MARINE FIRE SAFETY

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MARINE FIRE SAFETY

• Objectives
• The International framework for standards on fire
  protection.
• Commonwealth Legislation
• State Legislation how it relates to
  Commonwealth and between States
• Developing appropriate standards for coastal
  vessels the NSCV
• Typical fire safety systems

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International Maritime Organisation

• The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is
  a UN body dealing with marine safety.
• The IMO develops a range of codes / standards
• The IMO has
• General assembly (all countries)
• Council (executive management)
• Committees
• In relation to fire safety, the Committee
  concerned is the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC)
• The MSC has a fire protection sub- committee

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IMO Instruments

• There is a hierarchy of standards produced by
  IMO
• Conventions ( SOLAS relates to fire)
• These are adopted under particular criteria eg
  SOLAS -entry into force requires acceptance by
  25 States whose merchant fleets comprise not less
  than 50 per cent of the world's gross tonnage
• Circulars (specific advice / interpretation that
  is more detailed or refines a convention)
• Circulars relating to fire safety are produced by
  the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC)
• Eg MSC/Circ 776 Guidelines for the approval of
  equivalent fixed gas fire extinguishing systems
  for machinery spaces and cargo pump rooms
• Codes eg the Fire Safety System Code detailed
  specifications (eg fire extinguishers)
• Codes Fire Test Procedure Code details of
  testing procedures for fire products

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Commonwealth Legislation

• The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)
  provide input for Australia on technical
  standards developed by IMO
• Once an IMO Convention comes into force, the
  Commonwealth makes legislation to enforce the
  convention.
• Generally, Fire Safety comes under the Navigation
  Act 1912 and Marine Orders made under the Nav Act.

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Marine Orders.

• Marine Orders Part 15 simply says SOLAS is the
  standard to adopt.
• It then flows on that all lesser documents under
  SOLAS (Circulars, Codes) become law under Marine
  Orders Part 15
• SOLAS is primarily relevant to ships not boats
• MO Part 15 says that the USL Code applies to
  vessels that are not SOLAS vessels. This
  relates to vessels up to 35 metres / 500GRT
  operating on intra and inter state voyages.

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USL Code

• There is a need for a different standard for
  smaller commercial vessels rather than SOLAS
  this is the Uniform Shipping Law Code (USL Code)
• The USL Code was made by the Australian Transport
  Council in the 1970s. It is a watered down
  version of IMO and Classification Society rules
  that made practical rules for small coastal
  vessels.
• All States were involved in formulating the USL
  Code, and once finalised, all States made
  legislation enforcing the USL Code.

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Problems with the USL Code

• The formation of the USL Code did not include a
  review and update process so it became out of
  date.
• The Code was inflexible because it was highly
  prescriptive.
• The Code couldnt deal with new designs, novel
  craft etc
• The Code is ambitious because it tries to deal
  with a large range of vessels under one set of
  rules.
• The Code is applied differently in States due to
  different interpretation of requirements.
• The Code is applied differently in States due to
  political, legislative and local requirements.
• This led to a Inter-Governmental Agreement in
  1997 that agreed to review the USL Code using a
  new body called the National Marine Safety
  Committee.

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The NMSC / NSCV

• The NMSC is gradually overhauling the USL Code
  and developing a new document called the National
  Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV).
• The NSCV is designed to be more flexible and not
  outdate immediately.
• The NSCV covers not only vessel design but
  operator competency and safety management.

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General philosophy of the NSCV

• Get to the heart of what is trying to be achieved
  in the standard.
• Set requirements for safety based on risk
  assessment principles and cost benefit analysis.
• Provide a performance statements (safety
  outcomes) that are the non-negotiable safety
  outcomes.
• Provide prescriptive solutions to meet the safety
  outcome but also accept equivalent solutions
  where an alternative means to the prescriptive
  measure can still meet the safety outcome.

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The Fire Safety Section Development

• NMSC appoint a project leader and reference
  group.
• A discussion paper is distributed defining
  problems with existing standard and examining
  fire casualties and identifying causes.
• A draft standard is produced based on discussion
  paper and responses and is finalised by reference
  group.
• A Regulatory Impact Statement is developed which
  describes the impacts, benefits costs that the
  proposed new standard will cause.
• The RIS and draft standard are distributed for
  general consultation.
• The reference group will consider the comment and
  propose a final draft of the standard.
• The standard must then be endorsed by the NMSC
  and the ATC
• The standard then still means nothing until
  States adopt it into legislation!

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Benefits of this approach

• New technologies / materials can easily be
  accepted without changing the law.
• Novel craft and design features can be used
  without changing the law.
• Stakeholders understand what the standard is
  trying to achieve.
• The standard stays workable and flexible for
  longer periods without review.
• The Standard makes realistic requirements based
  on evidence received during risk assessments.

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Benefits of this approach

• It provides a prescriptive solution that provides
  good guidance in most cases. This gives comfort
  to designers, builders and regulators. (Cheapest
  option also)
• It allows for innovation providing a product,
  design or system can be rigorously proven to meet
  the safety outcome. This is the more expensive
  option and will only really be taken up where
  prescriptive solutions cannot be used or where
  large cost savings are derived from the
  alternative approach.

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• SAFETY OUTCOMES OF FIRE SAFETY STANDARD
• Prevention of explosive combustion
• Control risks of spillage of flammable liquids
• Control risks of ignition by sources of heat or
  sparks
• Prevention of exposure to the smoke and heat of
  fire
• Prevent or delay the spread of fire
• Protection of essential systems
• Reliability of fire systems

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HOW IS RISK ACCOUNTED FOR?

• Studies found fire risk (both probability and
  consequence) related to
• The nature of the space on the vessel engine
  rooms and galleys have highest incidence of fire.
  Larger engine rooms are a greater risk/
• The nature of the vessel operation tankers and
  passenger carrying vessels have far higher
  consequence if fire occurs.
• Distance from Coast determines the level of
  external support that can be relied upon. Vessels
  operating further from the coast need to have
  better fire safety.

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Vessel Risk Categories

• Four fire risk categories are defined as follows
• Fire Risk Category I (lower risk)
• Fire Risk Category II (moderate risk)
• Fire Risk Category III (higher risk)
• Fire Risk Category IV (highest risk)

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Risk categories of spaces on vessels

• High Risk
• Moderate Risk
• Accommodation Spaces
• Minor Risk
• Control Stations
• Escape and Evacuation routes
• Where doubt exists or compartment is multi use
  higher risk level applies

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Examples- Machinery spaces with IC engines,
boiler spaces, carriage dangerous goods,
flammable goods. Limits are set on magnitude.
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Examples Low power machinery spaces, electrical
switchboard rooms, galleys, fuel pumping
equipment etc
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Examples sleeping rooms, mess rooms, pantries,
toilets, public rooms
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Table 27 Fire-fighters outfits for sea-going
vessels

• KEY
• Two sets are for the use of a rescue party. The
  third is available for backup person should the
  rescue party get into difficulties.
• It is assumed that vessels operating in sheltered
  waters will have ready access to shore-based fire
  fighting personnel, see Part A of this standard
  for guidance on safety obligations and Part E for
  emergency preparedness.

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Table 7 Structural Fire Protection for Fire
Risk Category I
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Examples of fire safety systems / measures
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