Lifejackets, immersion suits and personal life-saving appliances
Inspection of lifejackets, immersion suits, lifebuoys and their lights, air pressure testing of suits and replacement of pyrotechnics before they expire.
Personal life-saving equipment ages quietly. Light batteries go out of date, retro-reflective tape peels off, zips stiffen and seams open. None of this shows until someone needs the equipment or an inspector opens the locker.
A careful inspection now, with clear recommendations on what needs replacing, prevents both.
Scope
Buoyancy, straps, buckles, whistle, light and battery date, retro-reflective tape and markings. Inflatable lifejackets are serviced every year at an approved station.
Visual and functional checks of zips, seals, gloves and lights; air pressure testing of seams and closures when due.
Self-igniting lights, smoke signals, buoyant lifelines and attachments are checked; expired lights and signals are replaced.
Rocket parachute flares, hand flares, buoyant smoke signals and line-throwing rockets are replaced before they expire; old ones are landed for proper disposal.
Quantities are checked against your crew list and ship type, so the numbers match the safety plan.
Intervals
| Equipment / task | Interval | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Inflatable lifejackets | 12 months | SOLAS III/20.8 |
| Immersion suit air pressure test | 3 years; more often for suits over 10 years old | MSC/Circ.1114 |
| Monthly inspection of suits by the crew | Monthly | MSC/Circ.1047 |
| Pyrotechnics and lifebuoy lights | According to expiry date | LSA Code, manufacturer |
What you receive
- Certificates per equipment type, with serial numbers
- Replacement list with expiry dates
- Photos and clear notes for every unit that fails inspection, together with a repair quotation
Applicable rules
- SOLAS III/7
- SOLAS III/20
- LSA Code chapters II and III
- MSC/Circ.1047
- MSC/Circ.1114
- Res. A.658(16)