Title 46

SECTION 176.808

176.808 Lifesaving

§ 176.808 Lifesaving

(a) At each initial and subsequent inspection for certification of a vessel, the owner or managing operator shall be prepared to conduct tests and have the vessel ready for inspection of lifesaving equipment and systems, including the following:

(1) Tests of each rescue boat and each rescue boat launching appliance and survival craft launching appliance in accordance with § 185.520 of this chapter;

(2) Inspection of each lifejacket, work vest, and marine buoyant device;

(3) If used, inspection of the passenger safety orientation cards or pamphlets allowed by § 185.506(b)(2) of this chapter;

(4) Inspection of each inflatable liferaft, inflatable buoyant apparatus, and inflatable lifejacket to determine that it has been serviced as required by § 185.730 of this chapter; and

(5) Inspection of each hydrostatic release unit to determine that it is in compliance with the servicing and usage requirements of § 185.740 of this chapter.

(b) Each item of lifesaving equipment determined by the marine inspector to not be in serviceable condition must be repaired or replaced.

(c) Each item of lifesaving equipment with an expiration date on it must be replaced if the expiration date has passed.

(d) The owner or managing operator shall destroy, in the presence of the marine inspector, each lifejacket, other personal floatation device, and other lifesaving device found to be defective and incapable of repair.

(e) At each initial and subsequent inspection for certification of a vessel, the vessel must be equipped with an adult size lifejacket for each person authorized. The vessel must also be equipped with child size lifejackets equal to at least:

(1) 10 percent of the maximum number of passengers permitted to be carried unless children are prohibited from being carried aboard the vessel; or

(2) 5 percent of the maximum number of passengers permitted to be carried if all extended size lifejackets are provided.

(f) Lifejackets, work vests, and marine buoyant devices may be marked with the date and marine inspection zone to indicate that they have been inspected and found to be in serviceable condition by a marine inspector.

(g) At each initial and subsequent inspection for certification, the marine inspector may require that an abandon ship or man overboard drill be held under simulated emergency conditions specified by the inspector.

[CGD 85-080, 61 FR 953, Jan. 10, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 51356, Sept. 30, 1997]

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