part 6 - fire prevention &
extinguishing equipment
6.1 Powered vessels or vessels carrying or fitted
with cooking, heating, refrigerating or lighting
appliances shall be equipped with not less than
the number of portable extinguishers detailed
below, which shall be of a type approved by
the BSI and/or the British Approvals of Fire
Equipment scheme. Extinguishers shall be
kept in readily accessible positions adjacent to
fire risk points, and shall be properly maintained
in good condition for immediate use. Any
portable extinguisher provided for the
protection of an engine space shall be capable
of being discharged without fully opening the
primary access.
BOAT LENGTH | MIN. NUMBER OF EXTINGUISHERS | MIN. FIRE RATING OF EACH EXTINGUISHER | MIN. COMBINED FIRE
RATING EXTINGUISHERS
|
Up to 7m (23ft) | 2 | 5A/34B | 10A/68B
|
7m - 11m (23-36ft) | 2 | 5A/34B | 13A/89B
|
Over 11m (36ft) | 3 | 5A/34B | 21A/144B |
The number of extinguishers may be reduced by one
fire extinguisher with a fire rating of no more than
5A/34B where either:
i) no cooking, heating, refrigerating, lighting or fuelburning
appliances are carried; or
ii) no engine is installed
(Note: Fire extinguishers which have been
manufactured to comply with EN3 and are certified
and marked as such by a Certifying Authority and are
marked with the fire rating will be considered as
acceptable as those which carry the BS kitemark).
[see Exemption 11.12]
6.2 Any fixed system installed for the protection of a
fire risk space shall be in addition to the portable
extinguishers required by Standard 6.1 and if
remotely operated the release device shall be
readily accessible from outside that space.
6.3 In vessels fitted with cooking facilities, a fire
blanket marked as complying with at least the
"light duty" requirements of BS 6575, or BS EN
1869 ready for immediate use, shall be kept
nearby [see Exemption 11.13]
6.4 In vessels with hulls constructed of glass-fibre
reinforced plastic (GRP) those areas of high
fire risk, such as an engine room or fuel
compartment, shall have any exposed GRP
structure coated with a suitable fire retardant
material complying with the Class 2
requirements of BS 476: Part 7.
[see Exemption 11.14]
6.5 Polystyrene thermal insulation shall comply with
the Type A requirements of BS 3837: Part 1.
[see Exemption 11.15]
6.6 All soft furnishings, fabrics, and foam materials
used in the lining out and furnishing vessels
shall be of suitable fire resistant materials,
which on combustion release minimal amounts
of toxic products. Upholstery fabrics used shall
satisfy the cigarette and butane flame tests of
BS EN 1021 Parts 1 and 2. [see Exemption
11.16]
6.7 All vessels shall have two means of escape
from accommodation areas. All means of
escape shall have a minimum clear opening of
0.2m2 (310in2) and a minimum width of 380mm
(15ins). [see Exemption 11.17]
for guidance only
The fire rating of an extinguisher appears as a series
of numbers and letters marked on the side eg
5A/34B. The numbers relate to the ability of the
extinguisher to successfully put out a fire under test
conditions. The bigger the numbers, the bigger the fire
on which the extinguisher has been tested.
| CLASS OF FIRE | EXTINGUISHING MEDIUM | COLOUR OF EXTINGUISHER |
| A | Water | Signal red |
| A/B | Foam | Pale cream |
| A/B/C | Powder | French blue |
| B/C | CO2 | Black |
where:
CLASS A fire = paper, wood, textiles and fabric
CLASS B fire = flammable liquids
CLASS C fire = flammable gases
NB: In the event of an electrical fire use dry powder or
CO2 ONLY
It should be noted that:
i) All stored pressure ABC dry powder
extinguishers have a Class A/Class B
fire rating.
ii) All stored pressure BC dry powder and CO2
extinguishers only have a Class B fire rating.
iii) Most, but not all, aqueous film forming foam
(AFFF) extinguishers have a Class A/Class B
fire rating. Some small capacity AFFF
extinguishers only have a Class B rating.
iv) CO2 extinguishers are not to be provided for
living spaces.
v) Halon extinguishers may be retained until lifeexpired
or discharged.
vi) The number of extinguishers and the total and
individual fire ratings (which are marked on all
approved extinguishers) depend on the vessel
size, engines (whether inboard or outboard),
and installation of L.P.G. or other fuel burning
appliances.
vii) Fire buckets with lanyards, where provided, shall
be in addition to the extinguishers required.