SOLAS Life Jacket

SOLAS stands for Safety of Life At Sea. These are high-standard life jackets approved for all types of vessels. Both adults and children can wear these jackets.

They save you by turning you on your back in just a few seconds. It is very useful even for people who are unconscious. The jacket turns the person with his face and nostrils outside water.

Different sizes and different styles are available in SOLAS life jackets. Their comfortable and compact design makes them easy-to-wear. They can be inflated manually, automatically, and orally.

They possess a good floating ability, but you can never fully rely on life jackets. Whistle and light are securely attached to the jacket to use in emergency conditions.

SOLAS life jackets mostly come in yellow, red, and orange colors to make you more visible in the water.

Figure 1: What is SOLAS Life Jacket

The main advantage of the SOLAS life jacket is that it provides the most buoyancy. It floats really well. Its excellent floatation enables you to turn on your back with your face outside water within seconds.

Whether you are traveling on water or enjoying some sports, SOLAS life jackets are a must-wear. They minimize the danger of drowning in case of any emergency. It increases the survival time as you need to consume less energy in floating on water.

Figure 2: Advantages of SOLAS Life Jacket

Another advantage of the SOLAS life jacket is that it protects you from fire. It doesn’t catch fire immediately and gives you a few seconds to move away from the fire area.

SOLAS life jackets are comfortable to wear so that you can swim easily with them. They are designed in such a way that you don’t get injured even if you jump from a height of 4.5m.

According to SOLAS requirements, life jackets must be provided to every person on board. The details are:

• In passenger ships, making flights of less than 24 hours, the number of children jackets must be equal to 2.5% of the total number of passengers.
• In a passenger ship, making the flight more than 24 hours, every child must have a life jacket.
• A sufficient number of life jackets must be provided to the staff on board.
• If the sizes are not appropriate for adult passengers, other safety devices must be provided to them.
• The jackets and safety devices must be placed in places that are easily accessible and properly indicated.

Figure 3: Requirements of SOLAS Life Jacket

• The jackets and safety equipment must not support the combustion process.
• These devices must be easy-to-wear.
• The jacket must be designed so that you can jump from a height of 4.5m without any injury.
• The jacket must have a firmly attached whistle to it.
• Children’s jackets must possess all the qualities the same as an adult’s jacket, but dressing assistance can be provided to them.
• Markings for height and weight range, symbols of “Child” and “Adult,” and other necessary information must be marked on the jacket.

Nothing is more important than human life. Safety can never be neglected while traveling in water. Before getting on board, the following inspections must be done.

• Before every boating season, check your life jackets.
• Make sure that all hardware and straps are in good shape. They are firmly attached and are in working order.
• Precisely check for leaks, mildew, lumpy or hardened buoyancy material, & oil saturation in the fabric.
• Make sure that there are no rips or tears in the jacket.
• Make sure that a sufficient number of jackets is available on the vessel.

For more details, click the link below:

Figure 4: How to Inspect SOLAS Life Jacket

There are two main types of life jackets on board, inflatable, and non-inflatable life jackets. The inflatable life jacket needs inflation for buoyancy.

It is automatically inflated when immersed in water. It can also be inflated manually. In both cases (automatically inflated or manually inflated), the backup oral inflation tube is present.

It is very important for you to know before wearing what type of jacket you have. So in case of any emergency, you can inflate your jacket accordingly.

Normally it consists of two different buoyancy compartments. The lifespan of an inflatable lifejacket is limited to ten years with proper servicing.

Figure 5: SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket

Safety is the most important thing while traveling on boats, ships, or any vessels. To ensure safety, there are certain requirements that must be fulfilled before getting on board.

The SOLAS requirements for inflatable life jackets include that the number of life jackets for adults and children is sufficient on the vessel.

The jackets are in proper working condition and are not damaged.

They are placed in an easily accessible place.

The jackets are properly marked with the height and weight range.

And a sufficient amount of jackets are available for the staff on board.

If the size is not appropriate for any passenger, there must be an alternate safety device for such a passenger.

Figure 6: Requirements of SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket

Life jackets or any other life safety devices are the first priority for boaters. Whether you are alone or with family, make sure that everyone has their life jacket with them.

To choose a perfect life jacket for you, always consider what you are comfortable in, your swimming abilities, and the water conditions. Always consider the following points:

• Check the label or stamp to confirm that the floating device is approved by some certifying organization.
• Choose the appropriate life jacket that is suitable for your need. For example, different inflatable jackets are used for operating PWC, going fishing, or doing water skiing.
• Make sure that the life jacket that you are choosing fits you well. The Jacket must be according to your size and weight.
• The jacket must not be very tight or loose. It shall be perfectly fitted but comfortable enough to provide freedom of movement.
• Choose a bright vibrant-colored life jacket so that it makes you visible from afar.
• If you are too weak or don’t know how to swim, these Inflatable Life Jackets are not recommended for you.

Figure 7: How to Choose a SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket

This is a jacket to be worn outside your clothes. Put it on and buckle it up neatly and comfortably so that it has room to inflate. Be careful while wearing it; sharp objects can harm it.

Figure 8: How does SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket Work?

There are two types of inflation mechanisms:

Manual-only Activation: You just need to pull the cord tab attached to this jacket to inflate the jacket when needed. In case you are unconscious, you need someone else to pull the cord.

Automatic Mechanism: It has both manual and automatic capabilities. It takes 4 – 7 minutes to inflate. That’s why these jackets are recommended for swimmers.

Some jackets contain a substance that dissolves quickly in water and inflates the jacket. Some life jackets inflate when the hydrostatic device is triggered by the water pressure.

Oral Inflation tubes: These are attached to all inflatable jackets. It provides you an alternative way to inflate your jacket and also helps to deflate the jacket.

If the temperature is freezing or below, it’s not recommended to wear inflatable life jackets because the CO2 cylinder may not function properly at this temperature.

Here’s a link to have a better idea of how does a SOLAS Inflatable life jacket work.

SOLAS life jackets are also available for children. The fitting of a child’s life jacket must be snug enough that the child must not slip out of it. But it should be comfortable so that the child doesn’t get irritated by wearing it.

The float collar of a child’s jacket is larger than an adult’s jacket.  This is to support the child’s head perfectly. Life jackets for infants (less than 50 pounds) must have a crotch strap to ensure the snug-fitting.

According to the SOLAS requirements, life jackets for children are as important as life jackets for adults.  They are properly marked with “Child” on them.

Figure 9: SOLAS life Jacket for Children

Here is a video for a better understanding of how to wear an inflatable life jacket.

It’s not difficult to put on the inflatable life jacket. The jackets are not complicatedly designed. Once you see the tutorial, it becomes easier to wear.

Children may wear the life jacket under proper guidance and help. The jackets must be worn while on board. Once you are in the water, it becomes really difficult to put on the inflatable life jacket.

Wear the jacket and tie safety harnesses neatly. It shouldn’t be tight or loose. It must be comfortable enough to give space to inflate.

Figure 10: Is SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket easy to wear?

The main advantage of an inflatable life jacket is that it inflates automatically when you are in the water. In case of an accident, you cannot pull the cord tab. You need another person to pull it. If there’s no one around, your life is in danger.

If you are conscious and your jacket doesn’t inflate automatically due to some disorder, you can inflate it orally.

It is so comfortable that you can wear it all the time on your trip.

Inflatable life jackets have more buoyancy than foam types.

Figure 11: Main Advantage of SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket

They are more visible when inflated. This enables the rescue teams to catch the victim earlier.

It inflates and turns you on your back faster than any other PFD. It is more useful if you are unconscious by putting your face up.

Yes, you can reuse your SOLAS inflatable life jackets. The point under consideration is that you handle it with care. It can easily be damaged or cut.

After using it, deflate your life jacket. Re-pack your jacket until the next use. In this way, your life jacket will remain safe, and you’ll be able to reuse it many times.

Here’s a video to show you how to deflate and re-pack your life jacket.

Regular service is needed for an inflatable life jacket. On the life jacket, an indicator is inserted. It is green in color; it turns red when service is needed.

Take good care of your inflatable life jacket, and you can reuse it for 10 years.

Figure 12: Can You Reuse Your SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket?

A SOLAS Inflatable life jacket can last for 10 years. Depending on how carefully you use it. It can be damaged easily. Protect it from rough areas. After usage, dry and clean it properly.

Be careful while cleaning; save it from cuts and scratches. After cleaning, deflate it and put it in its packing so that it remains safe from dust and scratches.

Proper servicing is needed almost after a year. Certified organizations provide services to life jackets. Make sure you get your jacket serviced when needed.

Proper handling and timely servicing can extend the life of a jacket. Save its life so that it can save yours.

Figure 13: How Long Does A SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket Last?

As inflation occurs in 4 – 7 minutes, so, it’s not recommended for non-swimmers. The SOLAS inflatable life jackets are not suitable for kids under 16 years.

In case of an emergency, if the life jacket malfunctions and doesn’t inflate, the life of children and non-swimmers is at high risk.

The life jackets are designed in such a way that even you are unconscious, they inflate and turn you on your back, keeping your face away from water. Though, the chance of malfunctioning can’t be ignored.

Life jackets help you to survive in water, but they are not a guarantee of survival. In rough water conditions, a non-swimmer won’t be able to handle the tides and roughness of the water.

Figure 14: Is SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket Recommended for Non-swimmers?

An inflatable life jacket requires more servicing than any other jacket. These jackets are suitable only when they inflate in water. So, a regular check for leaks is required. Inflate your jacket orally and leave it overnight. If it leaks, then you should replace it immediately.

The service is necessary because it will ensure your life jacket’s buckle, bladder, reflective tapes, and inflation system are not damaged or defective.

After a professional service, you get satisfied that your life jackets will perform as they should. Imagine yourself in the middle of the water and got to know that your jacket is punctured; what else would be more dangerous and risky than this.

So, get your jackets serviced regularly and check them before every usage.

Figure 15: Why a SOLAS Inflated Life Jacket Be Serviced?

Here’s a video to guide you to service your Inflatable life jacket.

It’s really important to get your life jackets serviced. They should always be put in a clean and dry place and must be thoroughly dried after every use.

A SOLAS life jacket must be serviced annually by a Manufacturer’s Authorised Service Station. If the jackets are more frequently used or used in extreme conditions, they must be serviced more frequently.

Figure 16: How to Service a SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket?

Before going fishing or boarding a ship, always make sure that you have tested your SOLAS inflatable life jacket (because you don’t want to know that it’s not functioning well at the time of need).

To test your inflatable life jacket, you need to follow certain steps:

• Put on your SOLAS inflatable life jacket and fasten all straps.
• Enter in the water up to your chest
• Bend your knees and let yourself float in the water
• Move around in the water as much as possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the device.
• Make sure that the inflatable life jacket keeps your chin above water and enables you to breathe easily.

By following all these steps, you will be able to test the size and functioning of your life jacket.

Figure 17: How to Test a SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket?

All SOLAS Inflatable life jackets have to be serviced annually at a Manufacturer Authorised Service Station, as per SOLAS III/20.8.

For example, all SOLAS certificated inflatable jackets on board a UK ship must be serviced at a UK Approved Service Station as the SOLAS requirement for servicing; and All SOLAS certificated inflatable jackets must be serviced at intervals not exceeding 12 months.

So, as per SOLAS requirement for servicing, SOLAS inflatable life jackets can only be serviced by the manufacturer’s authorized service providers.

Figure 18: Who can Service a SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket?

SOLAS inflatable life jacket manufacturers recommend that their products must be serviced annually by service stations that they have approved.

Depending on the usage or the conditions in which the jackets are used, you can get your jacket serviced even after 6 months.

There is no expiry date of life jackets. Though, with time and usage, life jackets lose their buoyancy. For this reason, maintain your life jacket well, service it annually, and use it according to the user’s manual guide.

SOLAS inflatable life jackets, when handled carefully, claims to work for almost 10 years. However, you must replace your jacket if:

• The seams on the shoulder, sides, or straps are worn out.
• There are tears on the straps.
• The clips of the jacket are broken.
• Buoyancy aid’s outer shell has cuts or torn.

Figure 19: How often should you Service/Replace A SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket?

It depends on the water conditions. If the temperature of the water is freezing, the jacket will not work properly in such conditions. Very high or low temperatures affect the performance of the device. However, it can keep you afloat for 3 days.

If you are a trained swimmer and know how to use an inflated life jacket, you can survive even for more days. We can’t give exact figures as some people are extremely buoyant.

If your jacket is in good working condition, it will last in water for quite a long time. However, you can never fully depend on the life jacket as it is just a device and can malfunction at any time.

So, for the safety of life, try not to stay in water for a long time, just in case there is some emergency.

Figure 20: How Long Does SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket Last in Water

SOLAS inflatable life jacket is a very effective device for the safety of life. They are getting popularised day by day because of their comfortable design and effective performance.

These keyhole-style jackets are easy to wear, and as they are lightweight, people are comfortable to wear if all day long.

According to recent research wearing life jackets by recreational boaters would increase their odds of surviving an accident by 80 percent. This proves its effectiveness.

These life jackets are easy to inflate, and they inflate automatically. They can also be manually inflated. Their vibrant color makes them visible from afar.

It turns you face-up immediately, even if you are unconscious. Its buoyancy is more than any other PFD. Therefore, it keeps the wearer’s face totally out of water.

There are some additional options added to it like leg straps, sprayhood, strobe light, etc. It is effective only when you have worn it properly. If you wear it just like a sweater without tying the straps, it will slip out of your body in water.

Figure 21: How Effective is a SOLAS Inflatable Life Jacket?

A SOLAS life vest is a popular life-saving device used by people on board a ship or going for any other activity in water. These are lightweight easy-to-wear life vests.

These are typically made of plastic foam such as polyvinyl chloride. The outer shell of the jacket is made up of nylon or vinyl material.

The turning-over capacity of a life vest is more than PFDs. It turns you on your back in a face-up position. It helps you to float on water.

With the help of a life vest, you don’t need to put a lot of effort and energy to swim towards a safe place.

These vests are not recommended for low-temperature waters. Moreover, in water activities like skiing or surfing, these jackets are not recommended.

Figure 22: What is a SOLAS Life Vest?

There are different important markings on the SOLAS life jacket as per SOLAS requirements. These are:

• Manufacturer’s name
• Serial number
• Date of manufacture
• Weight capacity
• “Front” word printed.
• “Adult” or “Child” printed.

Every SOLAS life jacket must have SOLAS reflective tape on it so that it can reflect in the night. In the day time, its vibrant colors make it visible from afar.

Figure 23: How is the SOLAS Life Jacket Marked?

The various specifications of a SOALS life jacket are:

• It must be comfortable to wear.
• It must be lightweight.
• It must allow the wearer to jump from at least 4.5m into the water without any injury.
• Jumping into the water must not cause any damage or dislodge to the life jacket.
• It must possess buoyancy, which is not reduced by more than 5% even after 24 hours of submersion in water.
• A whistle shall be fitted firmly to it.

Figure 24: What are the Specifications of SOLAS Life Jacket?

SOLAS life jackets are CE ISO certified.

The CE mark appears on many products showing that the manufacturer has checked that the products meet EU safety requirements.

ISO (International Organization of Standardization) assures the quality. It certifies that the manufacturing process, service, or documentation procedure is according to the requirements.

Each ISO certification is classified numerically and has separate standards. These certificates assure the quality of SOLAS life jackets.

According to SOLAS requirements, a life vest must be provided to every person on board. Following are the main requirements:

• Passenger ships must possess life jackets for every adult passenger as well as every child.
• Life vests for onboard ship staff must be provided.
• If the size of the vest doesn’t fit a passenger, make sure to facilitate him with some other safety device.
• The jackets and safety devices must be put in easy-to-reach places.
• The vests must have SOLAS retro-reflective tapes on them.
• All the vests on board the ship must be in good working conditions.

Figure 26: SOLAS Requirements for Life Vest

The price of a SOLAS life jacket in comparison to its utility and purpose is nothing. The fun you have with your family on a recreational water trip is just priceless. Most importantly, it saves your life, which is the most precious and important thing for us.

The price of a life jacket depends on the size you are buying. The prices may vary with the size of the jacket.

It also depends on the type of jacket you are interested in. An automatically inflatable life jacket costs more than a manually inflatable life jacket. Though these jackets are not much expensive as compared to their purpose.

Figure 27: What is the Price of SOLAS Life Jacket?

If we talk about the usage and utility of the product, the price doesn’t matter. There’s nothing more precious than a life.

However, the jackets that inflate automatically are a bit expensive than the ones that are inflated manually.

Depending on the size of the jacket, the price may vary. The flotation material of the life jacket is not much expensive. Extra money is put into the external material or construction.

Figure 28: What is the Cost of SOLAS Inflatable Life jackets?

The main purpose of a SOLAS life vest is to provide safety in the water. It keeps the wearer afloat while in water. This buoyancy of the life vest is strong enough to hold up additional weight without sinking.

It’s more effective when you are accidentally unconscious and unable to swim. It turns you on your back with your face upwards so that water can’t reach your face and interrupts breathing.

SOLAS life vests help you to keep floating, and you can swim to the nearest safe area without putting in a lot of energy.

Figure 29: Purpose of a SOLAS Life jacket

If you are stuck in some high place and are afraid to jump into the water, wear this jacket. Its purpose is to keep you safe when you jump into the water from a height of at least 4.5m from any kind of injury.

The material of the jacket is designed in such a way that it doesn’t catch fire immediately. Even if you are surrounded by fire, it will keep you safe for a few seconds so that you can run to a safer place.

There are a few differences between a SOLAS life jacket and a SOLAS inflatable life jacket. These are:

• An inflatable life jacket gets its buoyancy only when it’s inflated, whereas the foam life jacket gets it from closed-cell plastic foam.
• An inflatable life jacket is light-weighted when not in use, whereas a foam jacket is bulkier to wear.
• An inflatable life jacket expands to fill the volume, whereas a foam jacket can be arbitrarily shaped to fit.
• Inflatable life jackets are mostly used for emergency, as on an airplane. They occupy less space as compared to foam life jackets.
• An inflatable life jacket doesn’t interfere in routine movements, like eating, climbing ladders, or exiting a narrow doorway, whereas a foam life jacket makes normal movement difficult.
• An inflatable life jacket takes time to attain buoyancy, whereas a foam life jacket has inherent buoyancy. This is why inflatable life jackets are not recommended for non-swimmers and kids.