§ 27.203 - What are the requirements for fire detection on towing vessels?

§ 27.203 What are the requirements for fire detection on towing vessels?

(a) You must have a fire detection system installed on your vessel to detect engine-room fires. Any owner of a vessel whose construction was contracted for before January 18, 2000, may use an existing engine-room-monitoring system (with fire detection capability) instead of a fire detection system, if the monitoring system is operable and complies with this section. You must ensure that -

(1) Each detector, each control panel, and each fire alarm are approved under 46 CFR subpart 161.002 or listed by an independent testing laboratory; except that, if you use an existing engine-room-monitoring system (with fire detection capability), each detector must be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL), as defined in 46 CFR 161.002-2, for fire service;

(2) The system is installed, tested, and maintained in line with the manufacturer's design manual;

(3) The system is arranged and installed so a fire in the engine room automatically sets off alarms on a control panel at the operating station;

(4) The control panel includes -

(i) A power-available light;

(ii) Both an audible alarm to notify crew at the operating station of fire and visible alarms to identify the zone or zones of origin of the fire;

(iii) A means to silence the audible alarm while maintaining indication by the visible alarms;

(iv) A circuit-fault detector test-switch; and

(v) Labels for all switches and indicator lights, identifying their functions;

(5) The system draws power from two sources, switchover from the primary source to the secondary source being either manual or automatic;

(6) The system serves no other purpose, unless it is an engine-room-monitoring system (with fire detection capability) installed on a vessel whose construction was contracted for before January 18, 2000; and

(7) The system is certified by a registered professional engineer, or by a recognized classification society (under 46 CFR part 8), to comply with paragraphs (a) introductory text and (a)(1) through (a)(6) of this section.

(b) In spaces other than the engine room, non-approved fire detection systems may be acceptable as excess equipment provided that -

(1) Components are listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL) as set forth in 29 CFR 1910.7, and is designed, installed, tested, and maintained in accordance with an appropriate industry standard and the manufacturer's specific guidance; and

(2) The system and units remain functional as intended.

[USCG-2000-6931, 69 FR 34069, June 18, 2004, as amended by USCG-2012-0196, 81 FR 48246, July 22, 2016]