1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its sixtieth
session (6 to 10 April 1992), instructed the Sub-Committee on Ship
Design and Equipment (DE) to consider engine control room design and
arrangements, in order to advance work on addressing the human element
for the purpose of preventing maritime casualties and pollution of
the marine environment.
2 The Committee, at its sixty-eighth session (28
May to 6 June 1 1997 approved), in principle, the draft Guidelines
for engine-room layout, design and arrangement, as prepared by the
DE Sub-Committee, which provide recommendations for addressing the
human/machine environment in the engine-room. However, recognizing
that the draft Guidelines contain fire protection issues which might
need further improvement, the Committee referred them to the Sub-Committee
on Fire Protection (FP) for finalization. The annexed Guidelines incorporate,
therefore, the outcome of the work of the FP Sub-Committee at its
forty-second session.
3 Member Governments are invited to bring the
Guidelines to the attention of ship designers, shipowners, ship operators,
shipping companies, shipmasters and engine-room staff for appropriate
action.