[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 46, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 46CFR62.25-20]

[Page 301-302]
 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
   CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 62_VITAL SYSTEM AUTOMATION--Table of Contents
 
   Subpart 62.25_General Requirements for All Automated Vital Systems
 
Sec. 62.25-20  Instrumentation, alarms, and centralized stations.

    (a) General. Minimum instrumentation and alarms required for 
specific types of automated vital systems are listed in Table 62.35-50.
    (b) Instrumentation Location. (1) Manual control locations, 
including remote manual control and manual alternate control, must be 
provided with the instrumentation necessary for safe operation from that 
location.

    Note: Typically, instrumentation includes means to monitor the 
output of the monitored system.

    (2) Systems with remote instrumentation must have provisions for the 
installation of instrumentation at the monitored system equipment.
    (3) The status of automatically or remotely controlled vital 
auxiliaries, power sources, switches, and valves must be visually 
indicated in the machinery spaces or the cognizant remote control 
location, as applicable.

    Note: Status indicators include run, standby, off, open, closed, 
tripped, and on, as applicable. Status indicators at remote control 
locations other than the ECC, if provided, may be summarized. Equipment 
normally provided with status indicators are addressed in Table 62.35-50 
and subparts 58.01, 56.50, and 112.45.

    (4) Sequential interlocks provided in control systems to ensure safe 
operation, such as boiler programing control or reversing of propulsion 
diesels, must have summary indicators in the machinery spaces and at the 
cognizant control location to show if the interlocks are satisfied.
    (5) Instrumentation listed in Table 62.35-50 must be of the 
continuous display type or the demand display type. Displays must be in 
the ECC or in the machinery spaces if an ECC is not provided.
    (c) Instrumentation details. Demand instrumentation displays must be 
clearly readable and immediately available to the operator.

[[Page 302]]

    (d) Alarms. (1) All alarms must clearly distinguish among--
    (i) Normal, alarm, and acknowledged alarm conditions; and
    (ii) Fire, general alarm, CO2/halon, vital machinery, 
flooding, engineers' assistance-needed, and non-vital alarms.
    (2) Required alarms in high ambient noise areas must be supplemented 
by visual means, such as rotating beacons, that are visible throughout 
these areas. Red beacons must only be used for general or fire alarm 
purposes.
    (3) Automatic transfer to required backup or redundant systems or 
power sources must be alarmed in the machinery spaces.
    (4) Flooding safety, fire, loss of power, and engineers' assistance-
needed alarms extended from the machinery spaces to a remote location 
must not have a duty crewmember selector.

    Note: Other alarms may be provided with such a selector, provided 
there is no off position.

    (5) Automation alarms must be separate and independent of the 
following:
    (i) The fire detection and alarm systems.
    (ii) The general alarm.
    (iii) CO2/halon release alarms.
    (6) Failure of an automatic control, remote control, or alarm system 
must be immediately alarmed in the machinery spaces and at the ECC, if 
provided.
    (e) Alarm details. (1) All alarms must--
    (i) Have a manual acknowledgement device (No other means to reduce 
or eliminate the annunciated signal may be provided except dimmers 
described in paragraph (g)(2) of this section);
    (ii) Be continuously powered;
    (iii) Be provided with a means to test audible and visual 
annunciators;
    (iv) Provide for normal equipment starting and operating transients 
and vessel motions, as applicable, without actuating the alarm;
    (v) Be able to simultaneously indicate more than one alarm 
condition, as applicable;
    (vi) Visually annunciate until the alarm is manually acknowledged 
and the alarm condition is cleared;
    (vii) Audibly annunciate until manually acknowledged;
    (viii) Not prevent annunciation of subsequent alarms because of 
previous alarm acknowledgement; and
    (ix) Automatically reset to the normal operating condition only 
after the alarm has been manually acknowledged and the alarm condition 
is cleared.
    (2) Visual alarms must initially indicate the equipment or system 
malfunction without operator intervention.
    (3) Power failure alarms must monitor on the load side of the last 
supply protective device.
    (f) Summarized and grouped alarms. Visual alarms at a control 
location that are summarized or grouped by function, system, or item of 
equipment must--
    (1) Be sufficiently specific to allow any necessary action to be 
taken; and
    (2) Have a display at the equipment or an appropriate control 
location to identify the specific alarm condition or location.
    (g) Central control locations. (1) Central control locations must--
    (i) Be arranged to allow the operator to safely and efficiently 
communicate, control, and monitor the vital systems under normal and 
emergency conditions, with a minimum of operator confusion and 
distraction;
    (ii) Be on a single deck level; and
    (iii) Co-locate control devices and instrumentation to allow visual 
assessment of system response to control input.
    (2) Visual alarms and instruments on the navigating bridge must not 
interfere with the crew's vision. Dimmers must not eliminate visual 
indications.
    (3) Alarms and instrumentation at the main navigating bridge control 
location must be limited to those that require the attention or action 
of the officer on watch, are required by this chapter, or that would 
result in increased safety.