---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 C.F.R. § 142.330"
title: "46"
number: "142.330"
heading: "Fire-detection system requirements."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/46/142.330"
---

# §142.330. Fire-detection system requirements.

- (a) **Fire-detection systems.** Except as provided in [paragraph (a)(8)](#a-8) of this section, each towing vessel must have a fire-detection system installed to detect engine room fires. The owner or managing operator must ensure the following:
  - (1) Each detector, control panel, remote indicator panel, and fire alarm are approved by the Commandant under approval series 161.002 or listed by a NRTL as set forth in [29 CFR 1910.7](/cfr/29/1910.7.md);
  - (2) The system is installed, tested, and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's design manual;
  - (3) The system is arranged and installed so a fire in the engine room automatically sets off alarms on a fire detection control panel at the operating station. On vessels with more than one operating station, only one of them must be outfitted with a fire detection control panel. Any other operating station must be outfitted with either a fire detection control panel or a remote indicator panel;
  - (4) **The control panel includes—**
    - (i) A power available light;
    - (ii) An audible to notify crew of a fire;
    - (iii) Visual alarm alarms to identify the zone or zones of origin of the fire;
    - (iv) A means to silence the audible alarm while maintaining indication by the visual alarms;
    - (v) A circuit-fault detector test-switch, or internal supervision of circuit integrity; and
    - (vi) **Labels for all switches and indicator lights, identifying their functions.**
  - (5) **The system draws power from two sources.** Switchover from the primary source to the secondary source may be either manual or automatic;
  - (6) The system serves no other purpose, unless it is an engine room monitoring system complying with [paragraph (a)(8)](#a-8) of this section; and
  - (7) The design of the system and its installation on the towing vessel is certified and inspected by a registered professional engineer with experience in fire-detection system design, by a technician with qualifications as a National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) level IV fire alarm engineering technician, or by an authorized classification society with equivalent experience, to comply with [paragraphs (a)(1) through (6)](#a-1..a-6) of this section.
  - (8) A towing vessel whose construction was contracted for prior to January 18, 2000, may use an existing engine room monitoring system (with fire-detection capability) instead of a fire-detection system, if the monitoring system is operable and complies with [paragraphs (a)(2) through (7)](#a-2..a-7) of this section, and uses detectors listed by an NRTL.
- (b) **Smoke detection in berthing spaces.** Each towing vessel must be equipped with a means to detect smoke in the berthing spaces and lounges that alerts individuals in those spaces. This may be accomplished by an installed detection system, or by using individual battery-operated detectors meeting UL 217 (incorporated by reference, see [§ 136.112](/cfr/46/136.112.md) of this subchapter). Detection systems or individual detectors must be kept operational at all times when the crew is onboard the towing vessel.
- (c) **Heat-detection system in galley.** Each new towing vessel equipped with a galley must have a heat-detection system with one or more restorable heat-sensing detectors to detect fires in the galley. The system must be arranged to sound an audible alarm at each operating station. This may be a separate zone in the detection system required by [paragraph (a)](#a) of this section, or a separate detection system complying with paragraphs [(a)(1)](#a-1) and [(2)](#a-2) of this section.

## Notes

### Authority

Authority: 46 U.S.C. 3103, 3301, 3306, 3308, 3316, 8104, 8904; 33 CFR 1.05; DHS Delegation 0170.1.

### Source

Source: USCG-2006-24412, 81 FR 40101, June 20, 2016, unless otherwise noted.