Hong Kong Regulations

MERCHANT SHIPPING (SEAFARERS) (CREW ACCOMMODATION) REGULATION - SECT 31

Facilities for washing and drying clothes and for hanging oilskins and working clothes

(1) In all ships, except where due to the nature of the service the crew are
not accommodated overnight, facilities for washing, drying and ironing clothes
shall be provided for officers and ratings on a scale appropriate to the size
of the crew and the normal duration of the voyage. These facilities shall,
whenever possible, be located within easy reach of their accommodation and
arrangements shall be made to ensure separate availability of the facilities
to officers and ratings.

(2) (No provision)

(3) The facilities to be provided shall include -

   (a)  suitable sinks or washing machines which may be installed in washrooms
        if provision of a separate laundry facility is not reasonably
        practicable, with an adequate supply of hot and cold fresh water or
        means of heating water;

   (b)  drying machines and adequately heated and ventilated drying rooms
        unless the drying machines are of a type which dry clothes completely;
        and

   (c)  electric irons and ironing boards or their equivalents.

(4) to (9) (No provisions)

(10) Adequately ventilated compartments or lockers for use solely for hanging
oilskins and other working clothes shall be provided in a place outside but
conveniently near to the sleeping rooms. Separate compartments or lockers
shall be provided for officers and ratings.

(11) Where washing accommodation is provided in accordance with
section 28(26)(d), such accommodation shall be provided with a clothes locker
for each member of the engine room department not provided with a single berth
sleeping room and a private or semi-private bathroom. Clothes lockers so
provided shall be considered as complying with the requirements of subsection
(10) in respect of lockers for working clothes. (Enacted 1995)