Hull Construction Regulations

84 (1) In all ships, except where it is considered unreasonable, there shall be provided at least two means of escape, including the main entrance, from all general areas accessible to the passengers or where the crew may be quartered or normally employed; in all spaces at least one of the two means of escape shall be independent of watertight doors.

(2) The two means of escape shall be as remote from each other as practicable so as to minimize the possibility of one incident blocking both escapes.

(3) Vertical ladders and deck scuttles shall not in general be considered satisfactory as one of the required means of escape; however, where it is demonstrated that the installation of a stairway would be impracticable, a vertical ladder may be used as a second means of escape.

(4) No means shall be provided for locking doors giving access to either of the two required means of escape except that crash doors or locking devices capable of being easily forced in an emergency may be employed on condition that a permanent and conspicuous notice to that effect is attached to both sides of the door; this requirement does not apply to outside doors of deck houses where such doors are locked by key only and the key is under control of one of the ship’s officers.

(5) Stairways shall be of sufficient width having in mind the number of persons having access to such stairs for escape purposes; in the case of passenger ships, they shall in no case be less than 760 mm wide; if more than 1.52 m wide a centre rail shall be fitted; the width of the stairway shall be the inside clear width on the treads, or the clear width between rails.

(6) Dead end corridors, or the equivalent, more than 13 m in length are not permitted.

(7) All public spaces having a deck area of over 28 m² shall have at least two exits; where practicable these exits shall have egress to different corridors, rooms or spaces to minimize the possibility of one incident blocking both exits.

(8) The stairways, corridors and doors, shall be so arranged as to permit ready and direct access to the various muster stations and lifeboat embarkation areas.

(9) Where a cabin door leads directly into a machinery space, a separate means of escape from the cabin shall be provided.

(10) Doors that give direct access into accommodation space from machinery space shall be of gas-tight construction.