Hong Kong Regulations

MERCHANT SHIPPING (SEAFARERS) (CREW ACCOMMODATION) REGULATION - SECT 6

General

(1) All parts of the crew accommodation, except store rooms, shall-

   (a)  wherever practicable be situated amidships or aft but in no case shall
        any part of the crew accommodation, except a store room, be situated
        forward of the collision bulkhead; and

   (b)  be situated wholly above the Summer Load Line (if any) marked on the
        ship in accordance with the provisions of regulations made under
        section 102 of the Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance ( Cap 369).

(2) The crew accommodation shall be so situated, constructed and arranged as
to exclude as far as is reasonably practicable-

   (a)  from the crew accommodation, noise coming from other parts of the
        ship; and

   (b)  from any part of the crew accommodation, noise coming from other parts
        of it. In particular, sleeping rooms forming part of the crew
        accommodation of a passenger ship shall not be situated immediately
        beneath a working passageway. In every ship any bulkhead, casing or
        deck separating a sleeping room from-

        (i)    a machinery space;

        (ii)   a mess room;

        (iii)  a recreation room;

        (iv)   a room for watching films or television;

        (v)    a games room; or

        (vi)   a public room, shall be acoustically insulated in a way which
               will prevent the occupants of that sleeping room from being
               disturbed by excessive noise from that space or room.

(3) In the crew accommodation-

   (a)  all structures, furniture and fittings, and the means of access to and
        egress from the crew accommodation, shall be so situated, constructed
        and arranged as to minimize any risk of injury to the crew;

   (b)  to afford protection to the crew in rough sea conditions-

        (i)    handrails shall be provided in passageways and stairways where
               necessary and shall be of robust construction and strongly
               secured to bulkheads;

        (ii)   fixed furniture shall be strongly secured;

        (iii)  means shall be provided to secure portable furniture;

        (iv)   doors, including those to cupboards and other items of
               furniture shall be so secured as not to open accidentally;

        (v)    drawers shall be so designed as not to slide open and fall out
               accidentally; and

        (vi)   tables, shelves, stowage racks and other similar fittings shall
               be fitted with retaining lips or bars or with non-slip surfaces
               so that objects placed on them will not slide off.

(4) All parts of the crew accommodation, except cold store rooms, shall have a
clear headroom of at least 1.98 metres at every point where full and free
movement is necessary: Provided that the Authority may permit reduction in
headroom in any space or part of any space in such accommodation where he is
satisfied that-

   (a)  it is reasonable to permit such reduction; and

   (b)  such reduction will not result in discomfort to the crew.

(5) Subject to section 35(23), no part of the accommodation provided pursuant
to this Part shall be shared with passengers or used by or for the benefit of
passengers.

(6) If oil or gaseous fuel is used in any ship, the arrangements for its
storage, distribution and utilisation shall be such as to minimize the risk of
fire or explosion within the crew accommodation which the use of that fuel may
entail.

(7) Inside panelling in the crew accommodation shall be constructed of a
suitable material.

(8) The crew accommodation shall be so situated, constructed and arranged as
to ensure the exclusion from the crew accommodation of effluvia originating in
other spaces in the ship. (Enacted 1995)