Section 7 Permanent means of access
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Clasifications Register Rules and Regulations - Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Offshore Units, July 2022 - Part 3 Functional Unit Types and Special Features - Chapter 1 General Requirements for Offshore Units - Section 7 Permanent means of access

Section 7 Permanent means of access

Parent topic: Chapter 1 General Requirements for Offshore Units

7.1 General

7.1.1 Offshore units should be designed and built with due consideration as to how they will be surveyed during their in-service life and how it will be possible to monitor the condition of the unit. Arrangements for permanent means of access, in accordance with SOLAS Regulation II-1/Regulation 3-6 - Access to and within spaces in, and forward of, the cargo area of oil tankers and bulk carriers, are applicable where required by the National Authority.

7.1.2 Means of access may comply with the applicable provisions of 2009 MODU Code - Code for the Construction and Equipment of Mobile Offshore Drilling Units, 2009 – Resolution A.1023(26), paragraph 2.2 and with the Technical provisions for means of access for inspections, adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee by Resolution MSC.133(76) - Adoption of Technical Provisions for Means of Access for Inspections - (adopted on 12 December 2002), subject to amendment by the IMO. See also IACS Unified Interpretations for the application of MODU Code Chapter 2 paragraphs 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 and revised technical provisions for means of access for inspections (resolution MSC.158(78)).

7.1.3 Means of access should be provided to enable the close-up visual inspection of fatigue critical locations including those listed in Pt 4, Ch 5, 5.2 Fatigue life assessment 5.2.1, with the exception of those external locations which have been designed with a higher fatigue life factor of safety in order not to require inspection in accordance with Pt 4, Ch 5 Primary Hull Strength, Table 5.5.1 Fatigue life factors of safety for structural components.

7.1.4 Means of access should be designed in conjunction with a rescue plan to ensure that the safe rescue of personnel is as practicable as possible. Means of access should be sized and arranged appropriately for rescue equipment e.g. stretchers.

7.1.5 Where only one opening is provided to a space within the unit, it is to be demonstrated that adequate ventilation can be provided to the space without excessively obstructing the opening. The single opening is to be sized to allow human access in parallel with a flexible air duct in the same opening. Alternatively, spaces without permanent ventilation arrangements should be provided with a small secondary ventilation opening big enough for a flexible air duct.

7.1.6 Access arrangements should be provided to facilitate the inspection and maintenance scheme of the protective coating systems including coatings required by Resolution MSC.215(82) - Performance Standard for Protective Coatings for Dedicated Seawater Ballast Tanks in all Types of Ships and Double-Side Skin Spaces of Bulk Carriers - (Adopted on 8 December 2006). Access arrangements should consider access for tools and to facilitate cleaning, drainage and drying of the space to be coated. Where practicable, access arrangements for the inspection and maintenance of coatings should be combined with those for structural inspections.

7.1.7 The access manual and/or drawings showing the access arrangements and access openings to tanks, cofferdams and other spaces within the unit should be included in the Operations Manual.

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