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5 Precautions against shock, fire and other hazards of electrical origin (R 45)

Directive 2009/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 May 2009 on safety rules and standards for passenger ships (Recast) (Text with EEA relevance ) · European Union

Exposed metal parts of electrical machines or equipment which are not intended to be live but which are liable under fault conditions to become live shall be earthed unless the machines or equipment are: supplied at a voltage not exceeding 50 V direct current or 50 V, root mean square, between conductors; auto-transformers shall not be used for the purpose of achieving this voltage; or supplied at a voltage not exceeding 250 V by safety isolating transformers supplying only one consuming device; or constructed in accordance with the principle of double insulation. All electrical apparatus shall be so constructed and so installed as not to cause injury when handled or touched in the normal manner. The sides and the rear and, where necessary, the front of switchboards shall be suitably guarded. Exposed live parts having voltages to earth exceeding the voltage specified under 1.1 shall not be installed on the front of such switchboards. Where necessary, non-conducting mats or gratings shall be provided at the front and rear of the switchboard. In distribution systems with no connection to earth, a device capable of monitoring the insulation level to earth and giving an audible or visual indication of abnormally low insulation values shall be provided. All metal sheaths and armour of cables shall be electrically continuous and shall be earthed. All electrical cables and wiring external to equipment shall be at least of a flame-retarding type and shall be so installed as not to impair their original flame-retarding properties. Where necessary for a particular application, the Administration of the flag State may permit the use of special types of cables, such as radio frequency cables, which do not comply with the foregoing. Cables and wiring serving essential or emergency power, lighting, internal communications or signals shall so far as practicable be routed clear of galleys, laundries, machinery spaces of category A and their casings and other high fire risk areas. In new and existing ro-ro passenger ships, cabling for emergency alarms and public address systems installed on or after 1 July 1998 shall be approved by the Administration of the flag State having regard to the recommendations developed by the IMO. Cables connecting fire pumps to the emergency switchboard shall be of a fire-resistant type where they pass through high fire risk areas. Where practicable all such cables should be run in such a manner as to preclude their being rendered unserviceable by heating of the bulkheads that may be caused by a fire in an adjacent space. Cables and wiring shall be installed and supported in such a manner as to avoid chafing or other damage. Terminations and joints in all conductors shall be so made as to retain the original electrical, mechanical flame-retarding and, where necessary, fire resisting. Each separate circuit shall be protected against short circuit and against overload, except as permitted in Regulations II-1/C/6 and II-1/C/7. Lighting fittings shall be so arranged as to prevent temperature rises which could damage the cables and wiring, and to prevent surrounding material from becoming excessively hot. Accumulator batteries shall be suitably housed, and compartments used primarily for their accommodation shall be properly constructed and efficiently ventilated. Electrical or other equipment which may constitute a source of ignition of flammable vapours shall not be permitted in these compartments. Distribution systems shall be so arranged that fire in any main vertical zone, as defined in Regulation II-2/A/2.9, will not interfere with services essential for safety in any other such zone. This requirement will be met if main and emergency feeders passing through any such zone are separated both vertically and horizontally as widely as is practicable.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-10 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.