Hull Construction Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1431)

86 (1) In passenger ships, other than partially decked ships, when the means for preventing persons from falling overboard or from the top of a poop, bridge or deck house, etc., consists of rails and stanchions, the top of the uppermost rail shall be not less in height than 1 m above the top of the deck, but in order to provide adequate protection for children the rails shall be not more than 230 mm apart, unless strong netting is provided.

(2) Where bulwarks are fitted on any part of the freeboard deck to which passengers have access, they shall be not less than 1.22 m high; elsewhere bulwarks shall be at least 1 m high; the freeing ports in all bulwarks shall be fitted with suitable grids for the protection of persons on board.

(3) The height of the rails shall be taken as the distance measured from the top of the uppermost rail to the top of the deck at a point vertically below the inner edge of the rail, or, if the deck has a waterway, to the top of the deck plank next to the waterway.

(4) Any partial deck to which passengers have access shall be provided with guard rails or bulwarks in accordance with this section; in the open parts of such ships, and in open ships, the top of the covering board or of the wash strake, or of the upper coaming of the half deck, shall be not less than 760 mm above the flooring boards if the ship does not exceed 6.1 m in length, and not less than 915 mm if the ship is 12.2 m or over in length; for ships having lengths between 6.1 m and 12.2 m the height shall be in proportion; when the height from the top of the covering board, etc., is less than that stated above, a washboard or rail shall be fitted so that the top of the washboard or rail is at least the height required above the flooring boards.

(5) In the case of all cargo ships, rails or equivalent protection shall be installed near the periphery of all weather decks accessible to persons on board; such rails shall, except for vessels that operate within the limits of inland voyages, Class I, be in at least three courses and shall be at least 915 mm high unless it can be shown to the satisfaction of the Board that the installation of rails of such height would be unreasonable or impracticable, having regard to the business of the ship.

(6) In the case of cargo ships that operate within the limits of inland voyages, Class I, the provisions of subsection (5) apply except that rails in two courses may be fitted.

(7) In the case of ships that carry vehicles on the open deck, suitable chains, cables or other barriers shall be installed at the ends of the vehicle runways; in addition, suitable gates, rails or other devices shall be installed as a continuation of the regularly required rails.

(8) In ships of all classes suitable covers, guards or rails shall be installed in way of all exposed and dangerous places such as gears, machinery, etc.

(9) In ships of all classes, regardless of the ship’s tonnage, the requirements for bulwark freeing ports as set out in the Load Line Rules shall apply; where the length of a well exceeds seven-tenths of the length of the ship as defined in the Load Line Rules, the scale of freeing port areas may be reduced by 25 per cent.