S.L. 234.51 Art. 92Hospital accommodation.

(1) Every ship to which these rules apply carrying fifteen seafarers or more and engaged in a voyage of more than three days’

duration, shall be provided with separate hospital accommodation:

Provided that the Registrar-General may authorise alternative arrangements in respect of ships engaged in coastal trade.

(2) In every other ship to which these rules apply (except one in which all seafarers have separate sleeping rooms) a suitable room shall be appropriated for use, in case of need, as a temporary hospital.

(3) Hospital accommodation, whether permanent or temporary, shall be marked as such and shall not be used for any purpose other than for medical purposes.

(4) Every hospital, whether permanent or temporary, shall be so situated that it is as quiet and comfortable as possible and is readily accessible in all weather -

(a) from the sleeping room of the member of the crew who is, and is employed as, a medical practitioner or a nurse; or

(b) if no such doctor or nurse is carried, from the master’s accommodation or from the accommodation provided for the person in charge of the patients.

(5) The minimum width of the entrance to any permanent hospital shall, where practicable, be 760 millimetres and every hospital, whether permanent or temporary, shall be so situated and arranged that a stretcher can be easily carried into it with a person lying on the stretcher.

(6) Every permanent hospital shall be provided with adequate number of berths.

(7) At least one berth in every permanent hospital shall be a single-tier berth and shall, wherever practicable, be so placed that it is accessible from both sides and from the foot.

(8) If double-tier berths are provided in a hospital, the upper-tier shall be either hinged or removable.

(9) Berths in permanent hospitals shall comply with the requirements of the Schedules.

(10) All side-scuttles and windows in a permanent hospital, and all skylights therein which are exposed to the direct rays of the sun shall be provided with curtains or blinds.

(11) Every permanent hospital, even if served by an air conditioning system or a mechanical ventilation system, shall be provided with a natural system of inlet and exhaust ventilation to the open air independent of any ventilators provided for other parts of the ship.

(12) Unless otherwise provided in this rule, hospital accommodation shall comply with the requirements of Appendices I and II, paragraphs 9.1 to 11.8 of the Third Schedule and the requirements of paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Fourth Schedule and Appendices II, III and IV with regard to ventilation, heating and lighting.

(13) A suitable locker, a water bottle, a tumbler, and an electric bell push communicating with the sleeping room of the doctor, nurse or the person in charge of the patient, shall be provided for each berth in the hospital accommodation and shall be within reach of that berth.

(14) The hospital accommodation shall be provided with a clothes locker, an adequate number of seats and a bed pan.

(15) A wash basin with cold and hot water laid on to it shall be fitted in every permanent hospital or in washing accommodation in the hospital.

(16) A water closet provided with the items specified in Appendix I, paragraph 17.9 and Appendix II, paragraph 17.14 of the Third Schedule shall be fitted in every permanent hospital either in a separate closet or in washing accommodation in the hospital.

(17) In passenger ships, the hospital may be provided to serve both crew and passengers.