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| The immersion suit |
The immersion suit shall be constructed with waterproof materials such that:
™ it can be unpacked and donned without assistance within 2 min, taking into account any associated clothing*, and a lifejacket
if the immersion suit is to be worn in conjunction with a lifejacket;
™ it will not sustain burning or continue melting after being totally enveloped in a fire for a period of 2 seconds;
™ it will cover the whole body with the exception of the face. Hands shall also be covered unless permanently attached gloves
are provided;
™ it is provided with arrangements to minimize or reduce free air in the legs of the suit;
™ following a jump from a height of not less than 4.5 m into the water there is no undue ingress of water into the suit.
An immersion suit which also complies with the requirements of life-jackets may be classified as a life-jacket.
An immersion suit which has buoyancy and is designed to be worn without a lifejacket shall be
fitted with a light and the whistle complying with the requirements for life-jackets.
If the immersion suit is to be worn in conjunction with a lifejacket, the lifejacket shall be worn over
the immersion suit. A person wearing such an immersion suit shall be able to don a lifejacket
without assistance.
In that case immersion suit shall permit the person wearing it:
™ to climb up and down a vertical ladder at least 5 m in length;
™ to perform normal duties associated with abandonment;
™ to jump from a height of not less than 4.5 m into the water without damaging or dislodging
the immersion suit, or being injured;
™ to swim a short distance through the water and board a survival craft.
An immersion suit made of material which has no inherent insulation shall be:
™ .1 marked with instructions that it must be worn in conjunction with warm clothing;
™ .2 so constructed that, when worn in conjunction with warm clothing, and with a lifejacket
if the immersion suit is to be worn with a lifejacket, the immersion suit continues to
provide sufficient thermal protection, following one jump by the wearer into the water from
a height of 4.5 m, to ensure that when it is worn for a period of 1h in calm circulating
water at a temperature of 5°C, the wearer's body core temperature does not fall more
than 2°C.
An immersion suit made of material with inherent insulation, when worn either on its own or with a
lifejacket, if the immersion suit is to be worn in conjunction with a lifejacket, shall provide the
wearer with sufficient thermal insulation, following one jump into the water from a height of 4.5 m,
to ensure that the wearer's body core temperature does not fall more than 2°C after a period of 6h
immersion in calm circulating water at a temperature of between 0°C and 2°C.
A person in fresh water wearing either an immersion suit or an immersion suit with a lifejacket, shall be able to turn from a face-down to
a face-up position in not more than 5 seconds.
