Chapter 8 Section 17 Protection of Deck Openings 17–1

Section 17

Protection of Deck Openings

A. General
1. All weatherdeck openings, i.e. hatchways,
doors and ventilators are to be sufficiently protected by
sills and adequate closing appliances. These openings
are classified according to their position as follows:
Position 1: on exposed bulkhead decks, raised quarter
decks and on superstructure decks within
0,25 Lc from forward.
Position 2: on exposed superstructure decks abaft
0,25 Lc from forward.
3. The doors of the companionways are to be
capable of being operated and secured from both sides.
They are to be closed weathertight by rubber sealings
and toggles.
4. Access hatchways shall have a clear width of
at least 600 × 600 mm.
5. Coaming plates for locations indicated in A.2
are not to be less in thickness than that required for the
adjacent deck plating corrected for actual unsupported
height.

2. For coamings and sills above exposed bulk- 6. Coamings of 450 mm in height or greater are
head deck and superstructure deck the following to be sufficiently stiffened at their upper edge by hori-
minimum heights apply: zontal stiffeners.

Table 17.1 7. Efficient brackets or stays are to be fitted

from the stiffeners to the deck at intervals of not more
than 3 m. Where exposed coamings are 750 mm or
Pos. 1 Pos. 2 more in height, the arrangement of the stiffeners and
brackets or stays is to provide equivalent support.
Hatchways 600 300
Where end coamings are protected, the arrangement of
Doors of companionways the stiffeners and brackets or stays may be modified.
and machinery casings, 600 300
access hatches 8. Framing of openings

Ventilators 900 760 All openings in decks are to be framed to provide

efficient support and attachment for the ends of the
deck beams.

B. Fishhold Hatchways, Companionway,

Access Hatches C. Hatchway Covers

1. For the height of the coamings of fishhold 1. General

hatchways see A.2. Upon special approval the height
of these coamings may be reduced, or the coamings Hatchway covers in exposed positions are to be con-
omitted entirely, provided that the safety of vessels is structed of steel. Other materials will be subject to
not thereby impaired. In this case the hatchway open- special consideration.
ings shall be kept as small as practicable and the cov-
ers be permanently attached by hinges or equivalent 2. Scantlings of steel hatch covers
means and be capable of being rapidly closed and
battened down. 2.1 Plating
The thickness of plating is not to be less than:
2. For the height of the coamings of compan-
ionways and access hatches see A.2. Alternatively the t = 10 ⋅ a mm
superstructure or deckshouse enclosing a companion-
way or a access hatch has to be adequately protected. a = spacing of stiffeners in [m].
17–2 Section 17 Protection of Deck Openings
2.2 Stiffeners
The section modulus of stiffeners is not to be less than:
W = k ⋅ 0,8 ⋅ a ⋅ p ⋅ l 2 cm 3
l = span of stiffeners in [m]
p = 0,3 L + 7,0 [kN/m2] for tank tops
p = 0,2 L + 4,5 [kN/m2] elsewhere.
2.3 Means for securing weathertightness
The means for securing and maintaining weathertight-
ness is to be such that the tightness can be maintained
in any sea condition. The covers are to be hose tested.
The water pressure is not to be less than 2 bar and the
hose nozzle shall be held at a distance of not more than
1,5 m from the hatch cover to be tested. During frost
periods equivalent tightness tests may be carried out to
the satisfaction of the Surveyor.
D. Engine Room and Boiler Room Casings
1. Engine and boiler room openings on bulkhead
decks and inside open superstructures are to be pro-
tected by casings of sufficient height.
2. The height of casings on the exposed bulk-
head deck is to be not less than 1,8 m where L does
not exceed 75 m, and not less than 2,3 m where L is
125 m or more. Intermediate values are to be deter-
mined by interpolation.
3. The plating of the casing walls and casing
tops is not to be less than 7,0 mm in thickness. The
thickness of the coamings is not to be less than
8,0 mm. Where the height of the casings is 1,80 m and
over, the thickness of the casing top may be 6,5 mm.
4. The coamings shall, wherever practicable,
extend to the lower edge of the beams.
5. The height of casings on superstructure decks
is to be at least 760 mm. The thickness of their plating
may be 0,5 mm less than derived from 3., and the
stiffeners are to have the same thickness and a depth of
web of 75 mm, being spaced at 750 mm.
6. The doors in casings on exposed decks and
within open superstructures are to be of steel, well
stiffened and hinged, and capable of being closed from
both sides and secured weathertight by toggles and
rubber sealings.
Chapter 8
7. The doors are to be at least of the same
strength as the casing walls in which they are fitted.
E. Miscellaneous Openings in Exposed Bulk-
head Decks and Superstructure Decks
1. Manholes and small flush deck hatches in
decks in pos. 1 and 2 or in open superstructures are to
be closed watertight.
2. If not bolted watertight, they are to be of
substantial steel construction with bayonet joints or
screws. The covers are to be hinged or to be perma-
nently attached to the deck by a chain.
3. Openings in exposed bulkhead decks other
than hatchways and machinery space openings, may
only be arranged in weathertight closed superstructures
or deckhouses or in weathertight closed companion-
ways of the same strength.
F. Ventilators
1. For the height of coamings see A.2.
2. Ventilators of cargo holds are not to have any
connection with other spaces.
3. The thickness of the coaming plates is to be
7,5 mm where the clear opening sectional area of the
ventilator coamings is 300 cm2 or less, and 10 mm
where the clear opening sectional area exceeds
1600 cm2. Intermediate values are to be determined by
interpolation. A thickness of 6 mm will generally be
sufficient within not permanently closed superstruc-
tures.
4. The thickness of ventilator posts should be at
least equal to the thickness of coaming as per 3.
5. The wall thickness of ventilator posts of a
clear sectional area exceeding 1600 cm2 is to be in-
creased according to the expected loads.
6. Generally, the coamings and posts shall pass
through the deck and shall be welded to the deck plat-
ing from above and below.
Where coamings or posts are welded onto the deck
plating, fillet welds of a = 0,5 ⋅ to should be adopted
for welding inside and outside.
Chapter 8 Section 17 Protection of Deck Openings
7. Coamings and posts particularly exposed to
wash of sea are to be efficiently connected with the
ship's structure.
8. Where the thickness of the deck plating is less
than 10 mm, a doubling plate or insert plate of 10 mm
thickness is to be fitted. Their side lengths are to be
equal to twice the length or breadth of the coaming.
9. Where beams are pierced by ventilator
coamings, carlings of adequate scantlings are to be
fitted between the beams in order to maintain the
strength of the deck.
10. The ventilators in machinery spaces are to be
arranged in such a way that no gases can accumulate
under the deck between deck beams.
11. The main inlet and exhaust openings of the
ventilation systems are to be provided with easily
17–3
accessible closing appliances, which can be closed
weathertight against wash of the sea. In ships of not
more than 100 m in length, the closing appliances are
to be permanently attached. In ships exceeding 100 m
in length, they may be conveniently stowed near the
openings to which they belong.
12. For ventilator posts which exceed 4,5 m in
height above decks in Position 1 and for ventilator
posts exceeding 2,3 m in height above decks in Posi-
tion 2 closing appliances are required in special cases
only.