Life saving appliance code
Chapter II: Personal life-Saving Appliances
2.1 Lifebuoys
2.1.1 Lifebuoy specification
- Every lifebuoy must have an outer diameter of no more than 800 mm and an inner diameter of not less than 400 mm,
- It must be made of inherently buoyant material and should not rely on rushes, cork shavings, granulated cork, loose granulated material, or any air compartment that requires inflation for buoyancy.
- The material must support at least 14.5 kg of iron in fresh water for 24 hours. a period of 24 hours.
- The mass should be at least 2.5 kg
- The material must not continue to burn or melt after being fully engulfed in flames for 2 seconds.
- It must be able to withstand being dropped into the water from the height at which it is stored above the waterline in its lightest seagoing condition, or 30 meters, whichever is greater, without impairing its operating capacity or that of its attached components.
- If the quick-release arrangement is intended to operate the self-activated smokes signals and self-igniting lights must have a mass of at least 4 kg.
- Ensure that the buoy is equipped with a grab line that is at least 9.5 mm in diameter and at least 4 times the outside diameter of the buoy in length. The grab line should be fastened at four equally spaced points around the buoys’s circumference to create four equal loops.
