MSC 85/26/Add.2 ANNEX 3 RESOLUTION MSC.268(85) - US Coast ...

MSC 85/26/Add.2ANNEX 3Page 163Prior to shipment, the cargo shall be aged for at least 30 days and a certificate confirming thisshall be issued by a competent person recognized by the national Administration of the port ofloading.Shippers shall provide to the master prior to loading comprehensive information on the cargo andsafety procedures to be followed in the event of emergency. This advice may be an amplificationof this Code, but shall not be contrary thereto in respect of safety.Where practicable, ballast tanks adjacent to the cargo spaces containing this cargo, other thandouble-bottom tanks, shall be kept empty. Weather tightness shall be maintained throughout thevoyage. Bilge wells of the cargo spaces shall be clean, dry and protected from ingress of thecargo using non-combustible material. The introduction of moisture and accumulation ofcondensation in the cargo spaces shall be avoided.Appropriate precautions shall be taken to protect equipment, machinery and accommodationspaces from the dust of the cargo. Radars and exposed radio communication equipment of shipswhich carry this cargo shall be protected from the dust of this cargo. Persons who may beexposed to the dust of the cargo shall wear protective clothing, goggles or other equivalent dusteye-protection and dust filter masks, as necessary.During any handling of this cargo “NO SMOKING” signs shall be posted on decks and in areasadjacent to cargo spaces, and no naked light shall be permitted in these areas. Smoking, burning,cutting, chipping, grinding or other sources of ignition shall not be allowed in the vicinity ofcargo spaces containing this cargo at any time.Cargo spaces containing this cargo and adjacent spaces may become oxygen-depleted. Noperson shall enter a loaded cargo space or an enclosed adjacent space unless the space has beenventilated and the atmosphere tested and found to be gas-free and have sufficient oxygen tosupport life. Notwithstanding, emergency entry may be permitted without ventilation, testing, orboth provided that the entry into the space is undertaken only by trained personnel wearingself-contained breathing apparatus under the supervision of a responsible officer and no source ofignition is introduced into the space.Prior to loading, provision shall be made to introduce a dry, inert gas at tanktop level so that theinert gas purges the air from the cargo and fills the free volume above. Nitrogen is preferred forthis purpose. All vents, accesses and other openings such as coaming drains that could allow theinert atmosphere to be lost from cargo spaces carrying this cargo shall be closed and sealed.The ship shall be provided with the means to ensure that a requirement of this Code to maintainthe oxygen concentration below 5% can be achieved and maintained throughout the voyage. Theship’s fixed CO 2 fire-fighting system shall not be used for this purpose. Consideration shall begiven to providing the vessel with the means to top up the cargo spaces with additional suppliesof inert gas taking into account the duration of the voyage.The ship shall be provided with the means for reliably measuring the temperatures at severalpoints within the stow and determining the concentrations of hydrogen and oxygen in the cargospace atmosphere on voyage. Appropriate precautions shall be taken to minimize as far aspracticable the loss of the inert atmosphere.I:\MSC\85\26-Add-2.doc