REMINDER New Infant Life Jacket SOLAS Required On PassengerShips
Posted by Erin under Marine Safety, U.S. Marine Safety Association
[3] CommentsEffective 1 July 2010, SOLAS requires infant jackets
for passenger ships. The text below is taken from the IMO MSC 80
June 2006 Report (see US Marine Safety Association web
site).CHAPTER IIILIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES AND ARRANGEMENTSRegulation
7 Personal life-saving appliances4 In paragraph 2.1, the following
new subparagraphs .1 and .2 are inserted:.1 for passenger ships on
voyages less than 24 h, a number of infant lifejackets equal to at
least 2.5% of the number of passengers on board shall be
provided;.2 for passenger ships on voyages 24 h or greater, infant
lifejackets shall be provided for each infant on board;and the
existing subparagraphs .1 and .2 are renumbered as subparagraphs .3
and .4. The word and is moved from the end of renumbered
subparagraph .3 to the end of renumbered subparagraph .4.A copy of
the applicable sections of the following IMO Resolutions may be
found on the USMSA web site within the IMO MSC Reports They are
annexed to the reports. MSC.200(80)-Adoption of Amendments to the
Revised Recommendation on Testing of Life-Saving Appliances:
MSC.201(80)-Amendments to the International Convention for Safety
of Life at Sea, 1974, as Amended, Chapter III, Life-Saving
Appliances and Arrangements; and MSC.207(81)-Adoption of Amendments
to the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code.From the
Testing code see MSC 80/24/Add.1 ANNEX 17Infant and child test
subjects 2.9.1 For child-size lifejackets, tests should be carried
out with at least 9 able-bodied persons, and for infant-size
lifejackets, tests should be carried out with at least 5
able-bodied persons. All test subjects should be selected according
to table 2.2 portable 2.3 as follows: .1 One subject should be
selected per each cell containing a .1.. .2 Remaining subjects
should be selected from cells containing an .X., without repeating
a cell. .3 At least 40% of the subjects should be male and at least
40% female. .4 Devices for infants should be tested on infants as
small as 6 kg mass. .5 A manikin or manikins may be substituted for
infant lifejacket test subjects if the manikin or manikins have
been demonstrated to provide representative results compared to
human subjects.Table 2.2 Selection of child test subjects Height
Weight range (kg) range (cm) 14-17 17-20 20-22 22-25 25-28 28-30
30-33 33-36 36-38 38-41 41-43 79-105 1 X 90-118 X 1 102-130 1 X
112-135 X 1 122-150 1 1 X 145-165 X 1 1 Table 2.3 Selection of
infant test subjects Height range Weight range (kg) (cm) Less than
11 11-14 14-17 Less than 83 1 X 79-105 X 1 1 90-118 X 2.9.2 When
conducting water performance tests under 2.8, infant and child-size
lifejackets should meet the following requirements for their
critical flotation stability characteristics: .1 Turning time: The
average turn time for all subjects in the candidate lifejacket
should not exceed the average time in the appropriate size RTD; .2
Freeboard: The average results for clearance of the mouth above the
water for all subjects should not be less than the average for the
appropriate size RTD; .3 Torso angle: The average of all subjects.
results should be not less than the average for the appropriate
size RTD minus 10; .4 Faceplane (head) angle: The average of all
subjects. results should be not less than the average for the
appropriate size RTD minus 10; and .5 Mobility: Mobility of the
subject both in and out of the water should be given consideration
in determining the acceptability of a device for approval and
should be compared to mobility when wearing the appropriate size
RTD when climbing out of the water, going up and down stairs,
picking up an article from the floor, and then drinking from a cup.
2.9.3 With the exception of reducing freeboard and self-righting
performance, therequirements for infant lifejackets may be relaxed
if necessary in order to: .1 contribute to 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 the evacuation; and .5 allow
a caretaker to monitor and control heat loss by the infant
Infant is a child of less than three year old Life jacket to
suit children of weight less than 15 kg and height less than 1oo
cm
Life Boats and Liferafts are provided in ships as a means of
life saving in case of emergency. The number of lifeboats and
liferafts provided is calculated on the basis of carrying capacity
of these life saving appliances and the number of ships crew. The
life saving appliances are to be surveyed periodically as per the
regulations to ensure seaworthiness. Safety awareness posters on
procedures to launch life boats and liferafts are prominently
displayed in ships. Easy access/approach to these appliances is
necessary to use these life saving appliances without any time
delay. Drills on using life saving appliances are to be conducted
periodically to ensure ships crew are confident to use these
appliances in case of emergency.1.Six easy steps to launch an open
life boat are given below which are self explanatory.
2.Six easy steps to launch a enclosed life boat are given below
which are self explanatory.
3.Five easy steps to launch a liferaft are given below which are
self explanatory.
4.Six important activities required after launching
liferaft.
LR: Carrying Capacity of Liferafts Adjustedon 12 December 2011.
According to Lloyds Register (LR), amendments to Chapter IV of the
International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code, introduce an
increased assumed mass of occupants for the approval of
liferafts.From Jan. 1, 2012, all inflatable and rigid liferafts
should be constructed on the basis of an average person mass of
occupants of 82.5kg (increased from 75kg).Lloyds Registers
interpretation of the impact of this change on ships is as follows:
All ships constructed (having their keel laid) on or after Jan. 1,
2012, should carry liferafts approved on the basis of an average
person mass of occupants of 82.5kg. The safe working load (SWL) of
any davits used for launching these liferafts should be adequate
for their fully laden weight.All ships constructed before January
1, 2012, may continue to use liferafts approved on the basis of an
average person mass of occupants of 75kg. It is acceptable for 75kg
liferafts on these vessels to be exchanged at service intervals
with 82.5kg liferafts and vice versa at a subsequent service. It is
also acceptable for these vessels to have both 75kg and 82.5kg
liferafts onboard at the same time.On passenger ships constructed
before January 1, 2012, Circular MSC.1/Circ. 1347 permits the
determination of the required SWL of a liferaft launching appliance
to continue to be based on an assumed occupant mass of 75kg, even
though the liferaft has been tested to a higher weight standard.
The installation and periodic lowering test" should also continue
to be based on an assumed occupant mass of 75kg.The amendments were
adopted at the 87th session of the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC
87) through Resolution MSC.293(87).