Requirements of Lifejackets

 General Requirements for Lifejackets:

• A lifejacket shall not sustain burning or continue melting after being totally enveloped in a fire for a period of 2 seconds.

• Lifejackets shall be provided in three sizes following the table given below. If a lifejacket fully complies with the requirements of two adjacent size ranges, it may be marked with both size ranges, but the specified ranges shall not be divided. Lifejackets shall be marked by either weight or height, or by both weight and height, according to the table given below.

• If an adult lifejacket is not designed to fit persons weighing up to 140 kg and with a chest girth of up to 1,750 mm, suitable accessories shall be available to allow it to be secured to such persons. 

• The in-water performance of a lifejacket shall be evaluated by comparison to the performance of a suitable size standard reference lifejacket, i.e. reference test device (RTD) complying with the recommendations of the Organization.

• An adult lifejacket shall be so constructed that:
1. At least 75% of persons who are completely unfamiliar with the lifejacket can correctly don it within a period of 1 min without assistance, guidance or prior demonstration; 
2. After the demonstration, all persons can correctly don it within a period of 1 min without assistance; 
3. It is clearly capable of being worn in only one way or inside-out and, if donned incorrectly, it is not injurious to the wearer; 
4. The method of securing the lifejacket to the wearer has quick and positive means of closure that do not require tying of knots; 
5. It is comfortable to wear; and 
6. It allows the wearer to jump into the water from a height of at least 4.5 m while holding on to the lifejacket, and from a height of at least, 1m with arms held overhead, without injury and without dislodging or damaging the lifejacket or its attachments. 

• When tested according to the recommendations of the Organization on at least 12 persons, adult lifejackets shall have sufficient buoyancy and stability in calm freshwater to: 

1. Lift the mouth of exhausted or unconscious persons by an average height of not less than the average provided by the adult RTD minus 10 mm; 
2. Turn the body of unconscious, face down persons in the water to a position where the mouth is clear of the water in an average time not exceeding that of the RTD plus 1 s, with the number of persons not turned by the lifejacket no greater than that of the RTD; 
3. Incline the body backwards from the vertical position for an average torso angle of not less than that of the RTD minus 10°; 
4. Lift the head above horizontal for an average face plane angle of not less than that of the RTD minus 10°; and 
5. Return at least as many wearers to a stable face-up position after being destabilized when floating in the flexed foetal position as with the RTD when tested on the wearers in the same manner. 

• An adult lifejacket shall allow the person wearing it to swim a short distance and to board a survival craft. 

• An infant or child lifejacket shall perform the same as an adult lifejacket except as follows: 

1. Donning assistance is permitted for small children and infants; 
2. The appropriate child or infant RTD shall be used in place of the adult RTD; 
3. Assistance may be given to board a survival craft, but wearer mobility shall not be reduced to any greater extent than by the appropriate size RTD. 
4. For infants the jump and drop tests shall be exempted; 
5. For children, five of the nine subjects shall perform the jump and drop tests and manikins may be substituted for human test subjects. 

• With the exception of freeboard and self-righting performance, the requirements for infant lifejackets may be relaxed, if necessary, in order to: 

1. Facilitate the rescue of the infant by a caretaker; 
2. Allow the infant to be fastened to a caretaker and contribute to keeping the infant close to the caretaker; 
3. Keep the infant dry, with free respiratory passages; 
4. Protect the infant against bumps and jolts during evacuation; and 
5. Allow a caretaker to monitor and control heat loss by the infant.

• In addition to the markings, an infant or child lifejacket shall be marked with: 

1. The size range 
2. An “infant” or “child” symbol is shown in the “infant’s lifejacket” or “child’s lifejacket” symbol adopted by the Organization.

• A lifejacket shall have buoyancy which is not reduced by more than 5% after 24 hours of submersion in freshwater. 

• The buoyancy of a lifejacket shall not depend on the use of loose granulated materials. 

• Each lifejacket shall be provided with means of securing a lifejacket light.

• Each lifejacket shall be fitted with a whistle firmly secured by a lanyard. 

• Lifejacket lights and whistles shall be selected and secured to the lifejacket in such a way that their performance in combination is not degraded. 

• A lifejacket shall be provided with a releasable buoyant line or other means to secure it to a lifejacket worn by another person in the water. 

• 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. 

Lifejackets Lights:

Each lifejacket light shall: 

1. Have a luminous intensity of not less than 0.75 cd in all directions of the upper hemisphere; 
2. Have a source of energy capable of providing a luminous intensity of 0.75 cd for a period of at least 8 h; 
3. Be visible over as great a segment of the upper hemisphere as is practicable when attached to a lifejacket; and 
4. Be of white colour. 

If the light is a flashing light, it shall, in addition: 

1. Be provided with a manually operated switch; and 
2. Flash at a rate of not less than 50 flashes and not more than 70 flashes per minute with an effective luminous intensity of at least 0.75 cd. 

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Reference: 

1. IMO Publications & Documents - International Codes - LSA Code - Chapter II - Personal Life-saving appliances.
2. IMO Publications & Documents - Resolutions - Maritime Safety Committee - Resolutions.MSC.48(66).