Safety Equipment · Fireman's Outfits
FIREMAN'S SUITS COMPLETE, H.K.APPROVED 330901
Complete fire-fighter’s suit set for Hong Kong ships: what to check in the SET, the FSS Code parts, EN 469 vs proximity suits, how to order.
What it is
IMPA 330901 is a complete fire-fighter’s (fireman’s) suit set with a Hong Kong approval.
Hong Kong applies SOLAS directly. Its Fire-fighting Appliances and Fire Protection Regulation (L.N. 249 of 2018) requires ships built on or after 1 July 2002 to carry fire-fighter’s outfits as SOLAS chapter II-2, regulation 10.10 requires. It covers Hong Kong ships on international voyages and foreign ships on international voyages in Hong Kong waters.[1]
How to specify and order it
Order one SET per outfit and give the sizes for the coat, trousers, boots and gloves. Ask the supplier to list what the set contains, and order anything missing, such as the lamp or axe, separately. For spares, the same family lists each part on its own: helmet 330902, coat 330903, boots 330904 (pairs), five-finger gloves 330905 (pairs) and trousers 330906.
The code does not name the clothing standard. Ask the supplier which standard the suit is tested to and for the approval document. Some older ships carry proximity suits approved to EN 531. The Isle of Man registry warns that these may not protect the wearer from radiant heat when entering an enclosed space with an established fire. It recommends clothing to the EU MED standards, such as EN 469:2020, and boots approved to EN 15090.[2]
ABS reports that port State control officers have raised MLC deficiencies against proximity suits used for enclosed-space fire-fighting. It says EN 469 level 2 is required for that work. For a ship that is not Hong Kong-flagged, order the version its own flag accepts, for example the MED-approved set 330941.[3]
Rules and approvals
SOLAS II-2/10.10.2.1 requires every ship to carry at least two fire-fighter’s outfits. Regulation 10.10.2.3 requires additional outfits on tankers, and passenger ships need extra outfits under 10.10.2.2. Under FSS Code chapter 3, the outfit includes protective clothing that protects the skin from radiant heat, burns and steam scalding, with a water-resistant outer surface. It also includes boots of rubber or another electrically non-conducting material and a rigid helmet that protects against impact.[2][3]
UK survey instructions say the clothing, gloves, boots and helmet should be type-approved to the MED testing standards. The clothing should be flameproof to EN 1486, EN 469 or ISO 15538. A two-piece garment is preferred, and the sizes should fit everyone on board wearing normal clothing.[4]
Under the Isle of Man notice, EN 469:2005 was no longer valid for new equipment placed on board after 25 August 2024. EN 469:2020 is the current MED standard for close-proximity protective clothing. Suits already on board under the older standard need not be replaced while they stay in good condition.[2]
Questions buyers ask
- Does IMPA 330901 include the lamp and axe?
- The code name does not say what the set contains. Ask the supplier to list the parts, and order the lamp and axe separately if they are not included.
- Can an aluminised proximity suit count as the fire-fighter’s outfit?
- Be careful. The Isle of Man registry and ABS warn that proximity suits (EN 531) may not protect against radiant heat in an enclosed-space fire, and port State control has raised deficiencies. Both recommend EN 469 clothing.
Sources
- Hong Kong Marine Department: Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Fire-fighting Appliances and Fire Protection) Regulation, L.N. 249 of 2018
- Isle of Man Ship Registry: Technical Advisory Notice 004-24, Fire-fighting protective clothing (28 May 2024)
- ABS Regulatory News No. 06/2024: Industry reminder on firefighting suits (April 2024)
- UK MCA: MSIS 12 chapter 9, Fire-fighter’s outfits and emergency escape breathing devices (rev 04.14)
No prices: offers come from suppliers at the port.
Published by Sherif Awad, founder of GeoMarineHub — in ship supply since 1990, a family business since 1981 (45 years). Last checked .
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