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11. Hospitals. Every foreign-going ship over 2,500 tons gross must be provided with a hospital,
the minimum equipment of which is laid down. In foreign-going ships under 2,500 tons gross a space
should be made available for use as a temporary hospital when necessary. A pilot's room will be
accepted for this purpose.
12. Lighting. The minimum standard requires that in clear weather the print of an ordinary
newspaper can be read anywhere in the space.
Every space appropriated to the crew is to be efficiently illuminated at night and in dull weather
by electric light or other approved form of artificial lighting. Light points must be arranged so as to
give the maximum benefit to the occupants.
13. Ventilation. No system of ventilation can be regarded as efficient unless the arrangements
are such as will not only maintain the air in the spaces in a satisfactory condition of purity but will
also ensure a comfortable temperature and a sufficiency of movement under all conditions of weather.
In vessels trading regularly to the Tropics some mechanical aid to natural ventilation is strongly
recommended. Plans of mechanical ventilation must be submitted to the Board of Trade. Particular
attention must be paid to ventilation in port. For natural ventilation inlet ventilators must provide
for a variation between three square inches and six square inches per man and outlet ventilation
similarly. The system proposed is passageway ventilation with cowl ventilators, and comparatively
large openings at the top and bottom of the bulkheads dividing the rooms from the passageway with,
in addition, an exhaust ventilator in each room. It is considered that in cold weather if the room
ventilators are closed one of the passage ventilators should function as an inlet and the other as an
outlet, while in warm weather both passageway ventilators should be trimmed to act as inlets and the
room ventilators, being open, would provide outlets, thus ensuring a comfortable movement of air
through the rooms.
Inlet ventilators must be of the cowl type. Mushroom, goose-neck and torpedo vents are unsatisfactory
as inlets.
(There is much more detail in regard to ventilation to which three full pages of the instructions
are devoted.)
14. Heating. Proper provision is to be made for heating all living and washing places. Heating
may be by steam, electricity, hot water or warm air. Stoves are not generally approved. The heating
system must be in operation when required during the whole period the crew are on board.
15. Protection from Mosquitoes, by the fitting of suitable screens to side scuttles, ventilators
and doors, should be provided in ships trading regularly to the mosquito infested ports.
16. Painting. The interior of accommodation must be painted white or a tint which will not
materially absorb light.
17. Recreation Spaces. A space or spaces of adequate size must be available on an open deck
to which the crew have access when off duty.
18. Care and Upkeep of Crew's Spaces. The duty of seeing that accommodation is properly
maintained falls primarily on the Master, who should make frequent and regular inspections and enter
the results in the Official Log. Disclipinary action should be taken against any member of the crew
who fails to keep his quarters in a proper condition after being ordered to do so by the Master.
18. Existing Ships. Whenever substantial alterations or repairs are made to accommodation
the Board of Trade must be informed and they may require such alterations and improvements as are
reasonably practicable and within these Instructions. Apart from substantial alterations crew's
spaces in existing ships can often be improved by attention to ventilation and lighting.
19. Personal Hygiene. It is observed that self-respect and due regard to the cleanliness and
upkeep of their quarters cannot be expected from the crew if reasonable facilities are not provided for
personal cleanliness, if their quarters are so arranged and fitted as readily to harbour vermin; if no
other place than their living rooms is available for storing their working clothes; if no encouragement
is given them to change their underwear because of the lack of suitable arrangements for washing and
drying their clothes or to wash themselves except in their accommodation. In existing ships wooden
bunks should be replaced by bunks of metal or hard wood of approved design; tongued and grooved
boarding should be replaced by steel or strong plywood; a supply of insecticide and an efficient spray
should be carried; dry places for hanging working clothes should be provided near wash-places,
particularly for engine-room staff; wash-places should be provided in every ship and should be warm;
privies should be provided with a constantly available flush; water closets should not be in or open
to wash-places and should provide reasonable privacy.
These new Instructions which I have only summarised, mark a great advance
in the hygiene of crew's spaces in British ships. It will be interesting to see how they
are carried into effect in new ships and to note the reactions of the men to the improved
conditions. The life of a ship is 20 to 30 years, and it may be thought that the requirements
in regard to existing ships are somewhat meagre, and that it will be a long time
before the crews of all British ships are housed in accordance with these standards.+