(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard has amended the approval requirements and follow-up program requirements for life jackets by incorporating new standards to replace existing legacy standards. The Coast Guard has further amended life jacket and personal flotation device (PFD) carriage requirements to allow for the use of equipment approved to the new standards and removes obsolete equipment approval requirements.
The amendments streamline the process for the approval of PFDs and allow manufacturers the opportunity to produce innovative equipment that complies with standards in both Canada and the United States. Manufacturing firms also stand to benefit through a reduced production-inspections burden.
With this rulemaking (Docket No. USCG-2022-0120), the Coast Guard is incorporating the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards ANSI/CAN/UL 12402-5 for Level 50 and Level 70 personal flotation devices (PFDs), ANSI/CAN/UL 12402-4 for Level 100 PFDs, and ANSI/CAN/UL 9595 for quality assurance.
In addition, the Coast Guard is incorporating the ANSI/UL 1123 and ANSI/UL 1175 standards for marine buoyant devices and inherently buoyant and inflatable throwable PFDs, respectively.
The rule is effective on Jan. 6, 2025. When the rule becomes effective, manufacturers of Coast Guard-approved life jackets and PFDs will be able to seek Coast Guard approval of Level 50 and Level 70 buoyancy aids (approval series 160.264 and 160.276) and Level 100 life jackets (approval series 160.255). Because the incorporated standards are adopted in the U.S. and Canada, these devices meet carriage requirements in both the U.S. and Canada.
The rule does not affect currently approved equipment. Manufacturers may continue to manufacture all approved PFDs in accordance with their follow-up program. PFDs under approval series 160.055, 160.064, 160.076 and 160.077 may continue to be manufactured, sold and used to meet carriage requirements. However, no new approvals will be issued under these approval series.
– U.S. Coast Guard
