| (a) | In and from all passenger and crew spaces and in spaces in which the crew is normally employed, other than machinery spaces, stairways and ladders shall be arranged to provide ready means of escape to the lifeboat and liferaft embarkation deck. In particular the following provisions shall be complied with: |
| (i) | Below the bulkhead deck, two means of escape, at least one of which shall be independent of watertight doors, shall be provided from each watertight compartment or similarly restricted space or group of spaces. Exceptionally, the Administration may dispense with one of the means of escape, due regard being paid to the nature and location of spaces and to the number of persons who normally might be quartered or employed there. |
| (ii) | Above the bulkhead deck, there shall be at least two means of escape from each main vertical zone or similarly restricted space or group of spaces at least one of which shall give access to a stairway forming a vertical escape. |
| (iii) | At least one of the means of escape required by subparagraphs (a) (i) and (ii) of this Regulation shall be by means of a readily accessible enclosed stairway, which shall provide continuous fire shelter from the level of its origin to the appropriate lifeboat and liferaft embarkation decks or the highest level served by the stairway, whichever level is the highest. However, where an Administration has granted dispensation under the provisions of subparagraph (a) (i) of this Regulation the sole means of escape shall provide safe escape to the satisfaction of the Administration. The width, number and continuity of the stairways shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration. |
| (iv) | Protection of access from the stairway enclosures to the lifeboat and liferaft embarkation areas shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration. |
| (v) | Lifts shall not be considered as forming one of the required means of escape. |
| (vi) | Stairways serving only a space and a balcony in that space shall not be considered as forming one of the required means of escape. |
| (vii) | If a radiotelegraph station has no direct access to the weather deck, two means of escape shall be provided from such station. |
| (viii) | Dead-end corridors exceeding 13 metres (43 feet) shall not be permitted. |
(b)
| (i) | In special category spaces the number and disposition of the means of escape both below and above the bulkhead deck shall be to the satisfaction of the Administration, and in general the safety of access to the embarkation deck shall be at least equivalent to that provided for under subparagraphs (a) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) of this Regulation. |
| (ii) | One of the escape routes from the machinery spaces where the crew is normally employed shall avoid direct access to any special category space. |
| (c) | Two means of escape shall be provided from each machinery space. In particular, the following provisions shall be complied with: |
| (i) | Where the space is below the bulkhead deck the two means of escape shall consist of either— |
| (1) | two sets of steel ladders as widely separated as possible, leading to doors in the upper part of the space similarly separated and from which access is provided to the appropriate lifeboat and liferaft embarkation decks. One of these ladders shall provide continuous fire shelter from the lower part of the space to a safe position outside the space; or |
| (2) | one steel ladder leading to a door in the upper part of the space from which access is provided to the embarkation deck and a steel door capable of being operated from each side and which provides a safe escape route to the embarkation deck. |
| (ii) | Where the space is above the bulkhead deck, two means of escape shall be as widely separated as possible and the doors leading from such means of escape shall be in a position from which access is provided to the appropriate lifeboat and liferaft embarkation decks. Where such escapes require the use of ladders these shall be of steel. |
Provided that in a ship of less than 1000 tons gross tonnage, the Administration may dispense with one of the means of escape due regard being paid to the width and disposition of the upper part of the space; and in a ship of 1000 tons gross tonnage and above, the Administration may dispense with one means of escape from any such space so long as either a door or a steel ladder provides a safe escape route to the embarkation deck due regard being paid to the nature and location of the space and whether persons are normally employed in that space.
