Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
(1) Where an
existing charter vessel does not meet a particular requirement of this section,
the assistant director may grant:
(a) A
temporary variance to allow time for modifications to be made.
(b) A permanent variance if the degree of
protection afforded is judged to be adequate for the service in which the
vessel is used.
(2)
Lifesaving equipment required by this section must be approved by the
USCG.
(3) The following lifesaving
equipment is required:
(a) All vessels
carrying passengers must carry life floats or buoyant apparatus for all persons
on board.
(i) All life floats or buoyant
apparatus must be international orange in color.
(ii) Vessels operating not more than one mile
from land are not required to carry life floats or buoyant apparatus.
(iii) Lifeboats, life rafts, dinghies,
dories, skiffs, or similar type craft may be substituted for the required life
floats or buoyant apparatus if the substitution is approved by the assistant
director.
(iv) Life floats, buoyant
apparatus, or any authorized substitute must be U.S. Coast Guard approved and
have the following equipment:
(A) Two paddles
or oars not less than four feet in length.
(B) A painter of at least one-half inch
diameter and 30 feet in length.
(b) All vessels must have a USCG-approved
adult life preserver for the number of people the vessel is certified to carry,
with at least 10 percent additional of a type suitable for children or greater
number to provide a life jacket for each child-sized person on board.
(i) Life preservers must be stowed in readily
accessible places in the upper part of the vessel; and
(ii) Each life preserver must be marked with
the vessel's name.
(c)
All vessels must carry in a readily accessible location at least one ring life
buoy of an approved type with 60 feet of buoyant line attached. The ring life
buoy must:
(i) Be ready to cast loose at any
time; and
(ii) Have a floating
water light, unless operation is limited to daytime.
(4) Fire protection general.
(a) The general construction of a vessel must
minimize fire hazards.
(b) Internal
combustion engine exhausts, boiler and galley uptakes, and similar sources of
ignition must be kept clear of and suitably insulated from woodwork or other
combustible material.
(c) Lamp,
paint, and oil lockers and similar storage areas for flammable liquids must be
constructed of metal or lined with metal.
(5) Fire protection equipment. Equipment
required to be of an approved type must be approved by the USCG or other agency
acceptable to the director.
(a) Fire pumps.
(i) All vessels carrying more than 49
passengers must carry an approved power fire pump capable of reaching any part
of the vessel.
(ii) All other
vessels must carry an approved hand fire pump. These pumps must be provided
with a suitable suction and discharge hose, and may also serve as bilge
pumps.
(b) Fixed fire
extinguishing system.
(i) The following
vessels must have a fixed fire extinguishing system to protect the machinery
and fuel tank spaces:
(A) Those powered by
internal combustion engines using gasoline or other fuel having a flashpoint of
110°F or lower; and
(B) Those
with hulls constructed of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) or wood.
(ii) This system must be an
approved type and have a capacity sufficient to protect the space.
(iii) Controls for the fixed system must be
installed in an accessible location outside the space protected.
(iv) A device must be provided to
automatically shut down power ventilation serving the protected space and
engines that draw intake air from the protected space prior to release of the
extinguishing agent into the space.
(c) Fire axe. A vessel of more than 19.8
meters (65 feet) in length must have at least one fire axe located in or
adjacent to the primary operating station.
(d) Portable fire extinguishers.
(i) All vessels must have a minimum number of
portable fire extinguishers of an approved size and type. The number required
will be determined by Table 1, Portable Fire Extinguishers.
(ii) Portable fire extinguishers must be
inspected at least once a month. Extinguishers found defective must be serviced
or replaced.
(iii) Portable fire
extinguishers must be serviced at least once a year. The required service must
consist of discharging and recharging foam and dry chemical extinguishers and
weighing and inspecting carbon dioxide extinguishers.
(iv) Portable fire extinguishers must be
hydrostatically tested at intervals not to exceed those specified in WAC
296-800-300 in the safety and
health core rules.
(v) Portable
fire extinguishers of the vaporizing liquid type such as carbon tetrachloride
and other toxic vaporizing liquids are prohibited and must not be carried on
any vessel.
(vi) Portable fire
extinguishers must be mounted in brackets or hangers near the space protected.
The location must be marked in a manner satisfactory to the assistant director.
Table 1 Portable Fire Extinguishers
|
|
Type Extinguisher
Permitted
|
Space Protected
|
Minimum # Required
|
CG Class
|
Medium
|
Minimum Size
|
Operating station
|
1
|
B-I, C-I
|
Halon
CO2
Dry chemical
|
2.5 lb. 4 lb. 2 lb.
|
Machinery space
|
1
Located just outside exit
|
B-II, C-II
|
CO2 Dry chemical
|
15 lb. 10 lb.
|
Open vehicle deck
|
1 for every 10 vehicles
|
B-II
|
Foam
Halon
CO2
Dry chemical
|
2.5 gal. 10 lb. 15 lb. 10 lb.
|
Accommodation space
|
1 for each 2,500 sq. ft. or fraction thereof
|
A-II
|
Foam Dry chemical
|
2.5 gal. 10 lb.
|
Galley, pantry, concession stand
|
1
|
A-II, B-II
|
Foam Dry chemical
|
2.5 gal. 10 lb.
|
(6) Means of escape.
(a) All vessels must have at least two
avenues of escape from all general areas accessible to the passengers or where
the crew may be quartered or normally employed. The avenues must be located so
that if one is not available the other may be. At least one of the avenues
should be independent of watertight doors.
(b) One vertical means of escape is
acceptable where the length of the compartment is less than 12 feet under the
following conditions:
(i) There is no source
of fire in the space, such as a galley stove or heater and the vertical escape
is remote from the engine and fuel tank space; or
(ii) The arrangement is such that the
installation of two means of escape does not materially improve the safety of
the vessel or those aboard.
(7) Ventilation.
(a) All enclosed spaces within the vessel
must be properly vented or ventilated. Where such openings would endanger the
vessel under adverse weather conditions, means must be provided to close
them.
(b) All crew and passenger
space must be adequately ventilated in a manner suitable to the purpose of the
space.
(8) Crew and
passenger accommodations.
(a) Vessels with
crew members living aboard must have suitable accommodations.
(b) Vessels carrying passengers must have
fixed seating for the maximum number of passengers permitted, installed as
follows:
(i) Spacing that provides for ready
escape in case of fire or other casualty.
(ii) Aisles not over 15 feet long must be not
less than 24 inches wide.
(iii)
Aisles over 15 feet long must be not less than 30 inches wide.
(iv) Where seats are in rows the distance
from seat front to seat front must be not less than 30 inches.
(v) The assistant director may grant special
exception to fixed seating spacing requirements if escape over the side can be
readily accomplished through windows or other openings in the way of the
seats.
(c) Portable or
temporary seating may be installed but must be arranged as provided for fixed
seating.
(9) Toilet
facilities and drinking water.
(a) Vessels
must be provided with toilets and wash basins as specified in WAC
296-800-230 unless vessels are
used exclusively on short runs of approximately 30 minutes or less.
(b) All toilets and wash basins must be
fitted with adequate plumbing. Facilities for men and women must be in separate
compartments, except in the case of vessels carrying 49 passengers and less,
the assistant director may approve other arrangements.
(c) Potable drinking water must be provided
for all passengers and crew according to WAC
296-800-23005.
(d) Covered trash containers must be provided
in passenger areas.
(10)
Rails and guards.
(a) Rails or equivalent
protection must be installed near the periphery of all weather decks accessible
to passengers and crews. Where space limitations make deck rails impractical
for areas designed for crew only, such as at narrow catwalks in the way of
deckhouse sides, hand grabs may be substituted.
(b) Rails must consist of evenly spaced
courses. The spacing must not be greater than four inches except as provided in
WAC 296-115-050(10)(d).
Lower rail courses may not be required if all or part of the space below the
upper rail course is fitted with a bulwark, chain link fencing, wire mesh or
the equivalent.
(c) On passenger
decks of vessels engaged in ferry or excursion type operation, rails must be at
least 42 inches high. The top rail must be pipe, wire, chain, or wood and must
withstand at least 200 pounds of side loading. The space below the top rail
must be fitted with bulwarks, chain link fencing, wire mesh, or the
equivalent.
(d) On vessels engaged
in other than passenger service, the rails must be not less than 36 inches
high. Where vessels are used in special service, the assistant director may
approve other arrangements, but in no case less than 30 inches high.
(e) Suitable storm rails or hand grabs must
be installed where necessary in all passageways, at deckhouse sides, and at
ladders and hatches where passengers or crew might have normal
access.
(f) Suitable covers,
guards, or rails must be installed in the way of all exposed and hazardous
places such as gears or machinery. (See chapter 296-806 WAC, Machine safety for
detailed requirements.)
(11) Machinery installation.
(a) Propulsion machinery.
(i) Propulsion machinery must be suitable in
type and design for the propulsion requirements of the hull of the vessel in
which it is installed. Installations meeting the requirements of the USCG or
USCG-recognized classification society are considered acceptable to the
assistant director.
(ii)
Installations using gasoline or diesel as a fuel must meet the requirements of
applicable USCG standards.
(b) Auxiliary machinery and bilge systems.
(i) All vessels must be provided with a
suitable bilge pump, piping, and valves for removing water from the
vessel.
(ii) Vessels carrying more
than 49 passengers must have a power operated bilge pump. The source of power
must be independent of the propulsion machinery. Other vessels must have a hand
operated bilge pump, but may have a power operated pump if it is operated by an
independent power source.
(c) Steering apparatus and miscellaneous
systems.
(i) All vessels must be provided with
a suitable steering apparatus.
(ii)
All vessels must be provided with navigation lights and shapes, whistles, fog
horns, and fog bells as required by the USCG rules of navigation.
(iii) All vessels must be equipped with a
suitable number of portable battery lights for emergency purposes. There should
be at least two, one located at the operating station and the other at the
access to the propulsion machinery.
(d) Electrical installations. The electrical
installations of all vessels must be at least equal to applicable USCG
standards, or as approved by the assistant director.
Statutory Authority:
RCW
49.17.010,
49.17.040,
49.17.050,
49.17.060,
49.17.210, and
88.04.005. 08-20-123, §
296-115-050, filed 10/1/08, effective 11/1/08. Statutory Authority:
RCW
49.17.010,
49.17.040,
49.17.050,
49.17.060. 07-03-163, §
296-115-050, filed 1/24/07, effective 4/1/07; 04-14-028, § 296-115-050,
filed 6/29/04, effective 1/1/05; 03-18-090, § 296-115-050, filed 9/2/03,
effective 11/1/03. Statutory Authority:
RCW
49.17.010,
49.17.040,
49.17.050 and 1999 c 111.
00-23-100, § 296-115-050, filed 11/21/00, effective 1/1/01. Statutory
Authority:
RCW
49.17.040,
49.17.050,
49.17.240,
chapters
42.30 and
43.22 RCW. 80-17-014 (Order 80-20),
§ 296-115-050, filed 11/13/80.