Commission Directive 2010/36/EUShow full title

6 Means of escape (R 28)

NEW CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS AND EXISTING CLASS B SHIPS:

.1 Stairways and ladders, corridors and doors shall be arranged to provide ready means of escape to the lifeboat and life-raft embarkation deck from all passenger and crew spaces and from spaces in which the crew is normally employed, other than machinery spaces. In particular, the following provisions shall be complied with:

.1

Below the bulkhead deck two means of escape, at least one of which shall be independent of watertight doors, shall be provided from each watertight compartment or similarly restricted space or group of spaces. Exceptionally one of the means of escape may be dispensed with, due regard being paid to the nature and location of spaces and to the number of persons who might be normally employed there.

In such a case the sole means of escape shall provide safe escape.

For ships which are constructed on or after 1 January 2003, the abovementioned dispensation may only be given for crew spaces that are entered only occasionally, in which case the required escape route shall be independent of watertight doors.

.2

Above the bulkhead deck there shall be at least two means of escape from each main vertical zone or similarly restricted space or group of spaces at least one of which shall give access to a stairway forming a vertical escape.

.3

If a radiotelegraph station has no direct access to the open deck, two means of escape from or access to such station shall be provided, one of which may be a porthole or window of sufficient size or another means.

.4

In existing class B ships, a corridor, or part of a corridor from which there is only one route of escape shall not exceed:

.1

5 metres in length for ships constructed on or after 1 October 1994,

.2

13 metres in length for ships constructed before 1 October 1994, carrying more than 36 passengers, and

.3

7 metres in length for ships constructed before 1 October 1994, carrying not more than 36 passengers.

In new class A, B, C and D ships of 24 metres in length and above, a corridor, lobby or part of a corridor from which there is only one route of escape shall be prohibited.

Dead-end corridors used in service areas which are necessary for the practical utility of the ship, such as fuel oil stations and athwartship supply corridors, shall be permitted, provided such dead-end corridors are separated from crew accommodation areas and inaccessible from passenger accommodation areas. A part of a corridor that has a depth not exceeding its width is considered a recess or local extension and is permitted.

NEW CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS OF 24 METRES IN LENGTH AND ABOVE CONSTRUCTED BEFORE 1 JANUARY 2003:

.5 At least one of the means of escape required by paragraphs .1.1 and .1.2 shall consist of a readily accessible enclosed stairway, which shall provide continuous fire shelter from the level of its origin to the appropriate lifeboat and life-raft embarkation decks, or to the uppermost deck if the embarkation deck does not extend to the main vertical zone being considered.

In the latter case, direct access to the embarkation deck by way of external open stairways and passageways shall be provided and shall have emergency lighting in accordance with Regulation III/5.3 and slip-free surfaces underfoot. Boundaries facing external open stairways and passageways forming part of an escape route shall be so protected that a fire in any enclosed space behind such boundaries would not impede escape to the embarkation stations.

The widths, number and continuity of escapes shall be as follows:

.1

Stairways shall not be less than 900 mm in clear width, if reasonable and practicable to the satisfaction of the Member State, but shall in no case be less than 600 mm. Stairways shall be fitted with handrails on each side. The minimum clear width of stairways shall be increased by 10 mm for every one person provided for in excess of 90 persons. The maximum clear width between handrails where stairways are wider than 900 mm shall be 1 800 mm. The total number of persons to be evacuated by such stairways shall be assumed to be two thirds of the crew and the total number of passengers in the areas served by such stairways. The width of the stairways shall at least conform to the standard as given in IMO Resolution A.757(18).

.2

All stairways sized for more than 90 persons shall be aligned before and after.

.3

Doorways and corridors and intermediate landings included in means of escape shall be sized in the same manner as stairways.

.4

Stairways shall not exceed 3,5 metres in vertical rise without the provision of a landing and shall not have an angle of inclination greater than 45°.

.5

Landings at each deck level shall not be less than 2 m² in area and shall increase by 1 m² for every 10 persons provided for in excess of 20 persons but need not exceed 16 m², except for those landings servicing public spaces having direct access onto the stairway enclosure.

CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS OF 24 METRES IN LENGTH AND ABOVE CONSTRUCTED ON OR AFTER 1 JANUARY 2003:

.5a At least one of the means of escape required in the paragraphs .1.1 and .1.2 shall consist of a readily accessible enclosed stairway, which shall provide continuous fire shelter from the level of its origin to the appropriate lifeboat and life-raft embarkation decks or to the uppermost weather deck if the embarkation deck does not extend to the main vertical zone being considered.

In the latter case direct access to the embarkation deck by way of external open stairways and passageways shall be provided and shall have emergency lighting in accordance with Regulation III/5.3 and slip-free surfaces underfoot. Boundaries facing external open stairways and passageways forming part of an escape route and boundaries in such a position that their failure during a fire would impede escape to the embarkation deck shall have fire integrity, including insulation values, in accordance with tables 4.1 to 5.2, as appropriate.

The widths, number and continuity of escapes shall be in accordance with the requirements of the Fire Safety Systems Code.

NEW CLASS B, C AND D CONSTRUCTED BEFORE 1 JANUARY 2003 AND EXISTING CLASS B SHIPS:

.6 Satisfactory protection of access from the stairway enclosures to the lifeboat and life-raft embarkation areas shall be provided.

CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS CONSTRCTED ON OR AFTER 1 JANUARY 2003:

.6a Protection of access from the stairway enclosures to the lifeboat and life-raft embarkation areas shall be provided either directly or through protected internal routes which have fire integrity and insulation values for stairway enclosures as determined by tables 4.1 to 5.2, as appropriate.

NEW CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS:

.7 In addition to the emergency lighting required by Regulations II-1/D/3 and III/5.3, the means of escape including stairways and exits, shall be marked by lighting or photoluminescent strip indicators placed not more than 0,3 metres above the deck at all points of the escape route including angles and intersections. The marking must enable passengers to identify all the routes of escape and readily identify the escape exits. If electric illumination is used, it shall be supplied by the emergency source of power and it shall be so arranged that the failure of any single light or cut in a lighting strip will not result in the marking being ineffective. Additionally, all escape route signs and fire equipment location markings shall be of photoluminescent material or marked by lighting. The Administration of the flag State shall ensure that such lighting or photoluminescent equipment have been evaluated, tested and applied in accordance with the guidelines as given in IMO Resolution A.752(18).

However, for new class B, C and D ships constructed on or after 1 January 2003 the Administration of the Flag State shall ensure that such lighting or photoluminescent equipment has been evaluated, tested and applied in accordance with the Fire Safety Systems Code.

CLASS B, C AND D SHIPS CONSTRUCTED ON OR AFTER 1 JANUARY 2003:

.8 In ships carrying more than 36 passengers the requirements of paragraph .1.7 of this Regulation shall also apply to the crew accommodations.

.9 Normally locked doors that form part of an escape route.

.1

Cabin and stateroom doors shall not require keys to unlock them from inside the room.

Neither shall there be any doors along any designated escape route which require keys to unlock them when moving in the direction of escape.

.2

Escape doors from public spaces that are normally latched shall be fitted with a means of quick release. Such means shall consist of a door-latching mechanism incorporating a device that releases the latch upon the application of a force in the direction of escape flow. Quick release mechanisms shall be designed and installed to the satisfaction of the Administration of the flag State and in particular:

.2.1

consist of bars or panels, the actuating portion of which extends across at least one half of the width of the door leaf, at least 760 mm and not more than 1 120 mm above the deck;

.2.2

cause the door latch to release when a force not exceeding 67 N is applied; and

.2.3

not be equipped with any locking device, set screw or other arrangement that prevents the release of the latch when pressure is applied to the releasing device.

NEW CLASS B, C AND D AND EXISTING CLASS B SHIPS:

.2

.1 In special category spaces the number and disposition of the means of escape both below and above the bulkhead deck shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration of the flag State and in general the safety of access to the embarkation deck shall be at least equivalent to that provided under paragraphs .1.1, .1.2, .1.5 and .1.6.

In new class B, C and D ships constructed on or after 1 January 2003, such spaces shall be provided with designated walkways to the means of escape with a breadth of at least 600 mm, and where practicable and reasonable those designated longitudinal walkways shall raise at least 150 mm above the deck surface. The parking arrangements for the vehicles shall maintain the walkways clear at all times.

.2 One of the escape routes from the machinery spaces where the crew is normally employed shall avoid direct access to any special category space.

.3 Hoistable drive-up/down ramps to platform decks must not be capable of blocking the approved escape routes when in lowered position.

.3.1 Two means of escape shall be provided from each machinery space. In particular, the following provisions shall be complied with:

.1

Where the space is below the bulkhead deck the two means of escape shall consist of either:

.1

two sets of steel ladders as widely separated as possible, leading to doors in the upper part of the space similarly separated and from which there is access to the appropriate lifeboat and life-raft embarkation decks. In new ships, one of these ladders shall provide continuous fire shelter from the lower part of the space to a safe position outside the space. In new class B, C and D ships constructed on or after 1 January 2003 that ladder shall be located within a protected enclosure that satisfies Regulation II-2/B/4, category (2) or II-2/B/5, category (4), as appropriate, from the lower part of the space it serves to a safe position outside the space. Self-closing fire doors of the same fire integrity standards shall be fitted in the enclosure. The ladder shall be fixed in such a way that heat is not transferred into the enclosure through non-insulated fixing points. The protected enclosure shall have minimum internal dimensions of at least 800 mm × 800 mm, and shall have emergency lighting provisions; or

.2

one steel ladder leading to a door from which access is provided to the embarkation deck and additionally, in the lower part of the space and in a position well separated from the ladder referred to, a steel door capable of being operated from each side and which provides access to a safe escape route from the lower part of the space to the embarkation deck.

.2

Where the space is above the bulkhead deck, the two means of escape shall be as widely separated as possible and the doors leading from such means of escape shall be a position from which access is provided to the appropriate lifeboat and life-raft embarkation decks. Where such means of escape require the use of ladders, these shall be of steel.

NEW CLASS A, B, C AND D SHIPS:

.3 From spaces for monitoring of operation of machinery, and from work spaces, there shall be at least two means of escape, of which one shall be independent of the machinery space and give access to the embarkation deck.

.4 The underside of stairs in machinery spaces shall be shielded.

NEW CLASS B, C AND D AND EXISTING CLASS B SHIPS:

.3.2 In a ship of less than 24 metres in length, the Administration of the flag State may dispense with one of the means of escape in machinery spaces, due regard being paid to the width and disposition of the upper part of the space.

In a ship of 24 metres in length and above, the Administration of the flag State may dispense with one means of escape from any such space so long as either a door or a steel ladder provides a safe escape route to the embarkation deck, due regard being paid to the nature and location of the space and whether persons are normally employed in that space. In new class B, C and D ships constructed on or after 1 January 2003, a second means of escape shall be provided in the steering gear space when the emergency steering position is located in that space unless there is a direct access to the open deck.

.3.3 Two means of escape shall be provided from a machinery control room located within a machinery space, at least one of which will provide continuous fire shelter to a safe position outside the machinery space.

.4 In no case shall lifts be considered as forming one of the required means of escape.

.5 NEW CLASS B, C AND D AND EXISTING CLASS B SHIPS OF 40 METRES IN LENGTH AND ABOVE:

.1 Emergency escape breathing devices shall be carried, complying with the Fire Safety Systems Code.

.2 At least two emergency escape breathing devices shall be carried in each main vertical zone

.3 In ships carrying more than 36 passengers, two emergency escape breathing devices, in addition to those required in subparagraph .5.2 shall be carried in each main vertical zone.

.4 However, subparagraphs .5.2 and .5.3 do not apply to stairway enclosures which constitute individual main vertical zones and for the main vertical zones in the fore or aft end of a ship, which do not contain spaces of categories (6), (7), (8) or (12) defined in Regulation II-2/B/4.

.5 Within the machinery spaces, emergency escape breathing devices shall be situated ready for use at easily visible places, which can be reached quickly and easily at any time in the event of fire. The location of emergency escape breathing devices shall take into account the layout of the machinery space and the number of persons normally working in the space.

.6 Reference is made to the Guidelines for the performance, location, use and care of emergency escape breathing devices (EEBD) in IMO MSC/Circ.849.

.7 The number and location of these devices shall be indicated in the fire control plan required in Regulation II-2/A/13.