Life jackets

• Life jackets – who must carry them?
• Types of life jackets
• When to wear life jackets
• Choosing a life jacket
• Maintaining life jackets
• Other approved Life Jackets - as of 1 May 2006

Life jackets – who must carry them?

Vessels operating in unprotected waters (outside the waters contained by any breakwater or in any lake, river or estuary other than the waters of Cambridge Gulf or Lake Argyle) must carry an approved life jacket for each person on board. Each life jacket must suit the weight of the person for whom it is intended, be maintained in good condition and kept in an easily accessible place.

Types of life jackets

• Life jackets and other buoyancy garments are called PFDs – personal flotation devices.
   
• Only the PFD Type 1 is acceptable as a life jacket – Types 2 and 3 are buoyancy vests and are intended for sports such as sailing and water skiing.
   
• You will recognise a Type 1 by its orange or yellow colour, flotation collar, and reflective tape.
   
• Type 1 life jackets are bulkier and are designed to keep the body afloat for long periods of time. 
   
• Self inflatable PFD Type 1 Jackets are considerably less bulky than the traditional style of jacket.
   
• All PDF Type 1 jackets must display a label with the Australian Standards brand and the number AS 1512.

There are three types of lifejackets or Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)

PFD Type 1 (AS1512) This type of lifejacket is required on all boats operating in unprotected waters and is your primary life support device if your boat sinks. They make it very easy to keep your head above water. PFD Type 1 features a buoyancy collar and is designed to keep you in a safe floating position, i.e. with the body inclined back from the vertical, with nose and mouth clear of the water.
 
PFD Type 2 (AS1499) A PFD Type 2 has less buoyancy than a PFD Type 1 and does not have a collar. It is easy to swim in and is designed for continuous wear during any aquatic activity. A PFD Type 2 is also known as a buoyancy vest.
 
PFD Type 3 (AS2260) This garment comes in a range of styles and colours, and is an alternative to a PFD Type 2. The PFD Type 3 has a similar buoyancy to that of a Type 2, but is manufactured in a wider range of colours than the high visibility safety colours stipulated for Types 1 and 2. A PFD Type 3 is also commonly known as a buoyancy garment.
 
PFD Types 2 and 3 are less bulky than Type 1, and are generally used by board sailors, waterskiers, PWC operators, canoeists and so on.

When to wear life jackets

Besides wearing them in emergencies, you also enhance safety if you wear life jackets in the following circumstances:

• at the first sign of bad weather;
   
• between sunset and sunrise or during restricted visibility;
   
• when operating in unfamiliar waters;
   
• when operating with a following sea;
   
• when boating alone (this is especially recommended);
   
• at all times on children under 10 years; or
   
• if you are a poor swimmer.

Practise putting them on in the dark and in the water – it is harder than you think!

Choosing a life jacket

Size and weight

Infants: because of the varying weight distribution of babies it is difficult to put flotation in the right places; children less than about a year old cannot be adequately catered for and should not go afloat.
For older children, there are three main things to look for:

• the weight range on the life jacket’s label agrees with the child’s weight;
   
• the life jacket is a snug fit (loose life jackets work poorly); and
   
• the child is comfortable while wearing it.

For adults, too, a snug fit is important. As for comfort:

• generally the less money you pay, the more uncomfortable the life jacket.

Maintaining life jackets

You should check the condition of your life jackets periodically. Check for cuts and tears that could let water enter the jacket and rot the buoyant material. Check that the tabs are in good condition and not frayed.
If you have inflatable life jackets, the manufacturers will specify intervals when you should return them for servicing.

The lifejacket you choose for use in unprotected waters must bear the Australian Standard 1512, PFD Type 1 or appear on the list below to be recognised under the regulations.