1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its eighty-first
session (10 to 19 May 2006), taking into account the information available
to date from the ongoing casualty investigation of the very serious
cabin balcony fire onboard the passenger ship Star Princess,
agreed that appropriate recommendations should be developed, on an
interim basis, for the passenger ship industry regarding the hazards
posed by cabin balconies where there may be a presence of combustible
materials and an effective fire detection system or fire suppression
system is not installed.
2 Therefore, in order to counter any fire risks
associated with these balconies, the Committee agreed to the following
recommendations for consideration with a view to implementation by
the passenger ship industry:
-
.1 increased vigilance such as the deployment
of lookouts, fire patrols and television surveillance systems should
be enhanced;
-
.2 onboard training and response procedures for
crew should be reviewed to ensure that the ship’s fire-fighting
teams are prepared to respond to a fire occurring in these balcony
areas;
-
.3 passengers and crew should be advised not to
leave towels and personal belongings on balconies when they are not
in their cabins;
-
.4 housekeeping staff should be instructed to
place personal articles left on balconies by cabin occupants back
in the cabin during their last visit of the day to the guest cabin
and to observe balconies during other visits to the cabin;
-
.5 fire safety should be re-emphasized in communications
to passengers and crew, including the distribution of appropriate
informational pamphlets or other alternative media;
-
.6 passengers and crew should be reminded of the
hazards associated with throwing any items over a ship’s side
from balconies or other external areas;
-
.7 passengers and crew should be reminded of the
hazards of not properly extinguishing smoking materials where smoking
is authorized and never to leave lit or smoldering smoking materials
unattended; and
-
.8 passengers and crew should be reminded of the
hazards associated with the use of unauthorized heating elements such
as electrical heating coils used in cups or mugs and open flames such
as candles.
3 Member Governments and international organizations
are invited to bring the above recommendations to the attention of
passenger ship owners, operators and other parties concerned.