StatA

§ 31.10–17a

46 CFR Ch. I (10–1–11 Edition)

vessel passes the annual inspection, the
marine inspector will endorse your vessel’s current Certificate of Inspection.
(3) If the annual inspection reveals
deficiencies in your vessel’s maintenance, you must make any or all repairs or improvements within the time
period specified by the OCMI.
(4) Nothing in this subpart limits the
marine inspector from conducting such
tests or inspections he or she deems
necessary to be assured of the vessel’s
seaworthiness.
(b) Periodic inspection. Your vessel
must undergo a periodic inspection
within 3 months before or after the second or third anniversary of the date of
your vessel’s Certificate of Inspection.
This periodic inspection will take the
place of an annual inspection.
(1) You must contact the cognizant
OCMI to schedule an inspection at a
time and place which he or she approves. No written application is required.
(2) The scope of the periodic inspection is the same as that for the inspection for certification, as specified in
§ 31.10–15(b). The OCMI will ensure that
the vessel is in satisfactory condition
and fit for the service for which it is intended. If your vessel passes the periodic inspection, the marine inspector
will endorse your vessel’s current Certificate of Inspection.
(3) If the periodic inspection reveals
deficiencies in your vessel’s maintenance, you must make any or all repairs or improvements within the time
period specified by the OCMI.
(4) Nothing in this subpart limits the
marine inspector from conducting such
tests or inspections he or she deems
necessary to be assured of the vessel’s
seaworthiness.
[USCG-1999–4976, 65 FR 6499, Feb. 9, 2000]

§ 31.10–17a Certificate of
Conditions of validity.

§ 31.10–18 Firefighting
equipment:
General—TB/ALL.
(a) It shall be the duty of the owner,
master, or person in charge of a tank
vessel to require and have performed at
least once in every 12 months, the tests
and inspections of all hand portable
fire extinguishers, semiportable fire extinguishing systems, and fixed fire extinguishing systems on board, as described in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of
this section. The owner, master, or person in charge shall keep records of such
tests and inspections showing the dates
when performed, the number and/or
other identification of each unit tested
and inspected, and the name(s) of the
person(s) and/or company conducting
the tests and inspections. Such records
shall be made available to the marine
inspector upon request and shall be
kept for the period of validity of the
vessel’s current certificate of inspection. Where practicable, these records
should be kept in or with the vessel’s
logbook. The conduct of these tests and
inspections does not relieve the owner,
master, or person in charge of his responsibility to maintain this firefighting equipment in proper condition
at all times.
(b) The following tests and inspections of portable fire extinguishing
equipment shall be made:
TABLE 31.10–18(b)
Type unit

Test

Soda acid ......................

Discharge. Clean hose and inside
of extinguisher thoroughly. Recharge.
Discharge. Clean hose and inside
of extinguisher thoroughly. Recharge.
Discharge. Clean hose and inside
of extinguisher thoroughly. Recharge with clean water or antifreeze.
Examine pressure cartridge and
replace if end is punctured or if
cartridge is otherwise determined to have leaked or to be in
unsuitable condition. Remove
liquid, clean hose and inside of
extinguisher thoroughly. Recharge with clean water, solution,
or
antifreeze.
Insert
charged cartridge.
See that pressure gage is in operating range. If not, or if seal is
broken, weigh or otherwise determine that full charge is in extinguisher. Recharge if pressure
is low or if extinguishing agent is
needed.

Foam .............................

Pump tank (water or
antifreeze).

Cartridge operated
(water, antifreeze or
loaded stream).

Inspection:

To maintain a valid Certificate of Inspection, you must complete your annual and periodic inspections within
the periods specified in § 31.10–17 (a) and
(b) and your Certificate of Inspection
must be endorsed.

Stored pressure (water,
antifreeze or loaded
stream).

[USCG-1999–4976, 65 FR 6500, Feb. 9, 2000]

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Coast Guard, DHS

§ 31.10–18

TABLE 31.10–18(b)—Continued
Type unit

Test

Carbon dioxide ..............

Weigh cylinders. Recharge if
weight loss exceeds 10 percent
of weight of charge. Inspect
hose and nozzle to be sure they
are clear.1
Dry chemical (cartridge- Examine pressure cartridge and
operated type).
replace if end is punctured or if
cartridge is otherwise determined to have leaked or to be in
unsuitable condition. Inspect
hose and nozzle to see if they
are clear. Insert charged cartridge. Be sure dry chemical is
freeflowing (not caked) and
chamber contains full charge.
Dry chemical (stored
See that pressure gage is in operpressure type).
ating range. If not, or if seal is
broken, weigh or otherwise determine that full charge of dry
chemical is in extinguisher. Recharge if pressure is low or if dry
chemical is needed.
Vaporizing liquid 2
Pump a few strokes into clean pail
(pump type).
and replace liquid. Keep water
out of extinguisher or liquid.
Keep extinguisher completely full
of liquid.
2
Vaporizing liquid
See that pressure gage is in oper(stored pressure type).
ating range. Weigh or check liquid level to determine that full
charge of liquid is in extinguisher. Recharge if pressure is
low or if liquid is needed.
1 Cylinders must be tested and marked, and all flexible connections and discharge hoses of semi-portable carbon dioxide
and halon extinguishers must be tested or renewed, as required by §§ 147.60 and 147.65 of this chapter.
2 Vaporizing-liquid type fire extinguishers containing carbon
tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane or other toxic vaporizing
liquids shall be removed from all vessels.

(c) The following tests and inspections of fixed fire extinguishing equipment shall be made:
TABLE 31.10–18(c)
Type system

Test

Foam .............................

Systems utilizing a soda solution
shall have such solution replaced. In all cases, ascertain
that powder is not caked.
Weigh cylinders. Recharge if
weight loss exceeds 10 percent
of weight of charge.1

Carbon dioxide ..............

1 Cylinders must be tested and marked, and all flexible connections on fixed carbon dioxide and halon extinguishers must
be tested or renewed, as required by §§ 147.60 and 147.65 of
this chapter.

(d) Deck foam systems shall be tested
at the inspection for certification and
the periodic inspection by discharging
foam for approximately 15 seconds
from any nozzle designated by the marine inspector. It shall not be required
to deliver foam from all foam outlets,
but all lines and nozzles shall be tested

with water to prove them to be clear of
obstruction. Before the inspection for
certification and periodic inspection of
deck foam systems utilizing a mechanical foam system, a representative
sample of the foam liquid shall be submitted to the manufacturer who will
issue a certificate indicating gravity,
pH, percentage of water dilution and
solid content.
(e) At each inspection for certification, periodic inspection, and at such
other times as considered necessary,
the inspector shall determine that all
fire extinguishing equipment is in suitable condition and that the tests and
inspections required by paragraphs (b)
through (i) of this section have been
conducted. In addition, the marine inspector may require such tests as are
considered necessary to determine the
condition of the equipment.
(f) On all fire extinguishing systems,
all the piping, controls, valves, and
alarms shall be checked by the marine
inspector to ascertain that the system
is in good operating condition.
(g) The fire main system shall be operated and the pressure checked at the
most remote and highest outlets by the
marine inspector. All fire hose shall be
subjected to a test pressure equivalent
to the maximum pressure to which
they may be subjected in service, but
not less than 100 p.s.i. The marine inspector shall check that the hose couplings are securely fastened in accordance with the regulations of this subchapter.
(h) At each inspection for certification, periodic inspection, and at such
other times as considered necessary,
all carbon dioxide cylinders for fixed,
semiportable, and portable systems
shall be examined and replaced if any
corrosion is found. They shall also be
checked by weighing to determine
their contents, and if found to be more
than 10 percent under the required contents of carbon dioxide, they shall be
recharged.
(i) Steam smothering lines shall be
tested with at least 50 pounds per
square inch of air pressure or by blowing steam through the lines at the
working pressure and a survey made
for detecting corrosion and defects

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§ 31.10–18a

46 CFR Ch. I (10–1–11 Edition)

using hammer test or such other means
as may be necessary.
[CGFR 65–50, 30 FR 16662, Dec. 30, 1965, as
amended by CGFR 68–32, 33 FR 5712, Apr. 12,
1968; CGD 84–044, 53 FR 7748, Mar. 10, 1988;
USCG-1999–4976, 65 FR 6500, Feb. 9, 2000]

§ 31.10–18a Liquefied gas vessels: additional firefighting equipment inspections.
(a) Once during each 12 month period
after the month an original Certificate
of Inspection is issued for a liquefied
gas vessel under § 31.05–1, the master
shall ensure that the firefighting systems required in part 154 of this chapter for a liquefied gas vessel meets the
following:
(1) The exterior water spray system
must past a water spray test.
(2) The dry chemical system must
meet the manufacturer’s specifications
for—
(i) The amount of dry chemical powder; and
(ii) The pressure for nitrogen bottles.
(3) The piping, valves, and controls of
the system must be operable.
(b) On the same date that the requirements under paragraph (a) of this
section are met, the master shall
record in the vessel’s official logbook
the following information:
(1) The date of the inspection.
(2) The identification of each device
inspected.
(3) The name of the inspector.
[CGD 74–289, 44 FR 26006, May 3, 1979]

§ 31.10–19 All firefighting equipment
may be tested—TB/ALL.
(a) During the inspection of firefighting equipment, the Officer in
Charge, Marine Inspection, may require fire apparatus to be tested, and
used, except as provided under §§ 31.10–
18(h) and 34.15–90(a) of this subchapter.
(b) [Reserved]
§ 31.10–20 Definitions relating to hull
examinations—T/B ALL.
As used in this part—

(a) Drydock examination means hauling out of a vessel or placing a vessel in
a drydock or slipway for an examination of all accessible parts of the vessel’s underwater body and all throughhull fittings.
(b) Internal structural examination
means an examination of the vessel
while afloat or in drydock and consists
of a complete examination of the vessel’s main strength members, including
the major internal framing, the hull
plating, voids, and ballast tanks, but
not including cargo or fuel oil tanks.
(c) Cargo tank internal examination
means an examination of the vessel
while afloat or in drydock and consists
of an examination of the internals of
all cargo tanks; except, if the vessel is
certificated to carry cargoes regulated
under part 38 or subchapter O of this
chapter, the cargo tank internal examination must be accomplished as specified in parts 38 and 151 of this chapter
respectively.
(d) Underwater survey means the examination, while the vessel is afloat, of
all accessible parts of the vessel’s underwater body and all through-hull fittings.
[CGD 84–024, 52 FR 39649, Oct. 23, 1987, as
amended by CGD 84–024, 53 FR 32229, Aug. 24,
1988; CGD 95–028, 62 FR 51197, Sept. 30, 1997]

§ 31.10–21 Drydock examination, internal structural examination, cargo
tank internal examination, and underwater survey intervals—TB/ALL.
(a) Except as provided in paragraphs
(b) through (g) of this section, each
tank vessel must undergo drydock, internal structural, and cargo tank internal examinations as follows:
(1) Except under paragraph (a)(2) of
this section, vessels that operate in
salt water must be inspected in accordance with the intervals set forth in
table 31.10–21(a). Where table 31.10–21(a)
indicates a 2.5 year examination interval, it means a vessel must undergo
two examinations within any five year
period. No more than three years may
elapse between any two examinations.

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