b'REGULATORY REPORTREGULATORY Shipboard Fire Review and Regulatory ImplicationsPETER LAURIDSEN // PVA REGULATORY AFFAIRS CONSULTANTO n June 1, 2023, the U.S. Coastvisibility, and combustible material inthe unacceptable conditions and relat-GuardissuedaSafetyAlertcloseproximitytoignitionsources.ed outcome as applied to your vessel offering important informa- Fortunately, the two incidents underor vessels. Education of your crew in tion gleaned from two ongoing vesselconsideration did not result in passen- these safety practices will increase fire fire investigations. The purpose is toger or crew injury or death. However,prevention but could also awaken gen-inform the marine industry of usefultheydidcausemillionsofdollarsineral situation safety awareness across informationthatcouldimmediatelydamages and loss of use/loss of vessel.the board. This safety alert material leadtosafervesseloperatingproce- No business can incur these avoidableshouldbepartoftherequiredfire dures.ThesubstanceoftheCoastsetbacks. To view Coast Guard Marinedrill scenarios and lessons. The Coast Guard Safety Alert identifies cautionsSafety Alert 07-23, click here. Guardsemphasisisnotnecessarily withopenflametabledecorations,regulatory compliance in nature but Sterno heating cans, combustible trashAsyoureadtheSafetyAlertlinkedinstead focuses on reasonable house-receptacles, engine room escape hatchabove,visualizethedescriptionsofkeeping measures that will avoid un-desirable incidents. In the longer term, however, this in-formation and other similar previous and possible future safety alerts will play a significant role in forthcoming regulation.SincetheCoastGuard decorative | durable | functional Authorization Act of 2010 (CGACT) establishedamandatefortheCoast Guardtoproposeregulationsfor SafetyManagementSystems(SMS) on passenger vessels of a passenger ca-pacity to be determined by the Coast Guard. That threshold will be a key determination of the eventual notice ofproposedrulemaking(NPRM) under the Administrative Procedures Act(APA).Adetailedevaluation study of the expected costs and ben-efits of the proposed regulations will rely heavily on industry casualty histo-ry. Recent fire history involving lives lost, personnel injury, dollar damage USCG-Certied Light-Weight Aluminumto property, and opportunity costsHoneycomb Panels for Passenger Ferries both personnel and equipment will be rigidized.com/markets/marine inputs to the calculations.658 Ohio Street | Buffalo, NY 14203 | marine@rigidized.comFOGHORN 28'