Solas Consolidated Edition 2009.pdf

Part B: Prevention of fire and explosion
Regulation 4
Part B
Prevention of fire and explosion*
Regulation 4
Probability of ignition
1 Purpose
The purpose of this regulation is to prevent the ignition of combustible materials or flammable liquids. For
this purpose, the following functional requirements shall be met:
.1 means shall be provided to control leaks of flammable liquids;
.2 means shall be provided to limit the accumulation of flammable vapours;
.3 the ignitability of combustible materials shall be restricted;
.4 ignition sources shall be restricted;
.5 ignition sources shall be separated from combustible materials and flammable liquids; and
.6 the atmosphere in cargo tanks shall be maintained out of the explosive range.
2 Arrangements for oil fuel, lubrication oil and other flammable oils
2.1 Limitations in the use of oils as fuel
The following limitations shall apply to the use of oil as fuel:
.1 except as otherwise permitted by this paragraph, no oil fuel with a flashpoint of less than 60°C
shall be used;?
.2 in emergency generators, oil fuel with a flashpoint of not less than 43°C may be used;
.3 the use of oil fuel having a flashpoint of less than 60°C but not less than 43°C may be permitted
(e.g., for feeding the emergency fire pump's engines and the auxiliary machines which are not
located in the machinery spaces of category A) subject to the following:
.3.1 fuel oil tanks except those arranged in double bottom compartments shall be located outside of
machinery spaces of category A;
.3.2 provisions for the measurement of oil temperature are provided on the suction pipe of the oil
fuel pump;
.3.3 stop valves and/or cocks are provided on the inlet side and outlet side of the oil fuel strainers;
.3.4 pipe joints of welded construction or of circular cone type or spherical type union joint are
applied as much as possible; and
.4 in cargo ships the use of fuel having a lower flashpoint than otherwise specified in paragraph 2.1,
for example crude oil, may be permitted provided that such fuel is not stored in any machinery
space and subject to the approval by the Administration of the complete installation.
* Refer to Guidelines for measures to prevent fires in engine-rooms and cargo pump-rooms (MSC.l/Circ.1321).
f
Refer to the Recommended procedures to prevent the illegal or accidental use of low flashpoint cargo oil as fuel adopted by the
Organization by resolution A.565(14).
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