NVIC 14-92: Extended Size life preservers for children

U.S. Department Commandant (G-MVI-3) 2100 SECOND STREET SW or Transportation United States Coast Guard WASHINGTON DC 20593-0001 (202) 267-1444 United States Coast Guard COMDTPUB P16700.4 NVIC 14-92 16 Dec 1992 NAVIGATION AND VESSEL INSPECTION CIRCULAR No. 14-92 Subj: Suitability of Extended Size and Certain Adult Life Preservers for Some Children

Suitability of Extended Size and Certain Adult Life Preservers for Some Children. — PURPOSE.

a. This Circular reduces the carriage requirements for child-size life preservers when "Extended Size" life preservers (or lifejackets) are used. b. It also repeats the conditions under which certain adult life preservers, contrary to their markings, are considered suitable for children more than 57 inches (4 feet 9 inches) tall.

Suitability of Extended Size and Certain Adult Life Preservers for Some Children. — DIRECTIVES AFFECTED Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) No. 6-86 is

canceled.

Suitability of Extended Size and Certain Adult Life Preservers for Some Children. — BACKGROUND . Enclosure (1) provides historical information on the interpretation of life

preserver carriage requirements on various vessels. Development and testing of life preservers that cross the traditional size limits are also discussed.

Suitability of Extended Size and Certain Adult Life Preservers for Some Children. — DISCUSSION .

a. Standard life preservers have been available in an adult size for persons over 90 lb. and a child size for persons under 90 lb. since the end of World War II. Testing of these standard designs in 1985 showed that most adult sizes were suitable for children over 57" tall (or weighing over 75 lb.). b. NVIC 6-86 previously authorized the use of standard adult life preservers for persons over 57 inches tall. Those provisions are repeated in enclosure (2) of this NVIC. c. Recently, life preservers have been approved that are suitable for an even broader range of users. These new non-standard designs (designated "EXTENDED SIZE" rather than "ADULT" and/or "CHILD") have been tested and found suitable for all persons over 47 inches tall or weighing over 45 lb. Such life preservers are being marked with the "EXTENDED SIZE" designation along with these height and weight limits. d. Note that height has been identified as a better indicator than weight of life preserver performance limits for children. Thus, the use of weight limits will gradually be phased out.

Suitability of Extended Size and Certain Adult Life Preservers for Some Children. — IMPLEMENTATION .

a. The following table and paragraphs provide revised carriage requirements based on the kind of life preserver used. NAVIGATION AND VESSEL INSPECTION CIRCULAR No. 14-92 Carriage Requirements by Life Preserver Size for vessels with No Child Passenger Limit on their Certificates of Inspection (COI)* Size Range Life Preserver Size Standard Listed in Encl (2) Extended Size Range** Adult --- One for each person allowed on board )per COI) --- Suitable for 90 lb. and over 57 inches (75 lb.) and 47 inches (45 lb.) and persons: over over Child --- None, if COI is for ADULTS ONLY, or the following: --- 10% or 1 per child 10% or 1 per child 5% or 1 per child under under 90 lb., whichever under 57 inches (75 47 inches (45 lb.), is greater lb.), whichever is whichever is greater greater * Carriage of a mixture of lifejacket models/styles with different lower size limits should not be accepted when using this table. ** Future life preserver approvals may permit smaller values of height and weight. Such values as marked on the approved life preserver may be substituted here. b. Life preservers bearing the approval numbers listed in enclosure (2) may be used to meet mandatory carriage requirements for persons over 57 inches tall (or weighing over 75 lb.) regardless of their labels. c. Life preservers with other, lower height/weight limits marked on them may be used to meet mandatory carriage requirements for persons as their labels indicate. d. When all "EXTENDED SIZE" life preservers (ones with a lower size limit of 47 inches [or less)) are carried on board, a minimum of only 5% additional child-size devices must be carried, unless the Certificate of Inspection (COI) is endorsed as per paragraph 5.f.(l). e. Action for operators:

(1) Operators may use enclosure (3) as a guide to estimate the number of child-sized life preservers which may be required for a group of children based on their age. However, the enclosure is only a guide, and the number of child-size life preservers must be at least equal to the number of persons on board who are under the height/weight limits of the respective life preservers.

(2) If an operator must carry child-size life preservers in additio n to those listed on the COI (or if the COI lists "zero (0)" child's lifejackets) in order to provide for an unusual number of children (or some children) on a particular trip, the appropriate life preservers may be borrowed. Normal stowage and marking requirements need not be complied with for such borrowed life preservers, however, (a) these life preservers must be stowed separate from adult life preservers and (b) they must have been inspected by a marine inspector within the past year. NAVIGATION AND VESSEL INSPECTION CIRCULAR No. 14-92

(3) Stowage locations for life preservers listed in enclosure (2) or extended range life preservers must be clearly marked. The following text, or equivalent, is appropriate: "LIFE PRESERVERS (or IMO Symbol for Lifejacket), for persons over inches (or lb.)"

(4) Additional suggested marking at the stowage location is a line inches (same number of inches as above paragraph) above the deck with the text: "Children shorter than this line must use Child-size Life Preservers" f. Action for U.S. Coast Guard Inspectors:

(1) If no child-size life preservers are carried on board, the vessel's COI must be endorsed, as appropriate:

(a) "For the carriage of ADULTS ONLY"; or

(b) "For the carriage of persons taller than __ inches or weighing over __ lb. Replacement lifejackets mist have an approval for all persons over inches __ lb. or a smaller lower-limit." (Number in second set of blanks must be the same as the first set).

(2) When the above endorsement from paragraph 5.f. (1 ) (b) is used, the height/weight limits (__ inches/__ lb.) are 57 inches/75 lb. for the life preservers in enclosure (2) or, for life preservers with lower limits below 57 inches, must be taken from their label. Enter a zero ("0") for the number of child's lifejackets on the COI using the MSIS product VFLS.

Suitability of Extended Size and Certain Adult Life Preservers for Some Children. — RECOMMENDATIONS TO OPERATORS :

a. When outfitting a vessel that carries extended range life preservers with the necessary complement of child-size life preservers, the Coast Guard recommends the use of child- size life preservers with approval numbers beginning with "160.055" (which are bib/yoke style devices). For smaller children (under 37 inches or 30 lb.) these life preservers are preferred over those with approval numbers beginning with "160.002" (which are vest style devices). The bib/yoke style devices are preferred because they are smaller, fit small children better, and generally provide a better flotation attitude. For children between 37 inches and 47 inches any approved child-size life preserver is suitable. b. When many children are carr ied with minimal adult supervision, operators are encouraged to have the children wear appropriate life preservers n open decks. End: (1) Background on Life Preserver Sizes and Vessel Carriage Requirements NAVIGATION AND VESSEL INSPECTION CIRCULAR No. 14-92

(2) Adult Life Preservers Suitable for Children Over 57 Inches Tall or Weighing Over 75 lb.

(3) Estimated Percentages of Children Under Certain Heights Based on Age Non-Standard Distribution: C:e New Orleans (90); Hampton Roads (50); Baltimore (45); San Francisco (40); Philadelphia, Port Arthur, Honolulu, Puget Sound (35); Miami, Houston, Mobile, Long Beach, Morgan City (25); Jacksonville, Portland OR (20); Boston, Portland ME, Charleston, Galveston, Anchorage (15); Cleveland (12); Louisville, Memphis, Paducah, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Savannah, San Juan, Tampa, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Duluth, Milwaukee, San Diego, Juneau, Valdez (10); Providence, Huntington, Wilmington, Corpus Christi, Toledo, Guam (5). C:m New York (70); St. Ignace (5); Sturgeon Bay (4). D:d Except Baltimore, Moriches. D:l CG Liaison Officer MILSEALIFTCOMD (Code N-7CG), CG Liaison Officer RSPA (DHM- 22), CG Liaison Officer MARAD (MAR-742), CG Liaison Officer JUSMAGPHIL, CG Liaison Officer World Maritime University (1). NOAA Fleet Inspection Officer (1). US Merchant Marine Academy (1).