Boat Fire Safety Week: staying safe on the water

With Boat Fire Safety Week approaching (May 30^th – June 5^th), there’s no better time to raise awareness about the importance of fire safety on boats. From potential risks, to must-have fire safety equipment and best practice maintenance and service, we cover everything you need to know to ensure safe and happy sailing.

Identifying potential risks

While fire is unlikely on a boat that’s maintained to a minimum safety standard, there are some common potential risks that are important to take note of:

• Fuel stoves: These heaters are popular on narrowboats, coastal barges and on some classic and vintage yachts or ex-fishing boats. Unfortunately, solid fuel stoves continue to be a significant cause of fire on inland waterway boats. 

• Petrol: The Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) urges owners to keep their boats well-maintained and to stay alert to possible leaks, poor running engines and the strong smell of petrol.

• Liquified petroleum gas (LPG): Fixed gas systems must be installed to accepted boat installation standards and in accordance with the boat manufacturer’s instructions.

• Electrical faults: According to the BSS records, electrical issues have been in the top three causes of boat fires in the past five years. 

Must-have fire safety equipment

To alleviate fire risks, there are some essential pieces of safety equipment boat owners need in order to ensure property and lives are protected in the event of a fire.

Should a fire break out, or a carbon monoxide escape occur, fire alarms and CO alarms usually sound the initial warning and are a critical survival factor. However, if a fire has broken out, but the smoke alarm hasn’t gone off, a fire alarm call point sign makes everyone onboard aware of where they can raise the alarm. It’s also important to clearly communicate the entire fire action plan with the appropriate fire safety signage. 

With regards to fire extinguishers, RYA recommends placing them at the exits from each area of the accommodation spaces – by the door of each cabin and by the companionway – so you can fight the fire and keep escape routes clear. Fire extinguishers should be mounted securely in an easily visible and accessible location, but where they won’t be in the way of the day-to-day operation of the vessel. Cabinets, stands and trolleys can help to ensure fire extinguishers are adequately protected from corrosion, vandalism and accidental damage, as stipulated within the British Standards.

Owing to their versatility, dry powder fire extinguishers are a common choice on boats. Sometimes known as ‘ABC’ fire extinguishers, dry powder fire extinguishers are suitable for use on class A (combustible materials), B (flammable liquids) and C (flammable gases) fires. To protect against class D (metal), class E (electrical equipment) and class F (cooking oil) fires, additional fire extinguishers will need to be purchased and installed appropriately, and identified with the correct fire extinguisher ID sign. 

All heavy-duty marine environments, such as container ships and oil platforms, require Marine Equipment Directive (MED)-approved fire extinguishers on board. The MED sets out performance and testing standards to be met by marine equipment placed on board EU ships. All equipment that passes this extensive testing receives the prestigious ‘ship’s wheel’ logo. Contact the CheckFire Team today for more information on our range of MED approved fire extinguishers from Commander and CommanderEDGE.

Maintenance and service

Regular maintenance and routine servicing of all gas appliances, stoves and fire safety equipment is paramount to a safe onboard environment. It goes without saying that CO alarms and smoke alarms shouldn’t be neglected and ideally need to be tested weekly.

Remember – physical equipment isn’t the only thing that requires repeat attention. Escape plans and routes should be regularly reviewed so they can be updated if there are any instances of blocked passageways or structural changes to the boat. These escape plans should be accompanied by clear signage so that anyone who comes aboard is clear on the fire safety procedures.

In an ideal world, fire safety equipment, escape plans and procedures will never come into play. However, being fully prepared is always the best option, to ensure voyages are as smooth as possible. Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with the latest fire industry insights, product news, and updates to legislation.