinery and variations of ventilation as required by the possible range of ambient temperatures. Except in spaces of restricted height and where their use is specially appropriate, detection systems using only thermal detectors are not to be permitted. The detection system should initiate audible and visual alarms distinct in both respects from the alarms of any other system not indicating fire, in sufficient places to ensure that the alarms are heard and observed at the locations determined in accordance with Sec 5, 502. 1.

(2) After installation the system is to be tested under varying conditions of engine operation and ventilation.

(3) The fire detection system is to be fed automatically from an emergency source of power by a separate feeder if the main source of power fails.

3. Means are to be provided in case of fire:

(1) in boiler air supply casings and exhausts (uptakes);and

(2) in scavenging air belts of propulsion machinery,

to detect fires and give alarms at an early stage, unless the Society considers this to be un- necessary in a particular case.

4. Internal combustion engines of 2,250 kW and above or having cylinders of more than 300 mm bore are to be provided with crankcase oil mist detectors or engine bearing temperature monitors or equivalent devices.

203. Fire fighting

1. An approved fixed fire extinguishing system is to be provided in units that are not required to have this provision by Ch 10, 303.

2. Provision is to be made for immediate water delivery from the fire main system at a suitable pres- sure, due regard being paid to the possibility of freezing, either:

(1) by remote starting arrangements for one of the main fire pumps. The starting positions are to be provided at strategic locations including the navigating bridge, if any, and a normally man-

ned control station;. or

(2) by permanent pressurization of the fire main system, either

(A) by one of the main fire pumps;. or

(A) by a dedicated pump for the purpose with automatic starting of one of the main fire pumps

on reduction of the pressure.

3. The Society are to give special consideration to maintaining the fire integrity of the machinery spaces, to the location and centralization of the fire extinguishing system controls and to the re-

quired shutdown arrangements (e.g., ventilation, fuel pumps, etc.); it may require additional fire ex-

tinguishing appliances and other fire fighting equipment and breathing apparatus.