Collapse to view only § 176.340 - Combustible liquids in portable tanks.

§ 176.305 - General stowage requirements.

(a) A Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquid must be kept as cool as reasonably practicable, protected from sources of heat, and away from potential sources of ignition.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in § 176.76(g), a package containing a Class 3 (flammable) liquid and equipped with a vent or safety relief device must be stowed “on deck” only.

(c) The following requirements apply to each hold or compartment in which any Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquids are being transported:

(1) The hold or compartment must be ventilated except that the stowage of non-bulk packages of Class 3 (flammable) liquids with a flash point above 23 °C (73 °F) (see 49 CFR 171.8 definitions) may be in non-ventilated holds.

(2) Stowage of a Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquid within 6 m (20 feet) of a bulkhead which forms a boundary or deck of a boiler room, engine room, coal bunker, galley, or boiler room uptake is not permitted. If the amount of the liquid to be stowed in a hold will not permit compliance with the requirement for a 6 m (20 foot) separation, less separation distance is authorized if at least one of the following conditions exists:

(i) The bulkhead or deck is covered with at least 8 cm (3 inches) of insulation on the entire area subject to heat;

(ii) A temporary wooden bulkhead at least 5 cm (2 inches) thick is constructed in the hold at least 8 cm (3 inches) off an engine room or 15 cm (5.9 inches) off a boiler room bulkhead, covering the entire area of the bulkhead that is subject to heat, and the space between the permanent bulkhead and the temporary wooden bulkhead is filled with mineral wool or equivalent bulk noncombustible insulating material; or

(iii) A temporary wooden bulkhead is constructed of at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick tongue and groove sheathing, located 1 m (3 feet) from the boiler room or engine room bulkhead, and filled with sand to a height of 2 m (7 feet) above the tank top, or, if the cargo compartment is located between decks, 1 m (3 feet) of sand.

(3) Combustible liquids may not be stowed in a hold within 6 m (20 feet) of a common bulkhead with the engine room unless the means of vessel propulsion is internal combustion engines.

(4) Each cargo opening in a bulkhead of an adjacent hold must be securely closed off and made gas-tight, unless the adjacent hold is also used for the stowage of a Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquid.

(d) In addition to the requirements specified in paragraph (b) of this section, the following requirements apply to each hold or compartment in which a Class 3 (flammable) liquid is transported:

(1) Full and effective hatch covers must be used. Tarpaulins, if fitted, must be protected by dunnaging before overstowing with any cargo. Each tarpaulin must be in one piece and free of rents, tears, and holes;

(2) If Class 3 (flammable) liquids in excess of 1016 kg (2240 pounds) are stowed under deck in any one hold or compartment, a fire screen must be fitted at the weather end of each vent duct leading from that hold or compartment. The fire screen must completely cover the open area. It must consist of two layers of corrosion-resistant metal wire of 20 × 20 mesh or finer, spaced not less than 1 cm (0.4 inch) or more than 4 cm (1.6 inches) apart. The screen may be removable only if means for securing it in place when in service are provided;

(3) Each electrical power line in the hold or compartment must be protected by a strong metal covering to prevent crushing by cargo being stowed against it;

(4) Except when fitted with explosion-proof type electrical fixtures, each electrical circuit serving the hold or compartment must be disconnected from all sources of power from a point outside the hold or compartment containing flammable liquids. No circuit may be energized until the flammable liquids and any vapors have been removed from the hold or compartment. Explosion-proof type portable lighting may be used if the source of power is from electrical outlets outside the hold or compartment and above the weather deck; and

(5) A Class 3 (flammable) liquid in excess of 1016 kg (2240 pounds) may not be transported in any hold or compartment that is fitted with a gooseneck type of vent head.

(e) On a passenger vessel, each hold or compartment used to transport a Class 3 (flammable) liquid must be equipped with an overhead water sprinkler system or fixed fire-extinguishing system.

(f) On a passenger vessel, each hold or compartment used to transport Class 3 (flammable) liquids under a passenger space must have an overdeck of an A–60 type construction (see 46 CFR 72.05–10(c)(1)) or equivalent or have its underside covered with at least 8 cm (3 inches) of noncombustible insulation.

(g) No Class 3 (flammable) liquid in a drum or wooden case, having inside packagings of more than 1 L (0.3 gallon) capacity each, may be stowed as a beam filler. A wooden barrel, a wooden box or a fiberboard box, with any Class 3 (flammable) liquid material in inside packagings of not more than 1 L (0.3 gallon) capacity each, may only be stowed as a beam filler if it is possible to stow and observe any “THIS SIDE UP” marking.

[Amdt. 176–30, 55 FR 52705, Dec. 21, 1990, as amended at 56 FR 66282, Dec. 20, 1991; 78 FR 1096, Jan. 7, 2013]

§ 176.315 - Fire protection requirements.

(a) For each 79,500 L (21,000 U.S. gallons) or part thereof of any Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquid being transported on board a vessel in a portable tank, rail tank car, or a motor vehicle cargo tank, there must be provided at least one B-V semiportable foam (152 L/40 gallon capacity) (see 46 CFR 95.50), dry chemical (45.4 kg (100 pounds) minimum capacity) or equivalent fire extinguisher, or a fire hose fitted with an approved portable mechanical foam nozzle with pick-up tube and two 19 L (5 gallon) cans of foam liquid concentrate. Each foam system must be suitable for use with each Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquid for which it is required. Each fire extinguisher must be accessible to the tank it is intended to cover.

(b) The fire hose at each fire hydrant in the vicinity of Class 3 (flammable) and combustible liquids stowage areas must be fitted with an approved combination solid stream and water spray nozzle.

(c) The pressure must be maintained in the vessel's fire mains during the loading and unloading of any Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquids.

(d) Two 7 kg (15-pound) capacity hand portable dry chemical or two portable 10 L (2.6 gallons) foam-type extinguishers must be accessible to any packaged Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquid and suitable for use with the lading.

(e) The requirements of this section do not apply to portable tanks and their contents authorized under 46 CFR part 98 or 46 CFR part 64.

[Amdt. 176–30, 55 FR 52705, Dec. 21, 1990, as amended at 56 FR 66282, Dec. 20, 1991; 66 FR 45384, 45385, Aug. 28, 2001]

§ 176.320 - Use of hand flashlights.

Each hand flashlight used on deck near or in any hold or compartment containing a Class 3 (flammable) liquid, must be suitable for use in hazardous locations where fire or explosion hazards may exist.

§ 176.325 - Smoking or open flame and posting of warning signs.

(a) Smoking or the use of open flame is prohibited in any hold or compartment containing a Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquid, near any Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquid stowed on deck, or near any ventilator leading to a hold containing such material.

(b) A sign carrying the legend:

FLAMMABLE VAPORS KEEP LIGHTS AND FIRE AWAY NO SMOKING must be conspicuously posted at each approach to a Class 3 (flammable) or combustible liquid stowed “on deck” and near each cargo hold ventilator leading to a hold or compartment containing this material. This sign must be painted on a white background using red letters. The letters may not be less than 8 cm (3 inches) high.

§ 176.340 - Combustible liquids in portable tanks.

Combustible liquids, having a flash point of 38 °C (100 °F) or higher, may be transported by vessel only in one of the portable tanks as specified below:

(a) Specification portable tanks authorized in § 173.241 of this subchapter.

(b) In nonspecification portable tanks, subject to the following conditions:

(1) Each portable tank must conform to a DOT specification 57 portable tank, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph;

(2) The rated capacity of the tank may not exceed 4,542 L (1,200 gallons), and the rated gross weight may not exceed 13,608 kg (30,000 pounds);

(3) The vibration test need not be performed;

(4) When the total surface area of the tank exceeds 14.9 square meters (160 square feet), the total emergency venting capacity must be determined in accordance with table I in § 178.345–10 of this subchapter;

(5) ln place of a specification identification marking, the tank must be marked, on two sides in letters at least 5 cm (2 inches) high on contrasting background: “FOR COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS ONLY” and “49 CFR 176.340”. This latter marking constitutes certification by the person offering the combustible liquid materials for transportation that the portable tank conforms to this paragraph;

(6) Each tank must be made of steel;

(7) The design pressure of the tank must be not less than 62 kPa (9 psig);

(8) No pressure relief device may open at less than 34.4 kPa (5 psig);

(9) Each tank must be retested and marked at least once every 2 years in accordance with the requirements applicable to a DOT specification 57 portable tank in § 180.605 of this subchapter; and

(10) Each tank must conform to the provisions of § 173.24 of this subchapter and § 180.605(b) and (j) of this subchapter.

(c) Portable tanks approved by the Commandant (G-MSO), USCG.

[Amdt. 176–30, 55 FR 52705, Dec. 21, 1990, as amended by Amdt. 176–41, 61 FR 51339, Oct. 1, 1996; 62 FR 51561, Oct. 1, 1997; 66 FR 45185, 45384, Aug. 28, 2001; 67 FR 61015, Sept. 27, 2002; 68 FR 57633, Oct. 6, 2003]