Navigation and Seamanship

5.2.4. Life jackets

Every lifejacket shall

a) be constructed with any approved buoyant material (shall have buoyancy which is not reduced by more than 5% after 24h immersion in fresh water).

b) be correctly wear it within one minute by the person himself ( At least 75% of persons, who are completely unfamiliar with the lifejacket, shall correctly wear it within a period of one minute without assistance, guidance or prior demonstration) .

c) be comfortable to wear

d) be of highly visible and bright colour(red/orange/bright yellow).

e) not be sustain burning or continue melting after being totally enveloped in a fire for a period of 2 seconds.

f) be fitted with a ring or loop to facilitate rescue.

g) allow the wearer to jump from a height of at least 4.5 m into the water without injury and without dislodging or damaging the lifejacket.

h) lift the mouth of an exhausted or unconscious person not less than 120 mm clear of the water with the body inclined backwards at an angle of not less than 20° from the vertical position

i) turn the body of an unconscious person from any position to a comfortable floating position within five seconds.

j) be fitted with a plastic whistle firmly secured by a cord

k) be affixed with retro reflective tapes on both front and back side.

l) be two types of life jackets, one for adults, and the other for children and which are marked accordingly(ADULT or CHILD).

m) allow the person wearing it to swim a short distance and to board a survival craft.

n) be fitted with a fixed or flashing light (at least 50 flashes per min) which burns for at least 8 hours.( with a manually operated switch)

Wear the life jacket before you get into water, because it is impossible to wear a lifejacket while floating in water. Also the life jacket acts as insulator in preventing loss of body heat.