In accordance with the provisions of the International Convention
for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, and subsequent amendments thereto,
primary deck coverings, if applied within accommodation and service
spaces and control stations, should be of approved materials which
will not readily ignite, or give rise to toxic or explosive hazards
at elevated temperatures. This Recommendation specifies a procedure
for evaluating the ignitability of the primary deck coverings. Toxic
and explosive hazards of the primary deck coverings should be verified
to the satisfaction of the Administration.
2.1 Taking into account the wide range of materials
used as coverings and their application, this Recommendation should
be applied to those deck coverings which are laid upon a steel deck
plate and beneath a surface material, if applied, of the floor. However,
thin films such as paints may be exempted from consideration.
2.2 If a deck covering applied on a steel deck
plate is exposed and no other floor covering is provided, the deck
coverings in areas where low flame spread materials are required should
meet the requirements of floor coverings specified in the Recommendation
on improved fire test procedures for surface flammability of bulkhead,
ceiling and deck finish materials, adopted by the Organization by Resolution A.653(16).
2.3 If the deck covering has a multilayer construction,
the Administration may require the tests to be conducted for each
layer or for combinations of some layers of the deck covering.
The deck covering should be tested in accordance with the
Recommendation on improved fire test procedures for surface flammability
of bulkhead, ceiling and deck finish materials, adopted by the Organization
by Resolution A.653(16), and additional
provisions given below.
3.1
Specimen
The deck covering should be applied to a steel plate having
the thickness of 3 ± 0.3 mm. The specimens should have a nominal
thickness and the components and construction of the deck covering
should be the same as those used in practice.
3.2
Classification
The deck covering is classified as not readily ignitable if
it fulfils the requirements of floor coverings specified in paragraph 10 of the annex to Assembly
resolution A.653(16) and does not produce burning droplets.