The life jackets on board Guyanese vessels are internationally approved

Nov 04, 2008 Letters

Dear Editor,
A letter captioned “Buoyancy Aids,” written by one M. Xiu Quan-Balgobind-Hackett and published in SN of Monday, October 27, 2008, was completely incorrect and totally misleading.

The misinformation contained in the letter cannot be allowed to go uncorrected. Let me state, without fear of contradiction, that what Guyanese call life jackets are indeed life jackets, and not buoyancy aids, as claimed by the writer.

For the benefit of the writer specifically, and the Guyanese public in general, there are basically three types of internationally approved life jackets with regards to the material from which they are made that are in use in modern day shipping.

One is made of a foam material, which provides solid buoyancy; another needs to be inflated orally, but is usually used by persons who are engaged in work over the ship’s side, as it would be too cumbersome to work while wearing a “rigid” life jacket.

This type of life jacket is also worn by persons who are huddled closely together in an enclosed life boat, to enable some degree of comfort.

The vessel is, however, required to have on board sufficient life jackets of the type first mentioned for each person the vessel is certified to carry. The third type of life jacket is one which inflates with Co2 gas automatically on contact with water.

In the Nautical profession this type is used mainly on ships of war, as personnel who serve on these types of vessels may be thrown overboard by the impact of enemy fire and may be unconscious. This type of life jacket is not usually found on commercial or pleasure vessels.

Most approved life jackets used on sea-going vessels must be able to turn the wearer face up at a certain angle, so that the wearer’s face will not be covered by water, in not more than five seconds.

It is very important to understand that an approved life jacket is not required to support the total bodyweight of an individual in water, but only the difference between the bodyweight of the individual and the density of water.

To be specific, an approved life jacket is designed to support 161/2 pounds of iron in fresh water (1000 ozs. per cubic foot) for at least 24 hours.

There is another life jacket that is now not accepted by certain classified societies — those made of kapok. They are, however, still in use on some merchant vessels, and they are approved for certain voyages by the State in which the vessel is registered.

The writer is incorrect again when he states that the weight a life jacket can keep afloat is marked “somewhere” on a life jacket.

What is marked, for example, on an adult life jacket is the following: “to be worn by persons 75 lbs (34kgs) and over”. It may also state: “over 57” (175cm) tall”.

The UK Department of Trade (UKDOT) has markings on their approved life jackets made of foam material: “To be worn by persons 32 kilos or more”. There are also life jackets made specifically for children.

Approved life jackets are also made for use in specific sea areas; for example off-shore life jackets type 1 PFD; (personal flotation device)type 11 PFD for use in near shore and inland waters etc, etc. all of which are made from foam material.

I strongly recommend to the gentleman who penned that letter that he visits some of the locally registered vessels to see for himself that these vessels are equipped with life jackets that are approved by UK DOT (United Kingdom Department of Trade), USCG (United States Coast Guard) and several other leading maritime nations; none of these jackets is inflated by Co2 gas, instead of assuming incorrectly that none will be found on a Guyanese vessel that can keep an adult afloat.

He can also refer to a recent SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) edition, or even a basic Seamanship manual viz: Nicholls Seamanship and Nautical Knowledge, to educate himself on what is an approved life jacket.

Better still, he can make contact with me, by way of a letter in the daily newspapers, and I will willingly take him aboard some Guyanese as well as foreign registered vessels, so that he can see first hand that they all have UK, US and other maritime nations’ approved life jackets (that are marked life jackets) on board, none of which is inflatable.

I sincerely hope this letter erases all misconceptions about what is a life jacket, its purpose and use.
CaptainR.E.W.Adams,M.N.I