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CONTENTS
1 – NFPA Introduction
2 – NFPA 301 Introduction
2.1 – What is NFPA 301?
2.2 – What does NFPA 301 address?
3 – NFPA 301 Table of Contents
4 – NFPA Free Access to Codes & Standards Widget
5 – NFPA Contact Information
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a United States trade association, albeit with some international members, that creates and maintains private, copyrighted, standards and codes for usage and adoption by local governments. This includes publications from building codes to the many on equipment utilized by firefighters while engaging in hazardous material (hazmat) response, rescue response, and some firefighting.
Code for Safety to Life from Fire on Merchant Vessels
NFPA® 301 – 2013 Edition
What is NFPA 301?
Developed at the request of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), NFPA 301 addresses the construction, arrangement, protection, and space utilization factors on merchant vessels necessary to minimize danger to life from fire, smoke, fumes, or panic.
What does NFPA 301 address?
Patterned after NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, NFPA 301 provides minimum criteria for the design of egress facilities to permit prompt escape in an emergency as well as minimum requirements, with due regard to function, for merchant vessel design, operation, and maintenance.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Administration
1.1 Scope
1.2 Purpose
1.3 Application
1.4 Equivalency Concepts
1.5 Units
1.6 Vessel Construction, Repair, and Alteration
1.7 Maintenance
1.8 Enforcement
Chapter 2 Referenced Publications
2.1 General
2.2 NFPA Publications
2.3 Other Publications
2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections
Chapter 3 Definitions
3.1 General
3.2 NFPA Official Definitions
3.3 General Definitions
3.4 Space Definitions
3.5 Special Definitions for Terms Used in Chapter 5
Chapter 4 Fundamental Requirements
4.1 Fundamentals
4.2 Fundamentals of Means of Egress
4.3 Fundamentals of Construction
4.4 Fundamentals of Illumination
4.5 Fundamentals of Alarms
4.6 Life Safety Compliance Options
Chapter 5 Performance-Based Option
5.1 General Requirements
5.2 Performance Criteria
5.3 Retained Prescriptive Requirements
5.4 Design Specifications and Other Conditions
5.5 Design Fire Scenarios
5.6 Evaluation of Proposed Designs
5.7 Safety Factors
5.8 Documentation Requirements
Chapter 6 Classification of Occupancy and Hazard of Contents
6.1 Classification of Occupancy
Chapter 7 Means of Egress
7.1 General
7.2 Means of Egress Components
7.3 Capacity of Means of Egress
7.4 Number of Separate Means of Egress
7.5 Arrangement of Means of Egress
7.6 Measurement of Travel Distance to Exits
7.7 Discharge from Exits
7.8 Illumination of Means of Egress
7.9 Emergency Lighting
7.10 Marking of Means of Egress
7.11 Low-Location Lighting
Chapter 8 Features of Fire Protection
8.1 General
8.2 Construction and Compartmentation
8.3 Interior Finish
8.4 Furnishings
8.5 Fire Safety Requirements of Electrical and Fiber Optic Wires and Cables
Chapter 9 Vessel Services and Fire Detection and Protection Equipment
9.1 Fire Detection, Alarm, and Communications Systems
9.2 Fire Protection Systems and Equipment
9.3 Fire Fighter Protective Clothing, SCBA Equipment, and Fire Control Plans
9.4 Ventilation
9.5 Elevators, Escalators, Dumbwaiters, and Other Transfer Devices
9.6 General Requirements for Electrical Equipment
9.7 Fixed Electric Heating Equipment for Pipelines, Vessels, De-icing, and Snow Melting
Chapter 10 Accommodation Spaces
10.1 General Requirements
10.2 Means of Egress Requirements
10.3 Protection
Chapter 11 Medical, Health Care, and Child Care Spaces
11.1 General Requirements
11.2 Means of Egress Requirements
11.3 Protection
11.4 Vessel Services
Chapter 12 Service Spaces
12.1 General Requirements
12.2 Means of Egress Requirements
12.3 Protection
Chapter 13 Electrical and Control Spaces
13.1 General Requirements
13.2 Means of Egress Requirements
13.3 Protection
Chapter 14 Engineering and Machinery Spaces
14.1 General Requirements
14.2 Means of Egress Requirements
14.3 Protection
14.4 Vessel Services
14.5 Compartmentation
14.6 Pressurized Oil Systems
14.7 Ventilation Systems
14.8 Hot Surfaces
14.9 Bilges
14.10 Incinerator Spaces
14.11 Portable Extinguishers
Chapter 15 Storage Spaces
15.1 General Requirements
15.2 Means of Egress Requirements
15.3 Protection
15.4 Special Provisions for High-Risk Fuels Storage
Chapter 16 Cargo Spaces and Fuel Tanks
16.1 General Requirements
16.2 Means of Egress Requirements
16.3 Protection
16.4 Refrigerated Cargo Holds
Chapter 17 Open Decks
17.1 General Requirements
17.2 Means of Egress Requirements
17.3 Special Considerations for Open Decks Intended for Storage of Ship’s Stores
Chapter 18 Helicopter Decks
18.1 General Requirements
18.2 Means of Egress Requirements
18.3 Protection
Chapter 19 Towing Vessels
19.1 General Requirements
19.2 Means of Egress
19.3 Protection
19.4 Accommodation Spaces
19.5 Medical, Health Care, and Child Care Spaces
19.6 Service Spaces
19.7 Electrical and Control Spaces
19.8 Engineering and Machinery Spaces
19.9 Storage Spaces
19.10 Fuel Tanks
19.11 Open Decks
19.12 Helicopter Decks
19.13 Vessel Services
Chapter 20 Cargo and Tank Vessels
20.1 General Requirements
20.2 Means of Egress
20.3 Protection
20.4 Accommodation Spaces
20.5 Medical Spaces
20.6 Service Spaces
20.7 Electrical and Control Spaces
20.8 Engineering and Machinery Spaces
20.9 Storage Spaces
20.10 Cargo Spaces and Fuel Tanks
20.11 Open Decks
20.12 Helicopter Decks
20.13 Vessel Services
Chapter 21 Passenger Vessels
21.1 General Requirements
21.2 Means of Egress
21.3 Protection
21.4 Accommodation Spaces
21.5 Medical, Health Care, and Child Care Spaces
21.6 Service Spaces
21.7 Electrical and Control Spaces
21.8 Engineering and Machinery Spaces
21.9 Storage Spaces
21.10 Cargo Spaces and Fuel Tanks
21.11 Open Decks
21.12 Helicopter Decks
21.13 Vessel Services
21.14 Group V Passenger Vessels
21.15 Group IV Passenger Vessels
Chapter 22 Reserved
Annex A Explanatory Material
Annex B Ventilation Guidelines
Annex C Sample Ordinance Adopting NFPA 301
Annex D Informational References
Index
NFPA 301 page at NFPA: http://catalog.nfpa.org/2013-NFPA-301-Code-for-Safety-to-Life-from-Fire-on-Merchant-Vessels-P1277.aspx
Relevent parts of this standard are explained in AEABoats’ Do-It-Yourself Inspections articles,
DIY Refitting and Repair articles, Havórn Marine Survey and Shipwright School courses, and Anchors Aweigh Academy‘s online Marine Surveying Course.
Even though NFPA owns those copyrights, they have offered free access to all of their codes and standards on their web site for more than 10 years through a read-only site. Documents cannot be downloaded or printed, because they rely on the revenues from people who want to own their own copies to fund the mission of NFPA. But for users who need to familiarize themselves with a code or check a requirement, this kind of access is invaluable. CLICK the above NFPA Logo for free access to all NFPA Codes and Standards.
If you would like to ADD the NFPA FREE ACCESS Widget like the one above to your website, CLICK HERE to go to the “NFPA FREE ACCESS WIDGET” webpage and follow the directions.
Contact Information
National Fire Protection Association
1 Batterymarch Park
Quincy, MA 02169-7471, USA
Telephone: (617) 770-3000
Fax Line: (617) 770-0700
Call Toll-Free from Mexico: 95-800-844-6058
Webesite: www.nfpa.org
Contact Info: www.nfpa.org/about-nfpa/contact-us