(a) Specification. The following specification of the issue in effect on the date unicellular plastic foam work vests are manufactured, form a part of this subpart:

(1) Military specification: MIL-L-17653A—Life Preserver, Vest, Work Type, Unicellular Plastic.

(2) [Reserved]

(b) Copies on file. Copies of the specification referred to in this section, as well as the various specifications forming a part thereof, shall be kept on file by the manufacturer, together with the certificate of approval. They shall be kept for a period consisting of the duration of approval and 6 months after termination of approval. Federal specifications may be purchased from the General Services Administration, Federal Acquisition Service, Office of the FAS Commissioner, 2200 Crystal Drive, 11th Floor, Arlington, VA 22202, 703-605-5400. Military specifications may be obtained from the Military Specifications and Standards, Standardization Documents Order Desk, Building 4D, 700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, https://assist.daps.dla.mil/quicksearch/.

[CGFR 59-22, 24 FR 4961, June 18, 1959, as amended by CGFR 65-16, 30 FR 10899, Aug. 21, 1965; CGD 72-163, 38 FR 8120, Mar. 28, 1973; CGD 78-012, 43 FR 27154, June 22, 1978; CGD 95-028, 62 FR 51215, Sept. 30, 1997; USCG-2013-0671, 78 FR 60157, Sept. 30, 2013]

(a) Unicellular plastic foam work vests specified by this subpart shall be of the type described in Military Specification MIL-L-17653A, but alternate designs equivalent in materials, construction, performance, and workmanship will be given consideration.

(b) [Reserved]

(a) General. Except as otherwise specifically provided by this subpart and subparts 164.019 and 164.023 of this chapter, the materials, construction, and workmanship of unicellular plastic foam work vests specified by this subpart shall conform to the requirements of Military Specification MIL-L-17653A.

(b) Color of envelope. Indian Orange, Cable No. 70072, Standard Color Card of America, will be acceptable in lieu of the Scarlet-Munsell 7.5 red 6/10 color specified for envelopes or covers by paragraph 3.1.1.1 of Specification MIL-L-17653A.

(c) Color of webbing and thread. The color of the webbing and thread need not match the color of the envelope as specified by paragraphs 3.1.3 and 3.2.8 of Specification MIL-L-17653A.

(d) Materials; acceptance and quality. All components used in the construction of work vests must meet the applicable requirements of subpart 164.019 of this chapter.

[CGspan 59-22, 24 span 4961, June 18, 1959, as amended by CGD 84-068, 58 span 29493, May 20, 1993]

(a) General. Work vests are not inspected at regularly scheduled factory inspections; however, the Commander of the Coast Guard District may detail a marine inspector at any time to visit any place where work vests are manufactured to observe production methods and to conduct any inspections or tests which may be deemed advisable. The marine inspector shall be admitted to any place in the factory where work is done on work vests or component materials, and samples of materials entering into construction may be taken by the marine inspector and tests made for compliance with the applicable requirements.

(b) Manufacturer's inspections and tests. Manufacturers of approved work vests shall maintain quality control of the materials used, manufacturing methods, workmanship, and the finished product so as to meet the requirements of this specification, and shall make full inspections and tests of representative samples from each lot to maintain the quality of their product.

(c) Lot size. A lot shall consist of not more than 500 work vests manufactured at the same time. Lots shall be numbered serially by the manufacturer, and if at any time during the manufacture of a lot, any change or modification in materials or production methods is made, a new lot shall be started.

(d) Test facilities. The manufacturer shall provide a suitable place and shall have on hand the necessary apparatus for conducting buoyancy tests in compliance with this specification. The apparatus shall include accurate spring scales of adequate capacity, weighted wire mesh baskets, and a test tank or tanks which can be locked or sealed in such a manner as to preclude disturbance of work vests undergoing tests or change in water level.

(e) Buoyancy—(1) Buoyancy test method. Remove the buoyant inserts from the vest. Securely attach the spring scale in a position directly over the test tank. Suspend the weighted wire basket from the scale in such a manner that the basket can be weighed while it is completely under water. In order to measure the actual buoyancy provided by the inserts, the underwater weight of the empty basket should exceed the buoyancy of the inserts. To obtain the buoyancy of the inserts, proceed as follows:

(i) Weigh the empty wire basket under water.

(ii) Place the inserts inside the basket and submerge it so that the top of the basket is at least 2 inches below the surface of the water. Allow the inserts to remain submerged for 24 hours. The tank shall be locked or sealed during this 24-hour submergence period.

(iii) After the 24-hour submergence period, unlock the tank and weigh the wire basket with the inserts inside while both are still under water.

(iv) The buoyancy is computed as paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section minus paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this section.

(2) Buoyancy required. The buoyant inserts from work vests shall provide not less than 17 1/2 pounds buoyancy in fresh water.

(a) Each work vest must have the following information clearly printed in waterproof lettering that can be read at a distance of 2 feet:

Inspected and tested in accordance with U.S. Coast Guard regulations. (Name of buoyant material) buoyant material provides a minimum buoyant force of 17 1/2 lbs. Approved for use on Merchant Vessels as a work vest. U.S. Coast Guard Approval No. 160.053/(assigned manufacturer's No.)/(Revision No.); (Model No.). (Name and address of manufacturer or distributor.) (Lot No.) This vest is filled with (name of buoyant material), which will not be harmed by repeated wetting. Hang up and dry thoroughly when vest is wet.

(b) Additional marking required. In addition to the wording included on the marking tag, on a front compartment of each work vest there shall be stenciled in waterproof ink in letters not less than one inch in height, the words, “WORK VEST ONLY.”

(c) Waterproofness of marking tags. Marking tags shall be sufficiently waterproof so that after 48 hours submergence in water, they will withstand rubbing by hand with moderate pressure while wet without the printed matter becoming illegible.

[CGspan 59-22, 24 span 4961, June 18, 1959, as amended by CGD 72-163R, 38 span 8121, Mar. 28, 1973; CGD 75-008, 43 span 9771, Mar. 9, 1978; USCG-2013-0263, 79 span 56499, Sept. 22, 2014]

(a) General. Work vests for use on merchant vessels are approved only by the Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard. Manufacturers seeking approval of a work vest shall follow the procedures of this section and subpart 159.005 of this chapter.

(b) If the work vest is of a standard design, as described by § 160.053-3, in order to be approved, the work vest must be tested in accordance with § 160.053-4 by an independent laboratory accepted by the Coast Guard under 46 CFR 159.010.

(c) If the work vest is of a non-standard design, the application must include the following:

(1) Plans and specifications containing the information required by § 159.005-12 of this chapter, including drawings, product description, construction specifications, and bill of materials.

(2) The information specified in § 159.005-5(a)(2) (i) through (iii) of this chapter, except that, if preapproval review has been waived, the manufacturer is not required to send a prototype work vest sample to the Commandant.

(3) Performance testing results of the design performed by an independent laboratory, that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coast Guard under § 159.010-7 of this subchapter covering the in-water testing of personal flotation devices, showing equivalence to the standard design's performance in all material respects.

(4) Any special purpose(s) for which the work vest is designed and the vessel(s) or vessel type(s) on which its use is intended.

(5) Buoyancy and other relevant tolerances to be complied with during production.

(6) The text of any optional marking to be included on the work vest in addition to the markings required by § 160.053.

[CGD 95-028, 62 FR 51215, Sept. 30, 1997]