The Republic of Marshall Islands has published a Marine Notice on the maintenance and inspection of fire protection systems.The notice applies to all ships and mobile offshore units(MOUs),with the purpose to address general maintenance, testing and inspection of fire protection systems, appliances, and emergency equipment.
The Marine Notice incorporates the provisions of International MaritimeOrganization (IMO) Circular MSC.1/Circ.1432, Revised Guidelines for the Maintenance and Inspection of Fire Protection Systems and Appliances, as amended by IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1516. The amendments emphasize the importance of testing and maintaining the quality of water in automatic sprinkler systems, in accordance with the manufacture guidelines.
This Notice also includes the addition of a chartthat summarizes the intervals for the maintenance, testing, and inspection of the fire protection systems and appliances and designates the entity required to conduct the inspection. IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1315 has also been incorporated into this Notice. This Notice supersedes Rev. May 2016. It has been revised to correct a typo (removal of a % sign) in section 8.6 that inadvertently changed the SOLAS requirement.
Requirements
- Safety Management-Onboard Maintenance Plan
- International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Regulation II-2/14 requires ships to carry on board, and make available for inspection, a plan that details the maintenance, testing, and inspection of fire protection systems and appliances. The Administrator requires the onboard maintenance plan to be consistent with the ship’s Safety Management System (SMS).
- Certain maintenance procedures and inspections may be performed by competent crewmembers who have completed an advanced fire-fighting training course, while others should be performed by persons specifically trained in the maintenance of such systems. The onboard maintenance plan shall indicate, in accordance with Appendix 1 of this Notice, the inspections and maintenance that are to be completed by competent crew members versus other trained personnel.
- Prior to performing any work, a plan consistent with the ship’s SMS for carrying out safe maintenance, inspection, and testing shall be developed to account for all Rev. June/2016 3 of 22 2-011-14 Republic of the Marshall Islands personnel and all foreseeable hazards. The plan shall establish an effective communications system between the inspection personnel and on-duty crew.
Recommendations
- With respect to the maintenance, testing, and inspection of fire protection systems and appliances, ships’ owners and officers shall be familiar with and follow the applicable requirements of SOLAS, as amended, the International Code for Fire Safety Systems (FSS Code), as amended, the Code for the Construction and Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Unites (MODU Code) (1979, 1989 and 2009 editions), and Classification Society requirements.
- Minimum recommended levels of maintenance, testing, and inspections to be included in an onboard maintenance plan are laid out in various IMO guidance documents (see References section above). This guidance has been adopted by the Administrator, except where superseded by this Notice.
- Equipment manufacturers’ recommendations, where existent, shall be followed by ships’ owners and officers in the maintenance, testing and inspection of such equipment. Manufacturer maintenance manuals should be available on board where appropriate.
- Where particular arrangements create practical difficulties, alternative testing and maintenance procedures shall be to the satisfaction of the Administrator
Further details may be found by reading the Marine Notice below
Source: RMI