Issues of Regulatory Framework for Fire Safety in Water Transport

Abstract

The presented study analyzes fire statistics in water transport and documents regulating fire safety requirements.Aim. The study aims to highlight the need to use technical regulations and fire statistics to develop a fire safety system and to enhance the supervision of compliance with safety regulations during hot works and day-to-day operations on ships.Tasks. The authors analyze fire statistics over the past years; determine the shipboard spaces where the greatest number of fires occur; examine the causes of fires on ships; identify the major directions in which fires spread in different shipboard spaces; describe the existing types of fire protection and fire-extinguishing equipment and methods for different shipboard spaces; highlight the importance of organizational measures taken by the management during fire-fighting operations and documents regulating fire safety during the construction and operation of ships.Methods. This study uses the methods of logical and statistical analysis that allow the authors to accumulate information about fires and their consequences, to present the major regulatory documents, and to formulate conclusions regarding the need for a fire safety system.Results. Statistics on the occurrence and propagation of fires in different shipboard spaces is analyzed. The characteristic features of fire protection measures used in water transport are identified. Fireextinguishing methods used in different shipboard spaces are described. A fire safety regulation system for water transport based on the major regulatory documents is presented.Conclusions. The conducted study highlights the importance and relevance of organizational measures aimed at the compliance with fire safety requirements and regulatory documents that make it possible to systematize measures necessary to protect the lives of people and to maintain smooth functioning of water transport.