Rob@BSSOffice

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/carbon-monoxide-%28co%29/recognise-the-signs!/

Fit alarms approved as meeting BS EN 50291-2; these are best suited for boats. Alarms with life-long batteries are available The CO alarm manufacturer's association - CoGDEM has published a list of alarms produced by its members as suitable for boats. If you have a Kitemarked alarm, tested to BS EN 50291, or 50291-1, the advice is to keep it, test it routinely and when it needs replacing, choose a unit tested to BS EN 50291-2 (suitable for boats) One summer we had the cat prowling around our stove. We found no mice, frogs or birds around the base, so I opened the stove door and found a bat. Fortunately I was able to capture it and carry it a few steps out to the patio table where it took a few seconds to recover, before flying off.

All cabins with a fuel burning appliance should have a CO alarm fitted If fuel burning appliances, generators or engines are used whilst people sleep, all sleeping quarters will need their own alarms If the boat has a single multi-use cabin, one alarm is OK For the best protection, follow the alarm manufacturer's installation instructions as far as the space and nature of the boat allow But if the placement directions are difficult to meet on your boat, these are the 'best practice' points Try to place the alarm: in living quarters between 1m and 3m (on plan view) from the appliance in living quarters fix alarms high up on a wall, but at least 150mm from the ceiling and where the indicator lights can be seen in sleeping quarters have the alarm in the "breathing zone", i.e. near the bed head before fixing, test that you can hear an alarm from any position in the boat (or buy an additional alarm) And if anyone is showing these symptoms, considering getting medical help mentioning your concerns about potential CO. You should also deal with any potential sources of CO, - stoves with faults, chimneys with damage or deterioration, burners showing weak, floppy yellow flames - and don't delay. Dealing with CO is not an issue to put off. At low levels it can affect health, at medium to high levels it can kill (dogs and cats too).

Further information on why wood needs seasoning and reducing the moisture content can be read here www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/solid-fuel-stoves/wood-fuel-wisdom/ and there's onward links to further fuel tips. Wood can contains a substantial amount of water and if unseasoned or damp wood is put in the stove, it doesn't do the stove, or the occupiers of the boat much good as it provides less heat, shortens the life of the stove, blocks the chimney and that can lead to CO poisoning and/or chimney fires. So following Graham's advice is wise. It's also not good to season wood, or buy seasoned wood, and then leave it out in the rain. Rob

Just outside the Horncastle Road chippie? Always a big duck gathering there.

Even narrowboats have vibration; occaisional sudden jolts; wider temperature range that the average domestic house; and higher humidity than many houses. The alarms meeting the leisure accommodation vehicle/boat standards have undergone tests for the more rigorous standards. We have published the list of alarms suitable for boats produced by the various members of CoGDEM - see the link on this page http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/carbon-monoxide-%28co%29/co-alarms-save-lives/

You have had lots of advice, and some of it good *Ally* . But if you wish to read it from the horses mouth so to speak, this is one of the best resources ever for anybody considering buying a boat http://www3.hants.gov.uk/tradingstandards/tradingstandards-recreational-craft.htm indeed anyone selling a boat too.

Not Boat Safety Scheme requirements.... but possibly the boat yard may have the General Product Safety Directive at the back of its advice. i.e. the responsibilities to ensure the products it supplies (and fits where relevant) are safe. So it is the BSS strong recommendation That is fantastic advice. It worked for me. Quite slow. I have have appalling broadband, but I wouldn't want to do it on a dongle. And also thumbs up for the other information you posted. Rob

Third paragraph down on the page This is because the BSS does not hold any detail about who owns what boat and because we cannot release the data openly.

Thanks for the warning. Would have missed that. Mike Rodd as impressive as ever and coped well with Mr Evans' tangential thought processes.

Hopefully everything you need to know on this subject and the real version, not heresy, talk or speculation http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/boat-examination/arranging-the-examination/bss-certificates-explained/ Regards Rob Communications Manager, Boat Safety Scheme Only nav authority staff, BSS examiners, me and my colleagues.

Hello Dean It is very unwise to do such a thing without specific instructions from the manufacturer on the components, design and operational parameters for boxing in. if you need further convincing on why this is important, please read the detail of this rather long and very comprehensive report https://www.gov.uk/maib-reports/carbon-monoxide-poisoning-on-motor-cruiser-arniston-on-windermere-england-with-loss-of-2-lives We would miss you as moderator and site needs its crew... Regards Rob

The thought from the BSS Office is that Alan you are correct - ventilation is an advice only check on a private use vessel ie leisure and pleasure or residential use by owner/occupier. Not providing sufficient air is a danger to those people aboard, but for private boats, their safety is ultimately the boat owners responsibility. And that is why it is an advice check. We would welcome your B-I-L to contact me or Graham Watts (BSS Manager) to discuss this matter. While all of us would prefer all crews to avoid the potential risk of CO poisoning, we can be categorical that no owner should be forced against their will to undertake changes to their boat to obtain a Boat Safety Scheme Certification, if the boat has met all the requirement, but some advice checks only have not passed. We are very sensitive to the potential for any examiner to over-state the requirements for a BSS Certificate. If any examiner is applying the advice checks in a regulatory way, then we must be able to discuss this with the examiner so that they continue in the future to stick to the published Examination Checking procedures consistently. Not withstanding that position, if an owner being wary of any insurance implications, or for the safety of the crew chooses to make adjustments so that all relevant checks, including advice checks pass examination, then that is another perspective. I hope this helps. Regards Rob@BSS Office Exactly NC

This organisation is an invaluable source of help for some one having the same ideas as you http://www.barges.org/ The (Dutch) Barge Association

I have used ceramic hob cleaning fluid and that worked very well with a couple of applications. No scratches and very bright results.

It's a sum gain argument. Too many people see alarms as round-toits. Thus if fire personnel are able to tackle the issue at the critical point in the conversation, and in some cases fix in the alarm, then the alarm is more likely to be used. When fire or CO occurs at a time when people are asleep, then alarms are very likely to activate and give enough warning for the person to exit safely. i.e. more people are likely to survive such incidents. At a Fire Kills event I attended about five years ago, figures presented estimated fatal fires as costing around £1.3m. So the budget for an annul giveaway of bulk purchased alarms can be saved by those alarms prevent one or two deaths by fire - not counting the human cost of everyone affected by, or involved with such events.

I'm not sure what changes you have read that suggest it is not acceptable, I'd be interested if we have conflicting information published. I know the truth. This is the text as appears in the BSS examination checking procedures: "the small hole in the filler cap as provided by the original engine or fuel tank manufacturer, on fuel tanks of no more than 27 litres capacity, is deemed to meet this requirement." So it continues to remain acceptable as described in the quote, Good luck with the project.

We have an examiner in the RoI about to retire tonight, but should there be a need, I'm sure he would be willing to re-register.

I'd like to echo all the sentiments already in this thread - super looking boat, hope you and the children really enjoy life aboard. The one item that caught my eye is the closeness of the stove to the woodwork and to possibly flammable/meltable window nets. Over time, you may find the wood behind those tiles over the back two rings on the stove charring. Also the netting may cause issues, just when you won't need it e.g. the cooking flaring up, pan of burning oil, etc. And sounding like a cracked record to the regulars hereabouts, I always say it's also best to have at one or more smoke and CO alarms to protect you and your family http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/fire-safety-for-boats/ Have fun and welcome

You just got a greeenie.

Yep Sabcat, oh so easy to be side tracked, been there and done it myself. Here's another case this week where thankfully the sleeping occupant had a smoke alarm. Real shame about the three boats though http://www.huntspost.co.uk/news/fire_breaks_out_on_houseboat_at_huntingdon_marina_1_3998951 For anyone wanting advice about choosing and installing smoke alarms, I'll promote our guidance again http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/fire-safety-for-boats/smoke-alarms-for-boats/choosing-a-smoke-alarm/ Regards

And on some occasions it has been fatal. Were you attending the burger cooking at the time they began to ignite, or was it the smoke alarm that warned you of impending doom? The boaters who died had nodded off with cooking underway and no smoke alarm to help alert them to issues...

Please may I have your evidence to support that statement, as I am not aware of the crooked ones. You can PM, phone, email or write in. We will be very happy to consider anything you bring forward that we can act on in some way. I will need names or at least other traceable or specific evidence that we can utilise. Illegality and failing to abide by our conditions of registration are taken extremely seriously. I and my colleagues monitor such matters very closely. This is a general request and anyone can contact us with information in confidence. However, until the evidence is before me, I happy to say that BSS examiners are very conscientious and general diligent. All the guys I talk to, and I know most of the 220 authorised examiners, are interested in your safety, not just the piece of paper. By the way this is the third fire in which a dog has died since December and as a dog owner, I can understand the absolute devastation of the affected owners.

There's Jay Clements and Alan Maxwell both in Gloucester. Peter Stott at twekesbury and Des Fforde at Stroud to name just a few - here's the list of examiners who are willing to work in Gloucs http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/boat-examination/arranging-the-examination/find-an-examiner/?counties=Gloucestershire Also some advice if you have a gas system aboard - it may affect your choice of examiner if you live aboard, or rent the boat out, carry passengers etc - http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/boat-examination/boats-with-gas/ Regards Rob