§ 189.25-20 — -20 Fire Extinguishing Equipment

(a) At each inspection for certification, periodic inspection, and at such other times as considered necessary the inspector must determine that all fire-extinguishing equipment is in suitable condition and he may require such tests as are considered necessary to determine the condition of the equipment. The inspector must determine if the tests and inspections required by § 196.15-60 of this subchapter have been conducted.

(1) All portable fire extinguishers and semi-portable fire extinguishing systems must be inspected and maintained in accordance with NFPA 10 (incorporated by reference, see § 188.01-5 of this chapter) as amended here:

(i) Certification or licensing by a state or local jurisdiction as a fire extinguisher servicing agency will be accepted by the Coast Guard as meeting the personnel certification requirements of NFPA 10 for annual maintenance and recharging of extinguishers.

(ii) Monthly inspections required by NFPA 10 may be conducted by the owner, operator, person-in-charge, or a designated member of the crew.

(iii) Non-rechargeable or non-refillable extinguishers must be inspected and maintained in accordance with NFPA 10; however, the annual maintenance need not be conducted by a certified person and can be conducted by the owner, operator, person-in-charge, or a designated member of the crew.

(iv) The owner or managing operator must provide satisfactory evidence of the required servicing to the marine inspector. If any of the equipment or records have not been properly maintained, a qualified servicing facility must perform the required inspections, maintenance procedures, and hydrostatic pressure tests. A tag issued by a qualified servicing organization, and attached to each extinguisher, may be accepted as evidence that the necessary maintenance procedures have been conducted.

(2) Fixed fire-extinguishing systems must be checked as noted in Table 189.25-20(a)(2). In addition, all parts of the fixed fire-extinguishing systems must be examined for excessive corrosion and general conditions.

Table 189.25-20(a)(2)

(3) On all fire-extinguishing systems all piping, controls, valves, and alarms must be checked to ascertain that the system is in operating condition.

(4) The fire main system must be operated and the pressure checked at the outlets having the greatest pressure drop between the fire pumps and the nozzles which may not always be the most remote and highest outlets. All firehoses must be subjected to a test pressure equivalent to the maximum pressure to which they may be subjected in service, but not less than 100 p.s.i.