3.1.1 Access
openings in:
-
superstructure
bulkheads;
-
deckhouses protecting
openings leading into enclosed superstructures or to spaces below
the weather deck; and
-
deckhouse on a
deckhouse protecting an opening leading to a space below the weather
deck,
are to be fitted with doors of steel or other equivalent material,
permanently and strongly attached to the bulkhead and framed, stiffened
and fitted so that the whole structure is of equivalent strength to
the unpierced bulkhead, and weathertight when closed. The doors are
to be gasketed and secured weathertight by means of clamping devices
or equivalent arrangements, permanently attached to the bulkhead or
to the door. Doors are generally to open outwards and are to be capable
of being operated and secured from both sides. The sill heights are
to be as required by Vol 1, Pt 3, Ch 4, 3.1 General 3.1.3 and Vol 1, Pt 3, Ch 4, 3.1 General 3.1.4.
3.1.2 Fixed
lights in doors are to comply with the requirements for side scuttles
lights as given in Vol 1, Pt 3, Ch 4, 6.1 Application Hinged
steel deadlights may be external.
3.1.3 The
height of doorway sills above the weather deck sheathing, if fitted,
is to be not less than 300 mm.
3.1.4 For
exposed decks immediately above the design draught, e.g. quarter decks
and well decks, sill heights are to be no less than 450 mm.
3.1.5 When
the closing appliances of openings in superstructures and deckhouses
do not comply with Vol 1, Pt 3, Ch 4, 3.1 General 3.1.1,
interior deck openings are to be treated as if exposed on the weather
deck.
3.1.6 The
height of door sills may be required to be increased on ships where
this is shown to be necessary by the stability and watertight subdivision
calculations required by Vol 1, Pt 3, Ch 2, 1.2 Definitions.
3.1.7 Where
portable plates are required for unshipping machinery, or for other
similar reasons, they may be accepted provided they are of equivalent
strength to the unpierced bulkhead and are secured by gaskets and
close spaced bolts at a pitch not exceeding five diameters or equivalent
naval standard.
3.1.8 The
sill heights of accesses closed by covers which are secured by closely
spaced bolts or otherwise kept permanently closed at sea will be specially
considered.