Hong Kong Regulations

MERCHANT SHIPPING (SEAFARERS) (CREW ACCOMMODATION) REGULATION - SECT 7

Divisions between the crew accommodation and other parts of the ship

(1) Bulkheads which enclose any part of the crew accommodation and are exposed
to the weather shall be properly constructed of steel or other suitable
material, and shall be of watertight construction; any openings in them shall
be provided with means of weathertight closure. The means of weathertight
closure provided for any entrance shall be a hinged door.

(2) Bulkheads which enclose any part of the crew accommodation and are exposed
to the weather, and any parts of the sides of the ship which form walls of the
crew accommodation, shall be so insulated as to prevent overheating or
condensation unless the crew accommodation is so protected by its situation
and ventilation that overheating and condensation are unlikely to occur.

(3) Every bulkhead, casing or deck separating any part of the crew
accommodation from any space (including a cold store room) which is subject to
abnormal heat or cold shall be so insulated as to prevent condensation or
discomfort to the crew.

(4) Every bulkhead which separates any part of the crew accommodation (other
than recreation deck space) from a space used as-

   (a)  a machinery space;

   (b)  a bunker;

   (c)  a room for storing fire-extinguishing gases;

   (d)  a chain locker;

   (e)  a cofferdam;

   (f)  a cargo space;

   (g)  a store room;

   (h)  a lamp room or paint room; or

   (i)  a battery locker, shall be of gastight construction, and shall be of
        watertight construction where necessary to protect the crew
        accommodation.

(5) There shall be no opening in any of the bulkheads referred to in
subsection (4) except that-

   (a)  where sanitary accommodation or changing rooms provided for the
        exclusive use of engine room officers and ratings are sited adjacent
        to the propelling machinery space, there may be an opening in the
        propelling machinery space bulkhead to the sanitary accommodation or
        changing rooms and an opening from the sanitary accommodation or
        changing rooms to a passageway forming part of the crew accommodation
        provided that a hinged, steel, self-closing gastight door is fitted to
        one of such openings;

   (b)  where no other arrangement is practicable, there may be an opening in
        a bulkhead separating a passageway in the crew accommodation from a
        machinery space if that opening is provided with a hinged, steel,
        self-closing gastight door;

   (c)  in ships of under 500 tons there may, where no other arrangement is
        practicable, be an opening in a bulkhead separating a passageway in
        the crew accommodation from an engine or deck store room if that
        opening is provided with a hinged, steel, self-closing gastight door;
        and

   (d)  where no other arrangement is practicable, there may be an opening in
        a bulkhead separating a passageway in the crew accommodation from any
        of the spaces specified in subsection (4)(d) and (e) or from a store
        room other than an engine or deck store room if that opening is sealed
        in a way which is effective having regard to the use of the space.

(6) No batteries of a type which emit gases shall be stored in the crew
accommodation and there shall be no opening from the crew accommodation into a
space where such batteries are stored. Precautions shall be taken to ensure
that fumes from batteries cannot be discharged into the crew accommodation.

(7) Any part of the crew accommodation which adjoins a tank in which oil may
be carried shall be separated from that tank either-

   (a)  by a gastight steel division additional to the division which retains
        the oil; or

   (b)  by a division of all-welded steel construction capable of withstanding
        a head of water at least 1.52 metres greater than the maximum service
        head.

(8) No manhole or other opening to a fuel tank shall be situated in the crew
accommodation. (Enacted 1995)