Requirements for Immersion Suits, Anti-exposure Suits & TPA's

Immersion Suit:

General Requirements:

An immersion suit shall be constructed with waterproof materials such that: 

• It can be unpacked and donned without assistance within 2 min, taking into account on donning of any associated clothing.

• It will not sustain burning or continue melting after being totally covered in a fire for 2 seconds.

• It will cover the whole body except the face, and the covering for the hands may be provided by separate gloves which shall be permanently attached to the suit.

• It is provided with arrangements to minimize or reduce free air in the legs of the suit.

• There is no undue ingress of water into the suit even if the wearer jumps from a height of not less than 4.5 meters. 

An immersion suit on its own or worn in conjunction with the lifejacket if necessary shall have sufficient buoyancy and stability in calm freshwater to:

• Lift the mouth of an exhausted or unconscious person clear of the water by not less than 120 mm.

• Allow the wearer to turn from a face-down to a face-up position in not more than 5 seconds.

An immersion suit shall permit the person wearing it, and also wearing a lifejacket if the immersion suit is to be worn in conjunction with a lifejacket, to:

• Climb up and down a vertical ladder at least 5 m in length.

• Perform normal duties associated with abandonment.

• Jump from a height of not less than 4.5 m into the water without damaging the immersion suit or its attachments, or being injured.

• Swim a short distance through the water and board a survival craft. 

An immersion suit that has buoyancy and is designed to be worn without a lifejacket shall be fitted with a light and a whistle complying with the requirements of the code.

An immersion suit that has buoyancy and is designed to be worn without a lifejacket shall be provided with a releasable buoyant line or other means to secure it to a suit worn by another person in the water.

An immersion suit that has buoyancy and is designed to be worn without a lifejacket shall be provided with a suitable means to allow a rescuer to lift the wearer from the water into a survival craft or rescue boat.

If an immersion suit is to be worn in conjunction with a lifejacket, the lifejacket shall be worn over the immersion suit in such a way that:

• Persons wearing such an immersion suit shall be able to don a lifejacket without assistance. 

• The immersion suit shall be marked to indicate that it must be worn in conjunction with a compatible lifejacket. 

An immersion suit shall have buoyancy which is not reduced by more than 5% after 24 h submersion in fresh water and does not depend on the use of loose granulated materials. 

Thermal Performance Requirements:

An immersion suit made of a material that has no inherent insulation shall be: 

• Marked with instructions that it must be worn in conjunction with warm clothing

• So constructed that, when worn in conjunction with warm clothing, and with a lifejacket if the immersion suit is to be worn with a lifejacket, the immersion suit continues to provide sufficient thermal protection,

• Following one jump by the wearer into the water from a height of 4.5 meters.

• To ensure that when it is worn for 1 hour in calm circulating water at a temperature of 5°C, the wearer's body core temperature does not fall more than 2°C.

An immersion suit made of material with inherent insulation shall be:

• So Constructed that, when designed to be worn without a lifejacket or worn in conjunction with a lifejacket, shall provide the wearer with sufficient thermal insulation, 

• Following one jump by the wearer into the water from a height of 4.5 meters.

• To ensure that the wearer's body core temperature does not fall more than 2°C after 6 hours of immersion in calm circulating water at a temperature of between 0°C and 2°C.  

Anti-Exposure Suits:

General Requirements:

An anti-exposure suit shall be constructed with waterproof materials such that it: 

• Provides inherent buoyancy of at least 70N.

• Is made of a material that reduces the risk of heat stress during rescue and evacuation operations.

• Covers the whole body except, covering for the hands and head may be provided by separate gloves and a hood, both of which shall be permanently attached to the suit.

• Can be unpacked and donned without assistance within 2 minutes.

• Does not sustain burning or continue melting after being totally covered in a fire for 2 seconds.

• Is equipped with a pocket for a portable VHF telephone.

• Has a lateral field of vision of at least 120°. 

The anti-exposure suits shall permit the person wearing it to: 

• Climb up and down a vertical ladder of at least 5 meters in length.

• Jump from a height of not less than 4.5 meters into the water with feet first, without damaging the suit or its attachments, or being injured.

• Swim through the water at least 25 meters and board a survival craft.

• Don a lifejacket without assistance.

• Perform all duties associated with abandonment, assist others and operate a rescue boat. 

An anti-exposure suit shall be fitted with a light and a whistle complying with the requirements of the code.

Thermal Performance Requirements:

An anti-exposure suit shall:

• If made of a material that has no inherent insulation, be marked with instructions that it must be worn in conjunction with the warm clothing.

• Be so constructed that, when worn as marked and following one jump into the water which totally submerges the wearer, the suit continues to provide sufficient thermal protection to ensure that when it is worn in calm circulating water at a temperature of 5°C, the wearer’s body core temperature does not fall at a rate of more than 1.5°C per hour, after the first 0.5 hours. 

Stability Requirements:

A person in freshwater wearing an anti-exposure suit complying with the requirements of this section shall be able to turn from face-down to a face-up position in not more than 5 seconds and shall be stable face-up.

The suit shall have no tendency to turn the wearer face-down in moderate sea conditions.

Thermal Protective Aids:

General Requirements:

A Thermal Protective aid shall be made of waterproof material having a thermal conductance of more than 7800 W/(m²K) and shall be so constructed that, when used to enclose a person, it shall reduce both the convective and evaporative heat loss from the wearer's body.  

The Thermal Protective Aid shall:

• Cover the whole body of persons of all sizes wearing a lifejacket with the exception of the face. Hands shall also be covered unless permanently attached gloves are provided.

• Be capable of being unpacked and easily donned without assistance in a survival craft or rescue boat.

• Permits the wearer to remove it in the water in not more than 2 minutes, if it impairs the ability to swim.

The Thermal Protective aid shall function properly throughout an air temperature range -30°C to +20°C.                 

 

Differences between Immersion Suits, AES & TPA            

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Reference: 

1. IMO Publications & Documents - International Codes - LSA Code - Chapter II - Personal Life-saving appliances.
2. IMO Publications & Documents - International Convention - SOLAS - Chapter III - Life-saving Appliances and Arrangement - Regulation 7 - Personal Life-saving appliances.
3. IMO Publications & Documents - Resolutions - Maritime Safety Committee - Resolutions.MSC.48(66).