This is an article originally published by one of our West Coast based distribution partners, Innovative Marine. Author Trevor Lucey is the President of Innovative Marine and a marine industry veteran. In this article, he highlights how a product like STI Marine Snap-Seal can be used pro-actively to help mitigate the effects of fire onboard ships.
It often takes a tragedy to bring issues into focus in all walks of life.
Last year’s devastating fire on board the dive boat “Conception” off Santa Cruz Island which resulted in 34deaths will necessitate a much-needed review of the fire protection requirements for class Subchapter Tvessels and other small boats.
All too often the vessels owner/crew will penetrate a fire boundary to run a small pipe or cable to another compartment without maintaining the integrity of the fire zone.
While apparently this was not the case with the Conception the NTSB finding released recently will recommend to the USCG that all smoke detectors are interconnected between all fire zones. Quote from the Report
“To the US Coast Guard:
- Revise Title 46 Code of Federal Regulations Subchapter T to require that newly constructed vessels with overnight accommodations have smoke detectors in all accommodation spaces.
- Revise Title 46 Code of Federal Regulations Subchapter T to require that all vessels with overnight accommodations currently in service, including those constructed prior to 1996, have smoke detectors in all accommodation spaces.
- Revise Title 46 Code of Federal Regulations Subchapter T and Subchapter K to require all vessels with overnight accommodations including vessels constructed prior to 1996, have interconnected smoke detectors, such that when one detector alarms, the remaining detectors also alarm.”
This will obviously require penetrations of the fire boundaries and undoubtedly there will be many “do-it-yourself” vessel owners/crew implementing this requirement.
I would like to suggest that this can easily be a “do-it-yourself” task by using STI Marine US made regulatory body approved Snap Seal Plugs.
Below is a plan showing details of the plugs and the installation while complete information and approvals can be found at www.STIMarine.com
In California Innovative Marine Inc ( www.innmarineinc.com) is the authorized stocking distributor for all of STI Marine’s Firestopping products.
Contact IMI or STI for additional information.
