[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 46, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 46CFR25.30-10]

[Page 314-315]
 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
         CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
 
PART 25_REQUIREMENTS--Table of Contents
 
               Subpart 25.30_Fire Extinguishing Equipment
 
Sec. 25.30-10  Hand-portable fire extinguishers and semi-portable

fire-extinguishing systems.

    (a) Hand portable fire extinguishers and semiportable fire 
extinguishing systems are classified by a combination letter and number 
symbol. The letter indicating the type of fire which the unit could be 
expected to extinguish, and the number indicating the relative size of 
the unit.
    (b) For the purpose of this subchapter, all required hand portable 
fire extinguishers and semiportable fire extinguishing systems are of 
the ``B'' type; i.e., suitable for extinguishing fires involving 
flammable liquids, greases, etc.
    (c) The number designations for size run from ``I'' for the smallest 
to ``V'' for the largest. Sizes I and II are hand-portable fire 
extinguishers; sizes III, IV, and V are semi-portable fire-extinguishing 
systems, which must be fitted with hose and nozzle or other practical 
means to cover all portions of the space involved. Examples of the sizes 
for some of the typical hand-portable fire extinguishers and semi-
portable fire-extinguishing systems appear in Table 25.30-10(C):

                            Table 25.30-10(C)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Dry
                                  Foam,    Carbon dioxide,    chemical,
        Classification           liters       kilograms       kilograms
                                (gallons)      (pounds)       (pounds)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-I..........................   6.5 (1\3/            2 (4)         1 (2)
                                      4\)
B-II.........................   9.5 (2\1/           7 (15)      4.5 (10)
                                      2\)
B-III........................     45 (12)          16 (35)        9 (20)
B-IV.........................     75 (20)          23 (50)     13.5 (30)

[[Page 315]]

 
B-V..........................    150 (40)         45 (100)       23 (50)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (d) All hand portable fire extinguishers and semiportable fire 
extinguishing systems shall have permanently attached thereto a metallic 
name plate giving the name of the item, the rated capacity in gallons, 
quarts, or pounds, the name and address of the person or firm for whom 
approved, and the identifying mark of the actual manufacturer.
    (e) Vaporizing-liquid type fire extinguishers containing carbon 
tetrachloride or chlorobromomethane or other toxic vaporizing liquids 
are not acceptable as equipment required by this subchapter.
    (f) Hand portable or semiportable extinguishers which are required 
on their name plates to be protected from freezing shall not be located 
where freezing temperatures may be expected.
    (g) The use of dry chemical, stored pressure, fire extinguishers not 
fitted with pressure gauges or indicating devices, manufactured prior to 
January 1, 1965, may be permitted on motorboats and other vessels so 
long as such extinguishers are maintained in good and serviceable 
condition. The following maintenance and inspections are required for 
such extinguishers:
    (1) When the date on the inspection record tag on the extinguishers 
shows that 6 months have elapsed since last weight check ashore, then 
such extinguisher is no longer accepted as meeting required maintenance 
conditions until reweighed ashore and found to be in a serviceable 
condition and within required weight conditions.
    (2) If the weight of the container is \1/4\ ounce less than that 
stamped on container, it shall be serviced.
    (3) If the outer seal or seals (which indicate tampering or use when 
broken) are not intact, the boarding officer or marine inspector will 
inspect such extinguisher to see that the frangible disc in neck of the 
container is intact; and if such disc is not intact, the container shall 
be serviced.
    (4) If there is evidence of damage, use, or leakage, such as dry 
chemical powder observed in the nozzle or elsewhere on the extinguisher, 
the container shall be replaced with a new one and the extinguisher 
properly serviced or the extinguisher replaced with another approved 
extinguisher.
    (h) The dry chemical, stored pressure, fire extinguishers without 
pressure gauges or indicating devices manufactured after January 1, 
1965, shall not be labeled with the marine type label bed in Sec. 
162.028-4 of this title nor shall such extinguishers manufactured after 
January 1, 1965, be carried on board motorboats or other vessels as 
required equipment.

[CGFR 65-50, 30 FR 16653, Dec. 30, 1965, as amended by CGFR 68-32, 33 FR 
5711, Apr. 12, 1968; CGFR 69-18, 34 FR 5723, Mar. 27, 1969; USCG-2000-
6931, 68 FR 22611, Apr. 29, 2003; 69 FR 34068, June 18, 2004]