The technology behind the design, manufacture and testing of lifejackets and personal flotation devices has come a long way from the days of cork and kapok. Historically it wasn't always practical for bulky lifejackets to be worn when range of motion was required, but the new designs have freed individuals to choose the flotation and thermal protection that's right for them and which can be worn all the time.
Research into materials, flotation characteristics, freeboard, self-righting ability, inflatable CO2 canisters, cold water immersion etc, have all contributed to the many improvements in performance and protection offered by modern lifejackets and PFDs. Specific design and quality control standards are met and maintained by manufacturers and tested by independant laboratories before approval is given by regulatory authorities. Dependability, durability and design excellence are hallmarks of the industry that produces vital equipment for saving lives.
Variety of choices
Checklist for choosing a lifejacket
• Make a commitment to choose a lifejacket that you will wear - all the time
• Decide whether you want a PFD (Personal Flotation Device) or the extra protection of a lifejacket or survival suit (see Lifejacket or PFD)
- buoyancy
- turning ability
- thermal protection
- reflector visibility
• Consider your type of boating activity (*)
- large vessel (with cabins) or open small boat (under 6m/20ft)
- open water (ocean, great lakes)
- near shore (small lakes, ponds, calm river)
- fast water (white water or flood conditions)
(*) you may need more than one device for different situations
• What mobility do you require?
- choose the device you will wear at all times
- canoeing, kayak-vesting, yacht racing
- fishing, hunting
- working, extended period in boat
• Are you choosing a personal vest or boat equipment?
- keep and care for your PFD as personal gear, wear it!
- have extras for guests in a range of sizes (children too)
- have additional lifejackets on board to supplement in the event of storm or abandonment
• Fit & features
- comfort (there is a PFD out there that will look and feel great on you - shop around!)
- lift test (lift by the shoulders), jump test (in water controlled conditions)
- must be snug and not ride up
- do not buy a size for a child to "grow into" it must fit now
- try your PFD in the water before an emergency, swim float and play
- handle and crotch strap recommended for children
- consider dual purpose as clothing for cooler weather
• Time of year
- ventilation (mesh and breathable fabrics)
- thermal protection for cold air and water
- dual purpose as clothing
• Check for approval label
- Transports Canada
- Coast Guard
• Investment as insurance
- buy the best, most comfortable
- with proper care it can last for years
• Inflatables
- great devices for protection comfort and mobility
- must be tested and maintained
• More to think about when selecting a lifejacket or PFD
Lifejacket or PFD?
Do I need a Lifejacket or a PFD?
The terms lifejacket, life vest, pfd, personal flotation device, life belt, are often used interchangeably.
But there are important differences between a lifejacket and a PFD.
In very simple terms a Lifejacket is an approved device that will float someone with their head well out of the water but also has the ability to turn that person onto their back with their face up even if they are unconscious. A PFD or Personal Flotation Device provides sufficient flotation to keep a person afloat at the surface, but is not self-righting. Because of the extra flotation material required and the positioning of it on the chest a lifejacket tends to be bulkier than a PFD. See below for more detailed information about the classification and charactaristics of lifejackets and PFD's.
In the U.S.A. the Coast Guard has a different system of classification and approvals. They refer to all approved devices as Personal Flotation Devices and they are divided into 5 Types. Types I and II are what we recognize as lifejackets (with turning ability and more flotation), the Type III's encompass a range of vest type personal flotation devices (less flotation - no turning ability), the Type IV's are throwing devices and includes floating seat cushions and the Type V's are special devices for specific purposes and include collar and pouch inflatables.
How to fit
The following information is courtesy of the PFDMA (Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association) from their brochure "Facts about Life Jackets."
Trying your lifejacket
Try on your lifejacket to see if it fits snugly. Then test it in shallow water to see how it performs.
To check your lifejacket's buoyancy, relax your body and tilt your head back. Make sure your lifejacket keeps your chin above water and you can breathe easily.
Be aware that your lifejacket may not act the same in swift or rough water as in calm water. Clothing and items in your pockets may also affect how your lifejacket works.
If your mouth is not well above the water, you need a lifejacket with more buoyancy. Older foam lifejackets may lose buoyancy and may have to be replaced.
Lifejackets should not ride up on the body in the water. If a wearer's stomach is larger than the chest, however, ride-up may occur. Before use, test your lifejacket to be sure that excessive ride-up does not impair its performance.
Children's lifejackets
The U.S. Coast Guard (Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada) and lifejacket manufacturers recommend immediate in-water testing of children's lifejackets on the intended user. Children often panic when they fall into the water. While a lifejacket will keep a child afloat, it may not keep a struggling child face- up. Violent movement can counteract a lifejacket's performance; therefore, it is important to teach children how to wear a lifejacket and how to relax their arms and legs in the water.
Check your child's lifejacket for proper fit. To work correctly, a lifejacket must fit snugly. To check fit, pick the child up by the shoulders of the lifejacket. If the lifejacket fits, the child's chin and ears will not slip through. Check the lifejacket label to ensure it matches your child's weight.
Life jackets are not babysitters. Even if a child wears a lifejacket when on or near the water. an adult must always be present. Never use inflatable toys or rafts in place of lifejackets.
Click for more information...
• A few words on lifejackets and personal flotation devices in Canada (Finding the Right Flotation Device for Your Child) Transport Canada - Office of Boating Safety
Inflatable lifejackets
The following information is courtesy of the PFDMA (Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association) from their brochure "Facts about Life Jackets."
Inflatable lifejackets rely on inflatable chambers that provide buoyancy when inflated. Uninflated, inflatable lifejackets are less bulky than inherently buoyant lifejackets. Inflatables come in a variety of U.S. Coast Guard (Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada) defined performance types. The specific type of lifejacket is determined by characteristics such as its amount of buoyancy, its in-water performance and its type of inflation mechanism. To understand the details of your lifejackets, read the lifejacket label and owner's manual, and consult your dealer if necessary.
All Inflatables:
Contain a backup oral inflation tube (which also serves as the deflation tube) Advantages of Inflatables
• High visibility when inflated
• Turns most wearers face-up faster than traditional lifejackets
• Will usually keep unconscious users face-up
• May be more comfortable than inherently buoyant lifejackets
• Superior in-water performance
Disadvantage of Inflatables
• Some require multiple steps to deploy
• Not suitable for nonswimmers because they cannot accomplish oral inflation if needed
• Not approved for children under 16 years of age
• Not appropriate for activities that involve frequent water entry or high-speed boating activities (e.g., personal watercraft use, racing, sailboarding, whitewater rafting)
• Require frequent inspection and maintenance
Maintain inflatable lifejackets
Check your inflatable lifejacket -including the buoyancy cell and inflation system- at least every 2 months, in addition to the following:
1. If the lifejacket does not have cylinder seal indication, remove the cylinder, and check for punctures and rust.
2. Check all components for dirt or corrosion.
3. Check the mouth inflation valve.
4. Store in a cool dry place.
5. Replace the bobbin on an automatic model every 12 months, unless specified otherwise.
Click for more information...
• A few words on lifejackets and personal flotation devices in Canada (Finding the Right
Flotation Device for Your Child) Transport Canada - Office of Boating Safety
Maintenance
Caring for your lifejacket
The following information is courtesy of the PFDMA (Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association) from their brochure "Facts about Life Jackets."
Follow these tips to keep your lifejacket in good condition:
1. Don't alter your lifejacket. If yours doesn't fit, get one that does. An altered lifejacket is no longer U.S. Coast Guard (Canadian Coast Guard, Transport Canada) approved and may not save your life.
2. Don't put heavy objects on your lifejacket or use it for a kneeling pad or boat fender. Lifejackets lose buoyancy when crushed.
3. Let your lifejacket drip dry thoroughly before putting it away. Always stow it in a well-ventilated place,
4. Don't leave your lifejacket on board for long periods when the boat is not in use.
5. Never dry your life jacket on a radiator, heater or any other direct heat source.
6. Put your name on your lifejacket if you're the only one who wears it.
Checking your lifejacket
Test each lifejacket at the start of the season. The law says your lifejackets must be in good shape before you use your boat. Cut up and throw away any lifejackets in poor shape.
Check your lifejacket often for rips, tears and holes and ensure that seams, fabric straps and hardware are okay. Give the belts and tie tapes a quick, hard pull to make sure they are secure.
You should find no signs of waterlogging. mildew odor or shrinkage of the buoyant materials.
Fading material could indicate loss of strength. A weathered lifejacket might tear more easily, and lose flotation material. Store your lifejacket in a dry, cool, dark place. If the color of your lifejacket is fading, check its strength or replace it.
Maintain inflatable lifejackets
Check your inflatable lifejacket -including the buoyancy cell and inflation system- at least every 2 months, in addition to the following:
1. If the lifejacket does not have cylinder seal indication, remove the cylinder, and check for punctures and rust.
2. Check all components for dirt or corrosion.
3. Check the mouth inflation valve.
4. Store in a cool dry place.
5. Replace the bobbin on an automatic model every 12 months, unless specified otherwise.
Lifejacket Manufacturers
There are many manufacturers of lifejackets, PFDs and immersion suits. Some specialize in PFDs for certain activities such as paddling or yachting, others are concentrating on working gear for professional mariners, but most have a full range of lifesaving products.
The PFDMA (Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association) has member manufacturing companies from all over North America and it is a division supported by the NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association).
Lifejacket manufacturers work on research and development of new products to specific standards set (in Canada) by the Canadian General Standards Board. In their design and manufacturing process they utilize their own testing faculties and the Underwriters Laboratories (of Canada) to ensure compliance with design and construction standards. After final testing by ULC, lifejackets and PFDs are approved by Transport Canada and the manufacturers can place the official approval label on their products.
It is important to note that because of recent changes in federal department organization many PFDs still bear approval labels of the Canadian Coast Guard. These are legal and acceptable under the regulations as long as they are still in fully serviceable condition.
• Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association
Recent innovations
History
Three requirements -visibility, high flotation and self-righting ability- have produced the traditional lifejacket design. Effective for emergency situations off-shore, the amount of flotation material required and where it is placed on the body to turn and keep a face out of the water means that it tends to be bulky.
Generally these devices were intended for large ships or boats where there it was considered there would be some advance warning of the need to "don lifejackets" and enter small lifeboats or survival rafts in the event of imminent capsize, sinking or a fire onboard the vessel. Storm conditions where someone might be swept overboard or work situations outside of railings, cabins and such other safety measures are also situations where lifejackets historically were recognized as needing to be worn. These traditional lifejackets were sufficiently bulky that it was not considered practical for passengers or crew to wear them all the time.
More recently it was recognized that on inland waters, boaters in small vessels faced a different set of conditions. Many people were drowning after a simple fall overboard or sudden capsize of a boat.
Regardless of good swimming ability, and even in calm conditions close to shore, victims who found themselves in the water unexpectedly were drowning in the first seconds and minutes after immersion. Those who studied the causes and contributing factors of these incidents concluded that a new approach to lifejackets was needed. These boaters required comfortable flotation protection that could reasonably be worn at all times. Thus, the personal flotation device (PFD) was created and eventually approved for use under certain conditions.
In Canada the Canada Shipping Act evolved to set out the standards for the carriage of safety and lifesaving equipment and the Coast Guard was traditionally responsible for these regulations. Transport Canada and the Canadian General Standards Board set the design requirements, approve lifejackets and as of 2004, Transport Canada is the federal department responsible for the approval and regulation of all lifejackets and personal flotation devices.
Standards
In Canada the standards to which approved flotation devices (including lifejackets, PFDs and survival immersion suits) are made, are established, maintained, and occasionally amended by the Canadian General Standard Board. The Standard is a highly detailed document that specifies exact design requirements for the different classes of lifejackets and the choices of approved components that manufacturers must use. The Underwriters Laboratories of Canada test the manufactured product before it can be approved by Transport Canada.
Testing
Development and testing of lifejackets and PFDs is carried out by a number of private research facilities for designers and manufacturers.
Testing to the official Standard (which in Canada is set by the Canadian General Standards Board) is done by only one facility, the Underwriters Laboratories of Canada.
They test for the durability, flammability and ripstop of materials, the flotation characteristics of each design (including flotation angle and freeboard,) strength of seams, buckles, zippers, the CO2 mechanism of inflatables, and many other aspects of design and function.
Manufacturers also use test facilities in the development of new products for new patents and also to adapt for international standards for export.
Labels
Approved devices that fulfil the legal requirement for lifejackets and PFD's carry an approval label permanently affixed to the device.
In Canada, design and manufacture are tested by the independent Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC) before being approved by Transport Canada, a department of the federal government. Until recently approvals were also given by the Canadian Coast Guard. Many current lifejackets and PFD's carry this Coast Guard approved label and are legal as long as they are in good serviceable condition and fit the person who would be wearing them.
Flotation seat cushions are not longer approved.
For more detailed information contained within this site on approvals, testing and regulations.
IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO READ THE LABEL & TAGS THAT COME WITH YOUR LIFEJACKET.
SOME PFDs ARE NOT APPROVED FOR CERTAIN ACTIVITIES.
SIZE AND WEIGHT CHARACTERISTICS ARE VITAL.