Section 17 in The Merchant Shipping (Crew Accommodation) Rules, 1960
17. Beds.
(1)There shall be unobstructed access to at least one side of each bed and in particular, if the adjacent sides of two beds in the same room are parallel to each other or when projected make an angle of less than 90(degree) with each other, the distance between those sides at any point shall not be less than [76.20 centimetres] [Substituted by G.S.R. 61, dated 6th January, 1967] if both beds are in single tier or [91.44 centimetres] [Substituted by G.S.R. 61, dated 6th January, 1967] in any other case.Every sleeping room in the crew accommodation of a ship to which these rules apply, shall be fitted with bed for each person accommodated in the room.(2)Where beds abut upon each other they shall be separated by screens made of wood or other suitable material.(3)[ No bed shall be placed :-(a)within 10.2 centimetres of ventilation trunk which may be used for circulating hot air; or(b)within 5.10 centimetres of a bulkhead of the ship's side unless the bed is so supported and the room so constructed as to avoid harbouring dirt and vermin in or near the bed, to enable the bedding to be kept clean and dry and to minimise the soiling of paintwork in way of the bed; or(c)below any joint in an overhead water pipe or sanitary discharge.](4)Beds shall not be arranged in tiers of more than two.(5)Beds placed along the ship's side shall be in single tier except in a room in which there is no side scuttle. The Central Government may exempt any ship from the requirements of this sub-rules, to the extent that it is satisfied that the beds in the sleeping room are clear of side scuttles and that the comfort of the crew will thereby be increased.(8)(a)No bed shall be less than 20.5 centimetres from the floor of the room measured from the bottom of the matters referred to in sub-rule (10).(b)The upper bed in a double tier shall be at least 76.20 centimetres below the lower side of the deck head beams or other obstructions measured from the bottom of the matters.The bottom of the mattress in the lower bed shall be at last 91.44 centimetres below the bottom of the mattress in the upper bed if the height of the sleeping room is 2.30 centimetres or more and at least 83.8 centimetres below the bottom of the mattress in the upper bed if the height of the sleeping room is less than 2.30 centimetres. For the purposes of this sub-rule the height of the room shall be measured from the top of the floor beams to the top of the crown beams.(c)The Central Government may exempt;(i)any ship under 500 tons from any of the requirements of this sub-rules;(ii)any ship from the requirements of clause (b) of the sub-rule to the extent that it is satisfied that it is unreasonable or impracticable in the circumstances to remove obstructions above the beds in the crew accommodation of that ship.(7)[(a) Subject to the provisions of clause (b), the minimum size of beds provided for the crew shall be atleast 1980 millimetres the measurements by 800 millimetres, the measurements being taken inside lee boards and lee rails, if any, and at right angles to each other.(b)The minimum size of beds provided in a ship of 3000 tons or over for the Chief Navigating Officer and Chief and Second Engineers shall be atleast 2000 millimetres by 900 millimetres in a passenger ship and atleast 2000 millimetres by 1100 millimetres in any other ship, the measurement in each case being taken inside the lee boards or lee rails, if any, at right angles to each other.](8)Every bed provided for a member of the crew shall be fitted with a spring bottom or spring under mattress and with a mattress made of material which will resist damp and is unlikely to harbour vermin. A bottom of wood, canvass or other dust proof material shall be fitted to every bed which is fitted above another bed.
