Hull Construction Regulations

57 (1) For the purposes of the fire alarm and detection systems required by section 39 to be fitted in certain ships carrying not more than 36 passengers, the accommodation and service spaces shall be divided into groups; a group shall be confined to one deck and shall not be split by a main vertical zone bulkhead or a watertight bulkhead; at least one detector head shall be fitted in each cabin or other small space but more than one detector head may be required in large spaces; all detector heads in a group shall be connected to an indicator for that group and to an audible alarm common to all groups at each central control station.

(2) For purposes of the fire alarm and detection systems required by section 54, the provisions of subsection (1) of this section apply and in addition the following:

• (a) in ships in which Method I of fire protection is adopted the spaces on the starboard side shall be grouped separately from those on the port side and no group shall extend more than 19.8 m of the length of the ship; and

• (b) in ships in which Method III of fire protection is adopted, each public room shall generally be treated as comprising one group; other accommodation and service spaces shall be grouped so that the spaces within each compartment formed by the network of “A” and “B” Class divisions referred to in paragraph 53(2)(a) form one group; so far as is practicable no group shall consist of more than 15 cabins.

(3) Automatic fire alarm and detection systems referred to in this section shall comply with the following:

• (a) they shall be so constructed as to give indication at the central control station of any failure of power supply to the system;

• (b) there shall be not less than two sources of power each capable of operating the system;

• (c) means shall be provided by push button or other suitable arrangement for testing the operation of the indicators and alarm signal;

• (d) detector heads shall generally be fitted on the deck heads of the spaces and shall be set to operate at a temperature of 68°C ± 6.7°C except in drying rooms and similar spaces where a higher setting is allowed;

• (e) there shall not be an excessive time lag in the operation of the alarm signal and steamship inspectors shall satisfy themselves that the time lag is within reasonable limits;

• (f) spare detector heads shall be carried in the proportion of not less than one for each 50 heads fitted in the installation with a minimum of six heads;

• (g) a list shall be posted up adjacent to the indicating cabinet at the control station showing the actual cabinet numbers, public rooms and other spaces included in each group, and the deck on which each group is situated;

• (h) with each fire alarm and detection system there shall be carried in the ship full instructions as to the operation, maintenance and testing of the system; and

• (i) in addition to the fire alarm and detection system specified in paragraph (h), passenger ships over 38.1 m in length, except open deck vessels, shall be fitted with general alarm bells or a klaxon to the satisfaction of a steamship inspector.