The US Coast Guard issued an interim rule as the first step to implement the statutorily mandated requirements for fire safety on certain covered small passenger vessels.
This statutory mandate is in response to the fire and loss of life on the dive boat CONCEPTION off the coast of California on September 2, 2019.
This interim rule adds additional fire safety requirements for small passenger vessels, including fire detection and suppression systems, avenues of escape, egress drills, crew firefighting training, watchmen monitoring devices, and the handling of flammable items such as rechargeable batteries.
As explained, this statutory mandate is in response to the fire and loss of life on the dive boat CONCEPTION off the coast of California on September 2, 2019. This interim rule adds additional fire safety requirements for small passenger vessels, including fire detection and suppression systems, avenues of escape, egress drills, crew firefighting training, watchmen monitoring devices, and the handling of flammable items such as rechargeable batteries.
To address these identified risks, Congress passed legislation requiring the Coast Guard to issue new rules for T-boats and K-boats (other than ferries) on coastwise or ocean routes. The statute requires:
- Marine firefighting training programs to improve crewmember training and proficiency, including egress training for each member of the crew;
- Interconnected fire detection equipment and additional fire extinguishers and firefighting equipment in all areas on board where passengers and crew have access;
- Installation and use of monitoring devices to ensure wakefulness of the required night watch (for covered SPVs with overnight passenger accommodations);
- Increased fire detection and suppression systems in unmanned areas with machinery or areas with other potential heat sources;
- No less than two independent avenues of escape for all general areas accessible to passengers, that are constructed and arranged to allow for unobstructed egress, located so that if one avenue of escape is not available, another avenue of escape is available, and not directly above, or dependent on, a berth (for covered SPVs with overnight passenger accommodations);
- Handling, storage, and operation of flammable items, such as rechargeable batteries, including lithium-ion batteries;
- Requirements for passenger emergency egress drills (for covered SPVs with overnight passenger accommodations); and
- Providing all passengers a copy of the emergency egress plan for the vessel (for covered SPVs with overnight passenger accommodations).