Boat Safety Scheme: Carbon monoxide alarms now mandatory

The Boat Safety Scheme has released guidance on fitting carbon monoxide alarms to boats, after the safety equipment became mandatory under the scheme’s updated requirements, which came into force on April 1.

Regular maintenance to keep your boat safe and complying with the legal obligations when it is on the water should ensure a first-time pass. If it doesn’t pass, you will need to know the information on this page about what the examiner has to do next. However, preparing your boat before its examination will pay off. Apart from checking to see that installations, components and fittings comply with the requirements before the examiner arrives, there are several things you can do to make the whole process run smoothly. Firstly, will the examiner need to see any documentary evidence about a component’s manufacturing standard? E.g. engine hoses manufactured to standard ISO 7840. Can you have it ready? The critical point is that all relevant items must be capable of being checked effectively and accurately. If not, the examination will be considered to be incomplete and no certification made.

Additional advice on preparation after 1 January 2013:

In addition to the advice on the page called Preparing for examination, there is the additional advice arising from the changes introduced in January 2013 for examinations on privately-owned, privately-managed boats:

LPG cylinder lockers – boat owners must ensure the BSS Examiner can carry out careful checking of the LPG cylinder locker for condition, including the removal of all loose portable items, base protection mats, removable false floors and the temporary removal of connected LPG cylinders.

Discuss your LPG cylinder locker arrangements with your examiner in advance of the examination as this may require your attendance or you to make prior arrangements involving service agents.

LPG lockers not accessible enough to allow an assessment of condition will involve the BSS Examiner having to return to carry out the check with the obstruction removed.

Where a boat uses A.C. shore-power and other a.c. power sources, the following notes on connection leads should be taken into account:

  • If practicable and safe to do so, boat owners should disconnect shore-power, battery charging, and other power sources in readiness for the BSS examination;
  • Boat owners should make available the shore-power, battery charging or other power source leads for examination of type and condition.
  • Information about the location of the a.c. consumer unit should be made known to the examiner in advance of the BSS examination.

Read more about the BSS Examination for privately-owned, privately-managed boats in the BSS Essential Guide

If you have a hire or other non-private craft, the BSS Standards can be seen on this link

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