(a) Specifications and Standards. This subpart makes reference to the following documents:

(1) [Reserved]

(2) Military Specification:

MIL-W-530F-Webbing, Textile, Cotton, General Purpose, Natural or in Colors.

(3) Federal Standards:

No. 191-Textile Test Methods. No. 751A-Stitches, Seams, and Stitchings.

(4) Coast Guard Specification:

164.013—Foam, Unicellular Polyethylene (Buoyant, Slab, Slitted Trigonal Pattern)

(b) Plans. The following plans, of the issue in effect on the date buoyant vests are manufacture, form a part of this subpart:

Dwg. No. 160.060-1: Sheet 1—Cutting Pattern and General Arrangement, Model AY. Sheet 2—Cutting Pattern and General Arrangement, Model CYM. Sheet 3—Cutting Pattern and General Arrangement, Model CYS. Sheet 4—Insert Pattern, Model AY. Sheet 5—Insert Pattern, Model CYM. Sheet 6—Insert Pattern, Model CYS.

(c) Copies on file. Copies of the specifications and plans referred to in this section shall be kept on file by the manufacturer together with the Certificate of Approval.

(1) The Coast Guard plans and specifications may be obtained upon request from the Commandant (CG-ENG), Attn: Office of Design and Engineering Systems, U.S. Coast Guard Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20593-7509 or a recognized laboratory listed in § 160.060-8b.

(2) The Federal Specifications and Standard may be purchased from the Business Service Center, General Services Administration, Washington, DC 20407.

(3) The Military Specification 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 65-37, 30 FR 11590, Sept. 10, 1965, as amended by CGD 72-90R, 37 FR 10839, May 31, 1972; CGD 78-012, 43 FR 27153, 27154, June 22, 1978; CGD 82-063b, 48 FR 4782, Feb. 3, 1983; CGD 88-070, 53 FR 34536, Sept. 7, 1988; CGD 95-072, 60 FR 50467, Sept. 29, 1995; CGD 96-041, 61 FR 50733, Sept. 27, 1996; USCG-2009-0702, 74 FR 49237, Sept. 25, 2009; USCG-2013-0671, 78 FR 60158, Sept. 30, 2013]

Each buoyant vest specified in this subpart is a:

(a) Standard:

(1) Model AY, adult (for persons weighing over 90 pounds); or

(2) Model CYM, child, medium (for children weighing from 50 to 90 pounds); or

(3) Model CYS, child, small (for children weighing less than 50 pounds); or

(b) Nonstandard:

(1) Model, 1 adult (for persons weighing over 90 pounds);

1 A model designation for a nonstandard vest is to be assigned by the individual manufactured and must be different from any standard vest.

(2) Model, 1 child, medium (for persons weighing from 50 to 90 pounds) or

(3) Model, 1 child, small (for persons weighing less than 50 pounds).

[CGD 72-163R, 38 FR 8122, Mar. 28, 1973]

(a) General. All components used in the construction of buoyant vests must meet the applicable requirements of subpart 164.019 of this chapter. The requirements for materials specified in this section are minimum requirements, and consideration will be given to the use of alternate materials in lieu of those specified. Detailed technical data and samples of all proposed alternate materials must be submitted for approval before those materials are incorporated in the finished product.

(b) Unicellular polyethylene foam. The unicellular polyethylene foam shall be all new material complying with specification subpart 164.013 of this subchapter.

(c) Envelope. The buoyant vest envelope, or cover, shall be made from 39″, 2.85 cotton jeans cloth, with a thread count of approximately 96 × 64. The finished goods shall weigh not less than 4.2 ounces per square yard, shall have thread count of not less than 94 × 60, and shall have a breaking strength of not less than 85 pounds in the warp and 50 pounds in the filling. Other cotton fabrics having a weight and breaking strength not less than the above will be acceptable. There are no restrictions as to color, but the fastness of the color to laundering, water, crocking, and light shall be rated “good” when tested in accordance with Federal Test Method Standard No. 191, Methods 5610, 5630, 5650, and 5660.

(d) Tie tapes and body strap loops. The tie tapes and body strap loops for both adult and child sizes must be 3/4-inch cotton webbing meeting the requirements of military specification MIL-T-43566 (Class I) for Type I webbing.

(d-1) Body straps. The complete body strap assembly including hardware, must have a minimum breaking strength of 150 pounds for an adult size and 115 pounds for a child size. The specifications for the webbing are as follows:

(1) For an adult size vest, the webbing must be 1 inch.

(2) For a child size vest, the webbing must be three-quarter inch and meet military specification MIL-W-530 for Type IIa webbing.

(e) [Reserved]

(f) Thread. Each thread must meet the requirements of subpart 164.023 of this chapter. Only one kind of thread may be used in each seam.

[CGspan 65-37, 30 span 11590, Sept. 10, 1965, as amended by CGD 72-90R, 37 span 10839, May 31, 1972; CGD 72-163R, 38 span 8122, Mar. 28, 1973; CGD 73-130R, 39 span 20684, June 13, 1974; CGD 78-012, 43 span 27154, June 22, 1978; CGD 82-063b, 48 span 4782, Feb. 3, 1983; CGD 88-070, 53 span 34536, Sept. 7, 1988; CGD 84-068, 58 span 29494, May 20, 1993]

(a) Specifications. Dee ring and snap hook assemblies and other instruments of closure for buoyant vests may have decorative platings in any thickness and must meet the following specifications:

(1) The device must be constructed of inherently corrosion resistant materials. As used in this section the term inherently corrosion resistant materials includes, but is not limited to, brass, bronze, and stainless steel.

(2) The size of the opening of the device must be consistent with the webbing which will pass through the opening.

(b) Testing requirements. Dee ring and snap hook assemblies and other instruments of closure for buoyant vests must—

(1) Be tested for weathering. The Coast Guard will determine which one or more of the following tests will be used:

(i) Application of a 20 percent sodium-chloride solution spray at a temperature of 95 °F (35 °C) for a period of 240 hours in accordance with the procedures contained in method 811 of the Federal Test Method Standard No. 151.

(ii) Exposure to a carbon-arc weatherometer for a period of 100 hours.

(iii) Submergence for a period of 100 hours in each of the following:

(a) Leaded gasoline.

(b) Gum turpentine.

(iv) Exposure to a temperature of 0° ±5 °F (17.6 ±2.775 °C) for 24 hours; and

(2) Within 5 minutes of completion of the weathering test required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the assembly must be attached to a support and bear 150 pounds for an adult size and 115 pounds for a child size for 10 minutes at ambient temperatures without breaking or distorting.

[CGD 73-130R, 39 FR 20684, June 13, 1974]

(a) General. All materials used in nonstandard buoyant vests must be equivalent to those specified in § 160.060-3 and be obtained from a supplier who furnishes an affidavit in accordance with the requirements in § 160.060-3(a).

(b) Reinforcing tape. When used, the reinforcing tape around the neck shall be 3/4″ cotton tape weighing not less than 0.18 ounce per linear yard having a minimum breaking strength of not less than 120 pounds.

[CGspan 65-37, 30 span 11590, Sept. 10, 1965, as amended by CGD 72-163R, 38 span 8122, Mar. 28, 1973]

(a) General. This specification covers buoyant vests which essentially consist of a fabric envelope in which are enclosed inserts of buoyant material arranged and distributed so as to provide the flotation characteristics and buoyancy required to hold the wearer in an upright or slightly backward position with head and face out of water. The buoyant vests are also fitted with straps and hardware to provide for proper adjustment and close and comfortable fit to the bodies of various size wearers.

(b) Envelope. The envelope or cover shall be made of three pieces. Two pieces of fabric shall be cut to the pattern shown on Dwg. No. 160.060-1, Sheet 1 for the adult size, and Sheets 2 and 3 for child sizes, and joined together with a third piece which forms a 2 1/4″ finished gusset strip all around. Reinforcing strips of the same material as the envelope shall be stitched to the inside of the front piece of the envelope in way of the strap attachments as shown by the drawings.

(c) Buoyant inserts. The unicellular plastic foam buoyant inserts shall be cut and formed as shown on Dwg. No. 160.060-1, Sheets 4, 5, and 6 for the adult, child medium, and child small sizes, respectively.

(d) Tie tapes, body straps, and hardware. The tie tapes, body straps, and hardware shall be arranged as shown on the drawings and attached to the envelope with the seams and stitching indicated.

(e) Stitching. All stitching shall be short lock stitch conforming to Stitch Type 301 of Federal Standard No. 751, and there shall be not less than 7 nor more than 9 stitches to the inch.

(f) Workmanship. Buoyant vests shall be of first-class workmanship and shall be free from any defects materially affecting their appearance or serviceability.

[CGspan 65-37, 30 span 11590, Sept. 10, 1965, as amended by CGD 72-163R, 38 span 8122, Mar. 28, 1973]

(a) General. The construction methods used for a nonstandard buoyant vest must be equivalent to the requirements in § 160.060-5 for standard vests and also meet the requirements specified in this section.

(b) Sizes. Each nonstandard vest must contain the following volume of unicellular polyethylene foam buoyant material, determined by the displacement method:

(1) Five hundred cubic inches or more for the adult size, for persons weighing over 90 pounds.

(2) Three hundred and fifty cubic inches or more for a child medium size, for children weighing from 50 to 90 pounds.

(3) Two hundred and twenty-five cubic inches or more for children weighing less than 50 pounds.

(c) Arrangement of buoyant material. The buoyant material in a nonstandard vest must:

(1) Be arranged to hold the wearer in an upright or backward position with head and face out of water;

(2) Have no tendency to turn the wearer face downward in the water; and

(3) Be arranged so that 70 to 75 percent of the total is located in the front of the vest.

(d) Neck opening. Each cloth covered nonstandard vest must have at the neck opening:

(1) A gusset; or

(2) Reinforcing tape.

(e) Adjustment, fit, and donning. Each nonstandard vest must be made with adjustments to:

(1) Fit a range of wearers for the type designed; and

(2) Facilitate donning time for an uninitiated person.

[CGD 72-163R, 38 FR 8122, Mar. 28, 1973]

1 The manufacturer of a personal flotation device must meet 33 Cspan 181.701 through 33 Cspan 181.705 which require an instruction pamphlet for each device that is sold or offered for sale for use on recreational boats.

(a) General. Manufacturers of listed and labeled buoyant vests shall—

(1) Maintain quality control of the materials used, the manufacturing methods, and the finished product to meet the applicable requirements of this subpart by conducting sufficient inspections and tests of representative samples and components produced;

(2) Make available to the recognized laboratory inspector and the Coast Guard inspector, upon request, records of tests conducted by the manufacturer and records of materials used during production of the device, including affidavits by suppliers; and

(3) Permit any examination, inspection and test required by the recognized laboratory or the Coast Guard for a produced listed and labeled device, either at the place of manufacture or some other location.

(b) Lot size and sampling. (1) A lot shall consist of 500 buoyant vests or fewer;

(2) A new lot begins after any change or modification in materials used or manufacturing methods employed;

(3) The manufacturer of the buoyant vests shall notify the recognized laboratory when a lot is ready for inspection;

(4) The manufacturer shall select samples in accordance with the requirements in Table 160.060-7(b)(4) from each lot of buoyant vests to be tested for buoyancy in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section.

(5) If a sample vest fails the buoyancy test, the sample from the next succeeding lot must consist of 10 specimen vests or more to be tested for buoyancy in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section.

(c) Additional compliance tests. An inspector from the recognized laboratory or Coast Guard may conduct an examination, test and inspection of a buoyant device that is obtained from the manufacturer or through commercial channels to determine the suitability of the device for listing and labeling, or to determine its conformance to applicable requirements.

(d) Test facilities. The manufacturer shall admit the laboratory inspector and the Coast Guard inspector to any part of the premises at the place of manufacture of a listed and labeled device to—

(1) Examine, inspect, or test a sample of a part or a material that is included in the construction of the device; and

(2) Conduct any examination, inspection, or test in a suitable place and with appropriate apparatus provided by the manufacturer.

(e) Buoyancy—(1) Buoyancy test method. Remove the buoyant inserts from the vests. 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. It is important that after the inserts have once been submerged they shall remain submerged for the duration of the test, and at no time during the course of the test shall they be removed from the tank or otherwise exposed to air.

(iii) After the 24-hour submergence period, unlock or unseal 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 adult size buoyant vests shall provide not less than 15 1/2 pounds of buoyancy in fresh water; the inserts from the child medium size buoyant vests shall provide not less than 11 pounds buoyancy; and the inserts from the child small size buoyant vests shall provide not less than 7 pounds buoyancy.

(f) Body strap test. The complete body strap assembly, including hardware shall be tested for strength by attaching the dee ring to a suitable support such that the assembly hangs vertically its full length. A weight as specified in § 160.060-3(d) shall be attached to the other end on the snap hook for 10 minutes. The specified weight shall not break or excessively distort the body strap assembly.

(g) Additional approval tests for nonstandard vests. Tests in addition to those required by this section may be conducted by the inspector for a nonstandard vest to determine performance equivalence to a standard vest. Such additional tests may include determining performance in water, suitability of materials, donning time, ease of adjustment, and similar equivalency tests. Costs for any additional tests must be assumed by the manufacturer.

[CGspan 65-37, 30 span 11590, Sept. 10, 1965, as amended by CGD 72-90R, 37 span 10839, May 31, 1972; CGD 72-163R, 38 span 8122, Mar. 28, 1973; CGD 75-008, 43 span 9772, Mar. 9, 1978]

(a) Each buoyant vest must have the following information clearly marked in waterproof lettering:

Inspected and tested in accordance with U.S. Coast Guard regulations. Polyethylene foam buoyant material provides a minimum buoyant force of (15 1/2 lb., 11 lb., or 7 lb.). Dry out thoroughly when wet. Approved for use on all recreational boats and on uninspected commercial vessels less than 40 feet in length not carrying passengers for hire by persons weighing (more than 90 lb., 50 to 90 lb., or less than 50 lb.). U.S. Coast Guard Approval No. 160.060/(assigned manufacturer's No.)/(Revision No.); (Model No.). (Name and address of manufacturer or distributor). (Lot No.).

(b) Waterproof marking. Marking of buoyant vests shall be sufficiently waterproof so that after 72 hours submergence in water it will withstand vigorous rubbing by hand while wet without printed matter becoming illegible.

[CGD 72-163R, 38 span 8122, Mar. 28, 1973, as amended by CGD 75-008, 43 span 9771, Mar. 9, 1978; USCG-2013-0263, 79 span 56499, Sept. 22, 2014]

(a) A manufacturer seeking Coast Guard approval of a product under this subpart shall follow the approval procedures of subpart 159.005 of this chapter, and shall apply for approval directly to a recognized independent laboratory. The following laboratories are recognized under § 159.010-7 of this part, to perform testing and approval functions under this subpart:

Underwriters Laboratories, 12 Laboratory Drive, P.O. Box 13995, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3995, (919) 549-1400.

(b) Production oversight must be performed by the same laboratory that performs the approval tests unless, as determined by the Commandant, the employees of the laboratory performing production oversight receive training and support equal to that of the laboratory that performed the approval testing.

[CGD 93-055, 61 FR 13930, Mar. 28, 1996]