4.2 Prescriptive approach
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1418 – Guidelines for the Design and Installation of a Visible Element to the General Emergency Alarm on Passenger Ships – (13 June 2012) - Annex – Guidelines for a Visual Element to the General Emergency Alarm System of Passenger Ships - 4 System design and arrangement - 4.2 Prescriptive approach

4.2 Prescriptive approach

  4.2.1 Visual signal devices should be located to provide complete coverage of the protected space.

  4.2.1.1 The area of coverage of a bulkhead-mounted visual signal device is a rectangle with the device mounted halfway along one edge of the rectangle as shown in Figure 1. The maximum horizontal dimension (X) of the area of coverage for varying effective intensities is found in Table 2.

  4.2.1.2 The area of coverage of a ceiling-mounted visual signal device is a square with the device located in the centre of the square as shown in Figure 1. The maximum horizontal dimension (X) of the area of coverage for varying effective intensities and lens heights is found in Table 3.

  4.2.1.3 When the visual signal device is not mounted per 4.2.1.1 or 4.2.1.2, the maximum horizontal dimension (X) should be determined by doubling the distance from the device to the farthest edge of the area of coverage. The pertinent edge for a bulkhead-mounted device is the side edge, not the edge opposite the device.

Figure 1 Area of Coverage

Table 2 Maximum dimension versus effective intensity

Maximum horizontal dimension (m) Minimum effective intensity (cd)
6 15
8.5 30
9 33
10 41
11 50
12 59
13 69
14 80
15 92
16 104
17 118
18 132
19 147
20 162
21 179
22 197

Table 3 Effective intensity of ceiling-mounted devices by maximum dimension and height of lens footnote

  4.2.2 Bulkhead-mounted visual signal devices should be mounted on the bulkhead such that the entire lens is not less than 2,030 mm and not greater than 2,440 mm above the deck surface. For spaces with multiple levels, the mounting height should be determined above the nearest deck surface.

  4.2.2.1 If the bulkhead-mounted visual signal devices cannot be mounted at least 2,030 mm above the deck due to low ceiling height, the devices should be mounted within 150 mm of the ceiling. The maximum horizontal dimension (X) should be reduced by twice the difference between the actual mounting height and 2,030 mm.

  4.2.3 Ceiling-mounted visual signal devices may be mounted on or suspended from the ceiling. If ceiling heights exceed 10 m, ceiling-mounted visual signal devices should be suspended at or below 10 m.

  4.2.4 For corridors less than 6 m in width, the following specification may be used instead of 4.2.1.

  4.2.4.1 The minimum effective intensity of the visual signal device should be 15 cd.

  4.2.4.2 Visual signal devices should be located not more than 4 m from the end of the corridor with a separation not greater than 30.5 m between devices.

  4.2.4.3 If there is an interruption of the concentrated viewing path, such as a fire door, an elevation change, or any other obstruction, the area should be treated as a separate corridor.


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