Regulation 14 - Automatic sprinkler and fire alarm and fire detection systems (Method IIF)
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - International Conventions - SFV - International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels (The Torremolinos Convention)Regulations for the Construction and Equipment of Fishing Vessels - Chapter V - Fire Protection, Fire Detection, Fire Extinction and Fire Fighting - (See also regulation IV/19) - Part B - Fire Safety Measures in Vessels of 60 metres in Length and Over - Regulation 14 - Automatic sprinkler and fire alarm and fire detection systems (Method IIF)

Regulation 14 - Automatic sprinkler and fire alarm and fire detection systems (Method IIF)

  (1) In vessels in which method IIF is adopted an automatic sprinkler and fire alarm system of an approved type and complying with the requirements of this regulation shall be installed and so arranged as to protect accommodation spaces and service spaces except spaces which afford no substantial fire risks, such as void spaces and sanitary spaces.

  (2)

  • (a) The system shall be capable of immediate operation at all times and no action by the crew shall be necessary to set it in operation. It shall be of the wet pipe type but small exposed sections may be of the dry pipe type where in the opinion of the Administration this is a necessary precaution. Any parts of the system which may be subjected to freezing temperatures in service shall be suitably protected against freezing.footnoteIt shall be kept charged at the necessary pressure and shall have provision for a continuous supply of water as required in paragraph (6)(b).

  • (b) Each section of sprinklers shall include means for giving a visible and audible alarm signal automatically at one or more indicating units whenever any sprinkler comes into operation. Such units shall indicate in which section served by the system, fire has occurred and shall be centralized in the wheelhouse and, in addition, visible and audible alarms from the unit shall be placed in a position other than in the wheel house, so as to ensure that the indication of fire is immediately received by the crew. Such an alarm system shall be so constructed as to indicate if any fault occurs in the system.

  (3)

  • (a) Sprinklers shall be grouped into separate sections, each of which shall contain not more than 200 sprinklers.

  • (b) Each section of sprinklers shall be capable of being isolated by one stop valve only. The stop valve in each section shall be readily accessible and its location shall be clearly and permanently indicated. Means shall be provided to prevent the operation of the stop valves by any unauthorised person.

  • (c) A gauge indicating the pressure in the system shall be provided at each section stop valve and at a central station.

  • (d) The sprinklers shall be resistant to corrosion In accommodation and service spaces the sprinklers shall come into operation within the temperature range of 68°C and 79°C, except that in locations such as drying rooms, where high ambient temperatures might be expected, the operating temperature may be increased by not more than 30°C above the maximum deck head temperature.

  • (e) A list or plan shall be displayed at each indicating unit showing the spaces covered and the location of the zone in respect of each section. Suitable instructions for testing and maintenance shall be available.

  (4) Sprinklers shall be placed in an overhead position and spaced in a suitable pattern to maintain an average application rate of not less than 5 l/m2/min over the nominal area covered by the sprinklers. Alternatively, the Administration may permit the use of sprinklers providing such quantity of water suitably distributed as has been shown to the satisfaction of the Administration to be not less effective.

  (5)

  • (a) A pressure tank having a volume equal to at least twice that of the charge of water specified in this subparagraph shall be provided. The tank shall contain a standing charge of fresh water, equivalent to the amount of water which would be discharged in one minute by the pump referred to in paragraph (6)(b), and the arrangements shall provide for maintaining such air pressure in the tank as to ensure that, where the standing charge of fresh water in the tank has been used, the pressure will be not less than the working pressure of the sprinkler, plus the pressure due to a head of water measured from the bottom of the tank to the highest sprinkler in the system. Suitable means of replenishing the air under pressure and of replenishing the fresh water charge in the tank shall be provided. A glass gauge shall be provided to indicate the correct level of the water in the tank.

  • (b) Means shall be provided to prevent the passage of seawater into the tank.

  (6)

  • (a) An independent power pump shall be provided solely for the purpose of continuing automatically the discharge of water from the sprinklers. The pump shall be brought into action automatically by the pressure drop in the system before the standing fresh water charge in the pressure tank is completely exhausted.

  • (b) The pump and the piping system shall be capable of maintaining the necessary pressure at the level of the highest sprinkler to ensure a continuous output of water sufficient for the simultaneous coverage of the maximum area separated by fire-resisting bulkheads of "A" and "B" class divisions or an area of 280 m2 whichever is the less at the application rate specified in paragraph (4).

  • (c) The pump shall have fitted on the delivery side a test valve with a short open-ended discharge pipe. The effective area through the valve and pipe shall be adequate to permit the release of the required pump output while maintaining the pressure in the system specified in paragraph (5)(a).

  • (d) The sea inlet to the pump shall wherever possible be in the space containing the pump and shall be so arranged that when the vessel is afloat it will not be necessary to shut off the supply of seawater to the pump for any purpose other than the inspection or repair of the pump.

  (7) The sprinkler pump and tank shall be situated in a position reasonably remote from any machinery space of category A and shall not be situated in any space required to be protected by the sprinkler system.

  (8)

  • (a) There shall not be less than two sources of power supply for the seawater pump and the automatic fire alarm and fire detection system. If the pump is electrically driven it shall be connected to the main source of electrical power, which shall be capable of being supplied by at least two generators.

  • (b) The feeders shall be arranged so as to avoid galleys, machinery spaces and other enclosed spaces of high fire risk except in so far as it is necessary to reach the appropriate switchboard. One of the sources of power supply for the fire alarm and fire detection system shall be an emergency source. Where one of the sources of power for the pump is an internal combustion-type engine it shall, in addition to complying with the provisions of paragraph (7), be so situated that a fire in any protected space will not affect the air supply to that engine.

  (9) The sprinkler system shall have a connection from the vessel's fire main by way of a lockable screw-down nonreturn valve at the connection which will prevent a backflow from the sprinkler system to the fire main.

  (10)

  • (a) A test valve shall be provided for testing the automatic alarm for each section of sprinklers by a discharge of water equivalent to the operation of one sprinkler. The test valve for each section shall be situated near the stop valve for that section.

  • (b) Means shall be provided for testing the automatic operation of the pump on reduction of pressure in the system.

  • (c) Switches shall be provided at one of the indicating positions referred to in paragraph (2)(b) which will enable the alarm and the indicators for each section of sprinklers to be tested.

  (11) Spare sprinkler heads shall be provided for each section of sprinklers to the satisfaction of the Administration.

Parent topic: Part B - Fire Safety Measures in Vessels of 60 metres in Length and Over
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