INTERNAL WATERTIGHT DOORS

www.kepelabuhan.blogspot.com Internal watertight bulkheads which are breached to allow accest must be provided with a suitable watertight door. The door will be hinged, rolling or sliding (horizontally or vertically) depending on the type and age of the ship and the location of the door. Watertight doors shall be capable of being operated when the ship is listed up to 15 degrees either way.

Internal watertight doors of the sliding type shall be capable of being operated by efficient hand operated gear both at the door itself and from an accessible position above the bulkhead deck. If the door is in the bulkhead of a machinery space, the remote operation must be from outside the space an there must be an indicator at the remote location to show if the door is open closed. Other regulations relating to internal watertight doors include details about power sources, bridge controls and fail safe devices.

All doors, mechanism and valves connected with damge control and watertight integrity are to be suitably marked.

On ships built since 1997 watertight doors which are used while the ship is at sea shall be of the sliding type and cpable of being remotely closed from the bridge and capable also of being operated locally from each side of the door with out the door closing automatically. (Note : in cetain circumstances operation from one side only is permitted). Indicators shall be provided at the bridge position showing whether the doors are open or closed, and an audible alarm shall be provided at the door position when it is about to close and during the closing operation. The power for operating and controlling the doors, indicators and alarms shall be supplied from the emergency switchboard. If the system fails it must still be possible to close the doors by hand. Each power operated sliding watertight doors shall be provided with in individual hand - operated opening and closing mechanism operable from both sides of the door and from an accessible position above the bulkhead deck. Every closing appliance which is required to be kept permanently close at sea shall be provided with a notice stating that it is to be kept closed, except that monholes secured by closely bolted covers need not be so marked.

From 1992 damage control requirements state that on the navigating bridge there is to be a plan showing the boundaries of the vessels watertight compartments, the openings in them, the means of closure and the position of any controls. Additionally, booklets containing this information are to be made available to the officers of the ship. On the bridge there are to be indicators for all sliding doors and for hinged doors in watertight bulkheads to show whether these doors are open or closed.

Audible alarms are located at remotely controlled watertight bulkheads to show whether these doors are open or closed.

Audible alarms are located at remotely controlled watertight doors. The alarm operates automatically in immediate advance of the door being operated from the remote location.

CAUTION

On some vessels the central controls located    on the navigating bridge may have two operating positions ; one marked "local controls'' and the other "doors closed". NOrmally the operating condition is set to "local control" the "door closed" positions is only used in emergencies and for drill or testing periods. When the bridge central control unit is set at "local control", any water tight door can be locally opened and locally closed without automatic closure of the door. The "doors closed" mode will also permit doors to be opened locally, but the doors automatically re-close upon release of the local control mechanism. Accidents have occured when crew members were using the controls provided at the doors to pass through watertight doors which had been closed from the navigating bridge. Under these ciercumstances if the control at the doors is released the door closes automatically with a force sufficient to injure or kill anyone caught in its path. It is essential therefore that a safe routine is laid down and strictly followed when using a watertight door which has been closed :

• Persons when ; unaccompanied, should never attempt to carry any load through a door unassisted.
• Supervision should be exercised over the movement of tools or materials through a door. This will effectively make it a two man operation - one man to operate the door and another to carry the load.
• To avoid potentially fatal slips the accumulation of oil leakage in the vicinity of the watertight doors should not be permitted.
• The door and surrounding area must be kept clear of obstructions which might prevent its rapid closure or inhibit the passage of persons through the door.

Writen instructions need to be provided on the safe operation of the doors and it is essential that all crew members who may use the doors :

• Know what type of control system is fitted.
• Are well trained in the correct operating procedure. 
• Fully appreciate the crushing power of watertight doors.

The crushing power, together with expeditious closing, is necessary to ensure that watertight doors fulfil their primary purpose of ensuring maximum safety of the ship and its crew but if accidents are to be avoided the operating instructions must be strictly observed. Notices clearly stating the correct operating procedure must be displayed on both sides of every watertight door.   

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The ships and company standing orders relating to the use and the open/close condition of each internal watertight door must bear in mind the following :

• Ensuring the highest practicable degree of watertight subdivision having considered the risks of collision or grounding on different parts of the route. these risks may vary according to the weather or other factors.
• The monitoring and safe operating of machinery.
• Safety of persons using the doors.
• The provision of satisfactory living conditions in passenger and crew accommodation below the bulkhead deck.
• The efficient working of any ancillary service.

DRILLS AND TRAINING

As with other safety equipment crew members are to be given instruction in the safe operation of watertight doors and of those watertight doors, side scuttles, deadlights and other devices required to be securely closed before the ship proceeds to sea and to be kept securely closed while the ship is at sea.

Practice fire drills should include checking the operation of watertight doors in the area of the drill. www.kepelabuhan.blogspot.com