BSS are consulting on the addition of a compulsary requirement for smoke alarms in the examinations.
They say:
Having considered evidence and recommendations from the BSS, the navigation authorities’ Boat Safety Standards Setting Forum (BS SSF) has started a public consultation to introduce a new mandatory Boat Safety Standard with related BSS Requirements for suitable smoke alarms in good condition and in suitable locations on all classes of boat with accommodation spaces.
The Forum decision has the support of its wider members comprising including the marine industry body – British Marine, boat users and Boat Safety Scheme (BSS) Examiners. It also has the support of the BSS Advisory and BSS Technical forums and the BSS Board of Directors.
The 17-week open consultation is being hosted by the Forum’s secretariat provided by the Boat Safety Scheme. Navigation authorities will be able to promote links to the consultation to their stakeholders.
The background
The proposals are to introduce a requirement for working smoke alarms meeting an easily achievable quality and condition threshold. The specifications are for commonplace smoke alarms that are currently third-party accredited as meeting the universal BS EN 14604:2005 standard. These alarms are ones typically used in domestic buildings and are readily available from high street shops, in retail park stores and online retailers.
The changes are proposed for all types of BSS examination, private boats, boats used for hire and other nonprivate boat classes.
The purpose of the proposals is to help reduce the risk of fire spreading from a boat by providing vital seconds and minutes that can potentially allow early mitigating actions.
Additional items to the requirments require formal consultation as part of the 1995 BW Act.
you can see more here: https://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/about-us/consultations-reviews/smoke-alarm-consultation-bs-ssf/introducing-the-proposals/