I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3377
To improve the safety of houseboat generator exhaust systems.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 29, 2001
Mr. HAYWORTH (for himself, Mr. MCINNIS, and Mr. SHADEGG) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure
A BILL
To improve the safety of houseboat generator exhaust
systems.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Houseboat Safety Im-
provement Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) In studies conducted in June 2001, the Na-
tional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) determined that the open space under a
houseboat’s swim platform, or area directly around
the back of the swim platform, can have carbon
monoxide concentrations above the ‘‘Immediately
Dangerous to Life and Health’’ level, if the onboard
gasoline generator is in operation.
(2) Based on the data that the National Insti-
tute for Occupational Safety and Health collected,
an exhaust stack that extends well above the upper
deck of a houseboat appears to be a reliable and
cost-effective solution that is capable of dramatically
reducing carbon monoxide hazards.
(3) The National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health found that while evaluating a sin-
gle stationary boat, average carbon monoxide con-
centrations on the lower rear deck of the houseboat
were reduced by about 99 percent through use of a
vertical stack exhaust system, compared with a rear
exhaust system.
(4) At least 111 carbon monoxide poisonings
have occurred between 1990 and 2000 on or near
boats on Lake Powell, in Arizona and Utah.
SEC. 3. HOUSEBOAT GENERATOR EXHAUST SAFETY RULES.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, in con-
sultation with the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health, shall prescribe the following rules re-
garding houseboat generator exhaust safety:
(1) SAFETY
STANDARD.—A rule setting a
standard for houseboat generator exhaust safety
that will ensure that carbon monoxide from such ex-
haust is not expelled in a manner that would impair
the safety of the occupants of the houseboat or
swimmers near and around the houseboat.
(2) MANUFACTURE.—A rule requiring a house-
boat manufactured after a date specified by the
Commandant of the Coast Guard to meet the re-
quirements of the safety standard prescribed under
paragraph (1).
(3) RECALL AND RETROFIT.—A rule requiring
the manufacturer of any houseboat that does not
comply with the safety standard prescribed under
paragraph (1) to issue a recall for any such house-
boat in order to retrofit the houseboat so that it is
in compliance with that standard. The cost to the
houseboat owner must not exceed the actual cost of
the retrofit to the manufacturer (or any other per-
son performing the retrofit).
(4) SAFETY WARNING.—A rule requiring any
person who commercially rents a houseboat, and any
person who commercially sells a used houseboat, to
another person to inform the other person of the po-
tential hazards of carbon monoxide poisoning from
houseboat generator exhaust, particularly for the oc-
cupants of the houseboat or swimmers near and
around the houseboat, if the houseboat—
(A) was manufactured prior to the date set
for the beginning of manufacture of houseboats
that comply with the standard issued under
paragraph (1), in accordance with the rule pre-
scribed under paragraph (2); and
(B) has not been retrofitted to comply with
the standard issued under paragraph (1).
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