Life Jackets

colrow

I've got to get lifejackets to comply with a P5 licence.

At the moment I've got very chunky yokes with slabs of polystyrene in them.

Can anyone tell the difference between, Buoyancy Aids, Peronal Flotation Devices and Life Jackets, and is there a spec they have to conform to ?

Thanks

hytrogen

without writing a thesis on this.. PFD & life jackets are the same thing, that is, devices worn to keep the person afloat either conscious or unconscious while keeping their airways a certain distance above the waterline. They come in many designs, either as you may have, large prices of Styrofoam with a harness and crotch straps to prevent the PFD rising above the person, or for convenience of wear inflatable with a compressed gas chamber that can inflate immediately on immersion as well as pull chord but must also be able to re-inflate with a separate one way valved tube attached. there are different grades of these that can be found for different uses, commercial shipping and deep sea to near coast and on shore.
A buoyancy aid is one which can be made of many light materials and is only meant to assist the person in swimming short distances, usually worn with water sports where immersion is most guaranteed, such as dingy sailing or water skiing.

colrow

Thanks hytogen