It is reaffirmed that the responsibility for fire prevention and fire fighting in ships under construction is the builder’s responsibility and in ships under re air the owner’s responsibility, unless, in either case, there is a written agreement to the contrary.
When the vessel is in dry dock, both the Master , ship electrician job hiring and the vessel’s Safety officer must satisfy themselves that the yard’s fire protection arrangements are of an acceptable standard and that the patrols are carried out as agreed. A note to this effect, giving details of any meetings held to discuss fire protection arrangements and those present at the meeting, should be made in the Official Log Book and the Safety Officer’s Record Book.
Fire Fighting Appliances
At all times water supplies of adequate pressure should be immediately available on board ship, either in the ship’s fire main or in hoses run on board from other sources.
Extra apparatus such as spanners/adapters for hose couplings and foam making appliances should always be available and the provision of any additional apparatus considered necessary for the particular ship should not be left until there is an outbreak of fire.
Any fire appliances removed for repair or recharging should be replaced at once with a like number of similar units. The possibility that the ship’s power supply to fire detection or protection systems may fail, or become disconnected, must be taken into account.
Stability
When fire fighting operations endanger a ship’s stability and it is necessary to decide whether fire fighting should cease, the decision of the Harbour Master or other responsible officer of the port authority, after consultation with all interested parties, should prevail. However this does not relieve the Master, or, in his absence, the officer-in-charge from bringing to the notice of the fire brigade any special circumstances affecting the safety of the vessel, its stability or conduct of fire operations.
Co-operation with Public Fire Brigades
Ship-to-shore communications should be reviewed to ensure that they provide the quickest possible contact with the port/public fire brigade at all times. All stakeholders should take steps to ensure safety of the ship, its stability, or the conduct of fire- fighting operations ,safety of the vessel, its stability or conduct of fire operations facilities available to a particular ship are well known to those whose responsibility it would be to give the alarm in event of fire.
Fires and Explosions Resulting From Welding and Flame Cutting
Fires arising from welding and flame cutting operations often involve sparks or debris falling onto and igniting flammable material. A further cause is heat developed during the process and being transmitted to flammable material positioned immediately behind the point of welding or flame cutting.
Before repairs using this type of equipment are undertaken by either the ships’ staff or a shore based repair squad it is the ships responsibility to check all adjacent areas and spaces before issuing a hot work permit.