6.18 Safety Centre:

Purpose

(1) The purpose of this regulation is to provide a space to assist with the management of emergency situations

Location and arrangement

(2) The safety centre shall either be a part of the navigation bridge or be located in a separate space adjacent to and having direct access to the navigation bridge, so that the management of emergencies can be performed without distracting watch officers from their navigational duties.

Layout and ergonomic design

(3) The layout and ergonomic design of the safety centre shall take into account the guidelines developed by the Organization^footnote, as appropriate.

Communications

(4) Means of communication between the safety centre, the central control station, the navigation bridge, the engine control room, the storage room(s) for fire extinguishing system(s) and fire equipment lockers shall be provided.

Control and monitoring of safety systems

(5) Notwithstanding the requirements set out elsewhere in the Convention, the full functionality (operation, control, monitoring or any combination thereof, as required) of the safety systems listed below shall be available from the safety centre:

• (a) all powered ventilation systems;

• (b) fire doors;

• (c) general emergency alarm system;

• (d) public address system;

• (e) electrically powered evacuation guidance systems;

• (f) watertight and semi-watertight doors;

• (g) indicators for shell doors, loading doors and other closing appliances;

• (h) water leakage of inner/outer bow doors, stern doors and any other shell door;

• (i) television surveillance system;

• (j) fire detection and alarm system;

• (k) fixed fire-fighting local application system(s);

• (l) sprinkler and equivalent systems;

• (m) water-based systems for machinery spaces;

• (n) alarm to summon the crew;

• (o) atrium smoke extraction system;

• (p) flooding detection systems; and

• (q) fire pumps and emergency fire pumps.