The Merchant Shipping (Fire Protection: Large Ships) Regulations 1998

Openings in “B” Class divisions

59.—(1) Where a “B” Class division is pierced for the passage of electric cables, pipes, trunks, girders, beams or for other purposes the arrangements shall be such that the effectiveness of the division in resisting fire is not thereby impaired except as provided in paragraph (4). Where ventilation ducts pass through “B” Class divisions the requirements of paragraph 6 of Schedule 3 of Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1667 shall apply.

(2) (a) Doors and door frames in “B” Class divisions and the means of securing them shall provide a method of closure which shall have resistance to fire as far as practicable equivalent to the division, except that ventilation openings may be permitted in the lower portion of such doors. Where such an opening is in or under a door, its total net area shall not exceed 0.05 square metre. When such an opening is cut in a door, it shall be fitted with a grille made of steel and shall be capable of being manually closed from each side of the door. Doors shall be non-combustible, except that in ships carying 36 passengers or less a door which separates a cabin from an individual interior sanitary space such as a shower space may be of combustible material.

(b) In the case of a ship constructed on or after 1st October 1994, cabin doors in “B” Class divisions shall be of the self-closing type. Hold-backs are not permitted.

(3) The requirements for “B” Class integrity of the outer boundaries of a ship shall not apply to glass partitions, windows and sidescuttles subject to the requirements of regulation 61. The requirements for “B” Class integrity shall not apply to exterior doors in superstructures and deckhouses, except that doors opening on to lifeboat and liferaft handling and embarkation areas shall be of such construction as to protect these areas from a space having a potential fire hazard.

(4) Except in the case of a ship constructed on or after 1st October 1994 carrying more than 36 passengers, where an automatic sprinkler, fire detection and fire alarm system complying with the provisions of Schedule 1 of Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1666 is fitted—

(a) the closing of openings in decks need only meet the “B” Class integrity requirements in so far as is reasonable and practicable;

(b) openings in corridor bulkheads of “B” Class materials shall be protected in accordance with the provisions of regulation 55.