1625-0010 Stat/Authority

Coast Guard, DHS

§ 160.076–5

buoyant apparatus of 21 persons and
more capacity.

Made
by:
(name
and
address)
lllllllllllllllllllllll
(Date) llllllllllllll

(b) [Reserved]

Subpart 160.076—Inflatable Recreational Personal Flotation
Devices
SOURCE: CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23,
1995, unless otherwise noted.

§ 160.073–15 Tests.
(a) The manufacturer shall perform a
tensile test on the first three links
made from a particular spool of wire.
The test must be done by slowly loading the link until it breaks. The link
must break between the limits specified in § 160.073–10(b). The break must
occur in the length of wire at or between the points where the loops are
secured (see Figure 160.073–10).
(b) If each of the three links passes
the test, each link constructed in the
same manner from the same spool of
wire may be certified by the manufacturer as meeting the requirements of
this subpart.
(c) If one or more of the three links
fails the test, no link manufactured in
the same manner and from the same
spool of wire as the test links may be
certified as meeting the requirements
of this subpart.

FLOAT-FREE LINK FOR LIFE FLOATS
AND BUOYANT APPARATUS
Of (10 or less) (11 to 20) (21 or more) persons capacity.
Normal
breaking
strength
llllllllll.
Meets U.S. coast guard
Requirements—46 CFR 160.073.

[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by USCG–2011–0076, 77 FR 19942,
Apr. 3, 2012]

§ 160.076–3 Applicability.
Inflatable PFDs approved under this
subpart may be used to meet the carriage requirements of 33 CFR 175.15 and
175.17 on the following types of vessels
only:
(a) Recreational vessels.
(b) Uninspected recreational submersible vessels.
§ 160.076–5 Definitions.
As used in this part:
Commandant means the Chief of the
Lifesaving and Fire Safety Standards
Division. Address: Commandant (CG–
ENG–4), Attn: Lifesaving and Fire
Safety Division, U.S. Coast Guard Stop
7509, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20593–7509;
telephone 202–372–1392 or fax 202–372–
1924.
Conditional approval means a PFD approval which has condition(s) with
which the user must comply in order
for the PFD to be counted toward
meeting the carriage requirements for
the vessel on which it is being used.
First quality workmanship means construction which is free from any defect
materially affecting appearance or
serviceability.

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§ 160.073–20 Marking.
(a) Each link certified by the manufacturer to meet the requirements of
this subpart must have a corrosion resistant, waterproof tag attached to it
that has the following information on
it (the manufacturer must make the
appropriate entries in the indicated
space):

§ 160.076–1 Scope.
(a) This subpart contains structural
and performance standards for approval of inflatable recreational personal flotation devices (PFDs), as well
as requirements for production followup inspections, associated manuals, information pamphlets, and markings.
(b) Inflatable PFDs approved under
this subpart rely entirely upon inflation for buoyancy.

§ 160.076–7

46 CFR Ch. I (10–1–16 Edition)

Inflation medium means any solid, liquid, or gas that, when activated, provides inflation for buoyancy.
Inspector means a recognized laboratory representative assigned to perform, supervise or oversee the duties
described in §§ 160.076–29 and 160.076–31
of this subpart or any Coast Guard representative performing duties related
to the approval.
MOU means memorandum of understanding which describes the approval
functions a recognized independent laboratory performs for the Coast Guard,
and the recognized independent laboratory’s working arrangements with the
Coast Guard.
Performance type means the in-water
performance classification of the PFD.
PFD means personal flotation device
as defined in 33 CFR 175.13.
Plans and specifications means the
drawings, product description, construction specifications, and bill of materials submitted in accordance with
§ 160.076–13 for approval of a PFD design.
[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by CGD 95–072, 60 FR 50466, Sept. 29,
1995; CGD 94–110, 61 FR 13945, Mar. 28, 1996;
CGD 96–041, 61 FR 50733, Sept. 27, 1996; USCG–
2006–25697; 71 FR 55747, Sept. 25, 2006; USCG–
2009–0702, 74 FR 49237, Sept. 25, 2009; USCG–
2013–0671, 78 FR 60158, Sept. 30, 2013; USCG–
2013–0263, 79 FR 56500, Sept. 22, 2014]

ehiers on DSK9F6TC42PROD with CFR

§ 160.076–7

[Reserved]

§ 160.076–9 Conditional approval.
(a) A conditionally approved inflatable PFD may be used to meet the
Coast Guard PFD carriage requirements of 33 CFR part 175 only if the
PFD is used in accordance with any requirements on the approval label.
PFDs marked ‘‘Approved only when
worn’’ must be worn whenever the vessel is underway and the intended wearer is not within an enclosed space if the
PFD is intended to be used to satisfy
the requirements of 33 CFR part 175.
Note: Additional approved PFDs may
be needed to satisfy the requirements
of 33 CFR part 175 if ‘‘Approved only
when worn’’ PFDs are not worn.
(b) PFDs not meeting the performance specifications in UL 1180 (incorporated by reference, see § 160.076–11)
may be conditionally approved when
the Commandant determines that the

performance or design characteristics
of the PFD make such classification
appropriate.
[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by CGD 94–110, 61 FR 13945, Mar. 28,
1996; USCG–2011–0076, 77 FR 19942, Apr. 3, 2012;
USCG–2013–0263, 79 FR 56500, Sept. 22, 2014]

§ 160.076–11 Incorporation
by
reference.
(a) Certain materials are incorporated by reference into this subpart
with the approval of the Director of the
Federal Register in accordance with 5
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. To enforce any edition other than the one
listed in this section, the Coast Guard
must publish notice of the change in
the FEDERAL REGISTER, and the material must be available to the public. All
approved material is available for inspection at the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA) and at
Coast Guard Headquarters. Contact
Commandant (CG-ENG-4), Attn: Lifesaving and Fire Safety Division, U.S.
Coast Guard Stop 7509, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE., Washington,
DC 20593-7509. The material is available
from the sources indicated in paragraph (b) of this section. For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202–741–6030, or go
to:
http://www.archives.gov/
federallregister/
codeloflfederallregulations/
ibrllocations.html.
(b) Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., 333
Pfingsten Road, Northbrook, IL 60062–
2096 (Phone (847) 272–8800; Facsimile:
(847) 272–8129; Web site: www.ul.com).
(1) UL 1123, UL Standard for Safety
for Marine Buoyant Devices, Seventh
Edition including revisions through
February 14, 2011, (dated October 1,
2008), (‘‘UL 1123’’), incorporation by reference approved for § 160.076–35.
(2) UL 1180, UL Standard for Safety
for Fully Inflatable Recreational Personal Flotation Devices, Second Edition including revisions through December 3, 2010, (dated February 13,
2009), (‘‘UL 1180’’), incorporation by reference approved for §§ 160.076–7; 160.076–
9;
160.076–21;
160.076–23;
160.076–25;
160.076–31; 160.076–37; and 160.076–39.
(3) UL 1191, UL Standard for Safety
for Components for Personal Flotation

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Coast Guard, DHS

§ 160.076–13

Devices, Fourth Edition including revisions through August 24, 2011, (dated
December 12, 2008), (‘‘UL 1191’’), incorporation by reference approved for
§§ 160.076–21; 160.076–25; 160.076–29; and
160.076–31.
[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by CGD 95–072, 60 FR 50467, Sept. 29,
1995, CGD 94–110, 61 FR 13945, Mar. 28, 1996;
CGD 96–041, 61 FR 50733, Sept. 27, 1996; CGD
97–057, 62 FR 51048, Sept. 30, 1997; USCG–1999–
5151, 64 FR 67184, Dec. 1, 1999; USCG–2009–0702,
74 FR 49237, Sept. 25, 2009; USCG–2011–0076, 77
FR 19942, Apr. 3, 2012; USCG–2013–0671, 78 FR
60158, Sept. 30, 2013]

ehiers on DSK9F6TC42PROD with CFR

§ 160.076–13 Approval procedures for
inflatable PFDs.
(a) Manufacturers seeking approval
of an inflatable PFD design shall follow
the procedures of this section and subpart 159.005 of this chapter.
(b) Each application for approval of
an inflatable PFD must contain the information specified in § 159.005–5 of this
chapter. The application must be submitted to a recognized laboratory. One
copy of the application and, except as
provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, a prototype PFD must be submitted
to
the
Commandant
for
preapproval review. If a similar design
has already been approved, the Commandant may authorize the recognized
laboratory to waive the preapproval review under §§ 159.005–5 and 159.005–7 of
this chapter.
(c) The application must include the
following:
(1) Plans and specifications containing the information required by
§ 159.005–12 of this chapter, including
drawings, product description, construction specifications, and bill of materials.
(2) The information specified in
§ 159.005–5(a)(2) (i) through (iii) of this
chapter must be included in the application, except that, if preapproval review has been waived, the manufacturer is not required to send a prototype PFD sample to the Commandant.
(3) Any special purpose(s) for which
the PFD is designed and the vessel(s)
or vessel type(s) on which its use is intended.
(4) Buoyancy, torque, and other relevant tolerances to be met during production.

(5) The text of any optional marking
to be included on the PFD in addition
to the markings required by § 160.076–39.
(6) A draft of the information pamphlet required by § 160.076–35.
(7) A draft of the owner’s manual required by § 160.076–37.
(8) For any conditionally approved
PFD, the intended approval condition(s).
(d) The description required by
§ 159.005–9 of this chapter of quality
control procedures may be omitted if
the manufacturer’s planned quality
control procedures meet the requirements of §§ 160.076–29 and 160.076–31.
(e) Manual and pamphlet. Before
granting approval of a PFD design, the
Commandant may require changes to
the manual and information pamphlet
submitted for review to ensure compliance
with
the
requirements
of
§§ 160.076–35 and 160.076–37.
(f) Waiver of tests. A manufacturer
may request that the Commandant
waive any test prescribed for approval
under this subpart. To request a waiver, the manufacturer must submit to
the Commandant and the recognized
laboratory, one of the following:
(1) Satisfactory test results on a PFD
of sufficiently similar design as determined by the Commandant.
(2)
Engineering
analysis
demonstrating that the test for which a
waiver is requested is not appropriate
for the particular design submitted for
approval or that, because of its design
or construction, it is not possible for
the PFD to fail that test.
(g) Alternative requirements. A PFD
that does not meet the requirements of
this subpart may be approved by the
Commandant if the device—
(1) Meets other requirements prescribed by the Commandant in place of
or in addition to the requirements of
this subpart; and
(2) As determined by the Commandant, provides at least the same
degree of safety provided by other
PFDs that meet the requirements of
this subpart.
[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by CGD 94–110, 61 FR 13946, Mar. 28,
1996; USCG–2013–0263, 79 FR 56500, Sept. 22,
2014]

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§ 160.076–15

46 CFR Ch. I (10–1–16 Edition)

§ 160.076–15 Suspension
nation of approval.

or

termi-

As provided in § 159.005–15 of this
chapter, the Commandant may suspend
or terminate the approval of an inflatable PFD design if the manufacturer
fails to comply with this subpart or the
recognized laboratory’s accepted procedures or requirements.
§ 160.076–17 Approval of design or material changes.
(a) The manufacturer must submit
any proposed changes in design, material, or construction to the recognized
laboratory and the Commandant for
approval before changing PFD production methods.
(b) Determinations of equivalence of
design, construction, and materials
may be made only by the Commandant
or a designated representative.
§ 160.076–19

Recognized laboratories.

The approval and production oversight functions that this subpart requires to be conducted by a recognized
laboratory must be conducted by an
independent laboratory recognized by
the Coast Guard under subpart 159.010
of part 159 of this chapter to perform
such functions. A list of recognized
independent laboratories is available
from the Commandant and online at
http://cgmix.uscg.mil.
[USCG–2011–0076, 77 FR 19942, Apr. 3, 2012]

§ 160.076–21

Component materials.

Each component material used in the
manufacture of an inflatable PFD
must—
(a) Meet the applicable requirements
of subpart 164.019 of this chapter, UL
1191 and UL 1180 (incorporated by reference, see § 160.076–11), and this section; and
(b) Be of good quality and suitable
for the purpose intended.
[USCG–2011–0076, 77 FR 19942, Apr. 3, 2012]

ehiers on DSK9F6TC42PROD with CFR

§ 160.076–23 Construction
and
formance requirements.

per-

(a) Each inflatable PFD design
must—
(1) Meet the requirements in UL 1180
(incorporated
by
reference,
see
§ 160.076–11); and

(2) Meet any additional requirements
that the Commandant may prescribe to
approve unique or novel designs.
(b) [Reserved]
[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by CGD 94–110, 61 FR 13946, Mar. 28,
1996; USCG–2011–0076, 77 FR 19942, Apr. 3, 2012;
USCG–2013–0263, 79 FR 56500, Sept. 22, 2014]

§ 160.076–25

Approval testing.

(a) To obtain approval of an inflatable PFD design, approval tests specified in UL 1180 (incorporated by reference, see § 160.076–11) and this section
must be conducted or supervised by a
recognized laboratory using PFDs that
have been constructed in accordance
with the plans and specifications submitted with the application for approval.
(b) Each PFD design must pass the
tests required by UL 1180 and this section.
(c) [Reserved]
(d) Each PFD design must be visually
examined for compliance with the construction and performance requirements of §§ 160.076–21 and 160.076–23 and
UL 1180 and UL 1191 (incorporated by
reference, see § 160.076–11).
(e) Additional tests. The Commandant
may prescribe additional tests for approval of novel or unique designs.
[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by CGD 94–110, 61 FR 13946, Mar. 28,
1996; USCG–2000–7790, 65 FR 58463, Sept. 29,
2000; USCG–2011–0076, 77 FR 19942, Apr. 3, 2012;
USCG–2013–0263, 79 FR 56500, Sept. 22, 2014]

§ 160.076–27

[Reserved]

§ 160.076–29

Production oversight.

(a) Production tests and inspections
must be conducted in accordance with
this section and subpart 159.007 of this
chapter unless the Commandant authorizes alternative tests and inspections. The Commandant may prescribe
additional production tests and inspections necessary to maintain quality
control and to monitor compliance
with the requirements of this subpart.
(b) Production oversight must be performed by the same laboratory that
performs the approval tests unless the
Commandant determines that the employees of an alternative laboratory
have received training and have access

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Coast Guard, DHS

§ 160.076–29

to the same information as the inspectors of the laboratory that conducted
the approval testing.
(c) In addition to responsibilities set
out in part 159 of this chapter and the
accepted Laboratory Follow-up Procedures, each manufacturer of an inflatable PFD and each recognized laboratory inspector shall comply with the
following, as applicable:
(1) Manufacturer. Each manufacturer
must—
(i) Except as provided in paragraph
(e)(2) of this section, perform all required tests and examinations on each
PFD lot before any required inspector’s
tests and inspection of the lot;
(ii) Follow established procedures for
maintaining quality control of the materials used, manufacturing operations,
and the finished product;
(iii) Implement a continuing program
of employee training and a program for
maintaining production and test equipment;
(iv) Admit the inspector to any place
in the factory where work is done on
PFDs or component materials, and
where parts or completed PFDs are
stored;
(v) Have an inspector observe the
production methods used in producing
the first PFD lot and observe any revisions in production methods made
thereafter; and
(vi) Allow the inspector to take samples of completed PFDs or of component materials for tests required by
this subpart and for tests relating to
the safety of the design.
(2) Recognized laboratory oversight. An
inspector from a recognized laboratory
shall oversee production in accordance
with the MOU. During production oversight, the inspector shall not perform
or supervise any production test or inspection unless—
(i) The manufacturer has a valid approval certificate; and
(ii) The inspector has first observed
the manufacturer’s production methods and any revisions to those methods.
(3) The inspector must perform or supervise testing and inspection of at
least one in each five lots of PFDs produced.
(4) During each inspection, the inspector must check for compliance

with the manufacturer’s quality control procedures.
(5) Except as provided in paragraph
(c)(6) of this section, at least once each
calendar quarter, the inspector must
examine the manufacturer’s records required by § 160.076–33 and observe the
manufacturer perform each of the tests
required by § 160.076–31(c).
(6) If less than six lots are produced
during a calendar year, only one lot inspection and one records’ examination
and test performance observation are
required during that year. Each lot
tested and inspected under paragraph
(c)(3) of this section must be within
seven lots of the previous lot inspected.
(d) PFD lots. A lot number must be
assigned to each group of PFDs produced. Lots must be numbered serially.
A new lot must be started whenever
any change in materials or a revision
to a production method is made, and
whenever any substantial discontinuity in the production process occurs.
Changes in lots of component materials
must be treated as changes in materials. The lot number assigned, along
with the approval number, must enable
the PFD manufacturer, by referring to
the records required by this subpart, to
determine the supplier of the components used in the PFD and the component supplier’s identifying information
for the component lot.
(e) Samples. For the tests, examinations, and inspections required by
§ 160.076–31, inspectors and manufacturers shall select samples as provided in
this paragraph.
(1) Samples shall be selected at random from a lot in which all PFDs or
materials in the lot are available for
selection. Except as provided in
§ 160.076–31(c), samples must be selected
from completed PFDs.
(2) Different samples must be selected for the manufacturer’s and inspector’s tests, except, if the total production for any five consecutive lots
does not exceed 250 PFDs, the manufacturer’s and inspector’s tests may be
run on the same sample(s) at the same
time.
(3) The number of samples selected
per lot must be at least equal to the
applicable number required by Table
160.076–29A for manufacturers or Table
160.076–29B for inspectors.

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§ 160.076–29

46 CFR Ch. I (10–1–16 Edition)

(4) The following additional requirements apply as indicated in Table
160.076–29A to individual sample selections by manufacturers:
(i) Samples must be selected from
each lot of incoming material. The
tests required under paragraphs 160.076–
25(d)(2)(i) through 160.076–25(d)(2)(iv)
prescribe the number of samples to select.
(i) Samples must be selected from
each lot of incoming material. Unless
otherwise specified, Table 29.1 of UL
1191 (incorporated by reference, see
§ 160.076–11) prescribes the number of
samples to select.
(iii) If a sample fails the over-pressure test, the number of samples to be
tested in the next lot produced must be
at least two percent of the total number of PFDs in the lot or 10 PFDs,
whichever is greater.

(iv) The indicated test must be conducted at least once each calendar
quarter or whenever a new lot of material is used or a production process is
revised.
(5) The following additional requirements apply as indicated in Table
160.076–29B to individual sample selections by inspectors:
(i) Samples selected for the indicated
tests may not be used for more than
one test.
(ii) The indicated test may be omitted if it was conducted by the manufacturer on the materials used and by the
inspector on a previous lot within the
past 12 months.
(iii) One sample of each means of
marking on each type of fabric or finish used in PFD construction must be
tested at least every six months or
whenever a new lot of materials is
used.

TABLE 160.076–29A—MANUFACTURER’S SAMPLING PLAN
Number of Samples Per Lot
Lot size:

1–100

101–200

201–300

301–500

501–750

751–1000

Tests:
Inflation Chamber Materials ............................
Seam Strength ................................................
Over-pressure (b)(c) ..........................................
Air Retention ...................................................
Buoyancy and Inflation Medium Retention .....
Tensile Strength ..............................................
Detailed Product Examination .......................................
Retest Sample Size (b) ..................................................
Final Lot Inspection .......................................................
Notes to Table:
§ 160.076–29(e)(4)(iv).

(a) See

1
1
1
2
................
(b) See

§ 160.076–29(e)(4)(i).

See Note (a)
1
2
2
2
3
4
EVERY DEVICE IN THE LOT
2
3
4
See Note (d)
2
3
4
................
13
13
EVERY DEVICE IN THE LOT
(c) See

§ 160.076–29(e)(4)(ii).

3
6

4
8

6

8

6
20

8
20

§ 160.076–29(e)(4)(iii).

(d) See

TABLE 160.076–29B—INSPECTOR’S SAMPLING PLAN
Number of Samples Per Lot
Lot size:

1–100

101–200

201–300

301–500

501–750

751–1000

Tests:
Over-pressure (a) .............................................
Air Retention ...................................................
Buoyancy & Inflation Medium Retention ........
Tensile Strength ..............................................
Waterproof marking ........................................
Detailed Project Examination ........................................
Retest Sample Size (a) ..................................................
Final Lot Inspection .......................................................

ehiers on DSK9F6TC42PROD with CFR

Notes to Table:

(a) See

§ 160.076–29(e)(5)(i).

(b) See

1
1
1

1
10
10

1
1
1

1
10
15

§ 160.076–29(e)(5)(ii).

(f) Accept/reject criteria: manufacturer
testing. (1) A PFD lot passes production
testing if each sample passes each test.

2
2
2
See Note
See Note
1
13
20
(c) See

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

2
13
25

2
20
27

3
20
30

(b)
(c)

§ 160.076–29(e)(5)(iii).

(2) In lots of 200 or less PFDs, the lot
must be rejected if any sample fails
one or more tests.
(3) In lots of more than 200 PFDs, the
lot must be rejected if—

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§ 160.076–31

(i) One sample fails more than one
test;
(ii) More than one sample fails any
test or combination of tests; or
(iii) One sample fails one test and in
redoing that test with the number of
samples specified for retesting in Table
160.076–29A, one or more samples fail
the retest.
(4) A rejected PFD lot may be retested only if allowed under § 160.076–
31(e).
(g) Accept/reject criteria: independent
laboratory testing. (1) A lot passes production testing if each sample passes
each test.
(2) A lot must be rejected if—
(i) A sample fails more than one test;
(ii) More than one sample fails any
test or combination of tests; or
(iii) One sample fails one test and in
redoing that test with the number of
samples specified for retesting in Table
160.076–29B, one or more samples fail
the test.
(3) A rejected lot may be retested
only if allowed under § 160.076–31(e).
(h) Facilities and equipment—(1) General. The manufacturer must provide
the test equipment and facilities necessary for performing production tests,
examinations, and inspections, unless
Commandant has accepted testing at a
location other than the manufacturer’s
facility.
(2) Calibration. The manufacturer
must have the calibration of all test
equipment checked at least every six
months by a weights and measures
agency or the equipment manufacturer, distributor, or dealer.
(3) Facilities. The manufacturer must
provide a suitable place and the necessary equipment for the inspector to
use in conducting or supervising tests.
For the final lot inspection, the manufacturer must provide a suitable working environment and a smooth-top
table for the inspector’s use.

ehiers on DSK9F6TC42PROD with CFR

[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by CGD 94–110, 61 FR 13946, Mar. 28,
1996; 61 FR 15868, Apr. 9, 1996; USCG–2011–0076,
77 FR 19942, Apr. 3, 2012]

§ 160.076–31 Production tests and examinations.
(a) Samples used in testing must be
selected in accordance with § 160.076–
29(e).

(b) On each sample selected—
(1) The manufacturer must conduct
the tests in paragraphs (c)(2) through
(c)(8) of this section;
(2) The recognized laboratory inspector must conduct or supervise the tests
in paragraphs (c)(4) through (c)(8) of
this section; and
(3) In addition to meeting the requirements of this section, each test
result must meet the requirements, if
any, contained in the approved plans
and specifications.
(c) When conducting the tests specified by this paragraph, the following
conditions must be met:
(1) Inflation chamber materials. The
materials in each inflatable chamber
must comply with the requirements in
Table 29.1 of UL 1191 (incorporated by
reference, see § 160.076–11) for permeability, grab strength, and tear
strength. Lots not meeting this requirement must be rejected and, unless
authorized by the Commandant, may
not be subdivided and retested.
(2) Seam strength. The seams in each
inflation chamber of each sample must
be tested in accordance with Table 29.1
of UL 1191.
(3) Over-pressure. Each sample must
be tested in accordance with and meet
UL 1180 (incorporated by reference, see
§ 160.076–11) section 41. Prior to initiating the test at the specified values,
samples may be prestressed by inflating them to a greater pressure than the
required test pressure.
(4) Air retention. Each sample must be
tested in accordance with and meet UL
1180 section 42. Prior to initiating the
test at the specified values, test samples may be prestressed by inflating to
a pressure greater than the design pressure, but not exceeding 50 percent of
the required pressure for the tests in
paragraph (c)(3) of this section. No alternate test method may be used that
decreases the length of the test unless
authorized by the Commandant. Such
alternative test must require a proportionately lower allowable pressure loss
and the same percentage sensitivity
and accuracy as the standard allowable
loss measured with the standard instrumentation.
(5) Buoyancy and inflation medium retention. Each sample must be tested in

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ehiers on DSK9F6TC42PROD with CFR

§ 160.076–31

46 CFR Ch. I (10–1–16 Edition)

accordance with and meet UL 1180 section 29. Each buoyancy value must fall
within the tolerances specified in the
approved plans and specifications.
(6) Tensile strength. Each sample primary closure system must be tested in
accordance with and meet UL 1180 section 31.
(7) Detailed product examination. Each
sample PFD must be disassembled to
the extent necessary to determine compliance with the following:
(i) All dimensions and seam allowances must be within tolerances prescribed in the approved plans and specifications.
(ii) The torque of each screw type
mechanical fastener must be within its
tolerance as prescribed in the approved
plans and specifications.
(iii) The arrangement, markings, and
workmanship must be as specified in
the approved plans and specifications
and this subpart.
(iv) The PFD must not contain any
apparent defects.
(8) Waterproof Marking Test. Each
sample must be completely submerged
in fresh water for at least 30 minutes.
The sample must then be removed, immediately placed on a hard surface, and
the markings vigorously rubbed with
the fingers for 15 seconds. If the printing becomes illegible, the sample must
be rejected.
(d) Final lot examination and inspection—(1) General. On each PFD lot that
passes production testing, the manufacturer shall perform a final lot examination and, on every fifth lot, a laboratory inspector shall perform a final
lot inspection. Samples must be selected in accordance with paragraph
§ 160.076–29(e). Each final lot must demonstrate—
(i) First quality workmanship;
(ii) That the general arrangement
and attachment of all components,
such as body straps, closures, inflation
mechanisms,
tie
tapes,
and
drawstrings, are as specified in the approved plans and specifications;
(iii) Compliance with the marking requirements in § 160.076–39; and
(iv) That the information pamphlet
and owner’s manual required by
§ 160.076–35 and 160.076–37, respectively,
are securely attached to the device,
with the pamphlet selection informa-

tion visible and accessible prior to purchase.
(2) Accept/reject criteria. Each nonconforming PFD must be rejected. If three
or more nonconforming PFDs are rejected for the same kind of defect, lot
examination or inspection must be discontinued and the lot rejected.
(3) Manufacturer examination. This examination must be conducted by a
manufacturer’s representative who is
familiar with the approved plans and
specifications, the functioning of the
PFD and its components, and the production testing procedures. This person
must not be responsible for meeting
production schedules or be supervised
by someone who is. This person must
prepare and sign the record required by
159.007–13(a) of this chapter and 160.076–
33(b).
(4) Independent laboratory inspection.
(i) The inspector must discontinue lot
inspection and reject the lot if examination of individual PFDs or the
records for the lot shows noncompliance with either this section or the
laboratory’s or the manufacturer’s
quality control procedures.
(ii) If the inspector rejects a lot, the
inspector must advise the Commandant
or the recognized laboratory within 15
days.
(iii) The inspector must prepare and
sign the inspection record required by
159.007–13(a) of this chapter and 160.076–
33(b). If the lot passes, the record must
include the inspector’s certification
that the lot passed inspection and that
no evidence of noncompliance with this
section was observed.
(e) Disposition of rejected PFD lot or
PFD. (1) A rejected PFD lot may be resubmitted for testing, examination or
inspection if the manufacturer first removes and destroys each defective PFD
or, if authorized by the Commandant,
reworks the lot to correct the defect.
(2) Any PFD rejected in a final lot examination or inspection may be resubmitted for examination or inspection if
all defects have been corrected and reexamination or reinspection is authorized by the Commandant.
(3) A rejected lot or rejected PFD
may not be sold or offered for sale
under the representation that it meets

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Coast Guard, DHS

§ 160.076–39

this subpart or that it is Coast Guardapproved.
[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by CGD 94–110, 61 FR 13946, Mar. 28,
1996; USCG–2011–0076, 77 FR 19942, Apr. 3,
2012]

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§ 160.076–33

(d) The records required by paragraph
(b)(4) of this section must be kept for
at least 120 months after preparation.
All other records required by paragraph (b) of this section must be kept
for at least 60 months after the PFD
approval expires or is terminated.

Manufacturer records.

(a) Each manufacturer of inflatable
PFDs shall keep the records of production inspections and tests as required
by § 159.007–13 of this chapter, except
that they must be retained for at least
120 months after the month in which
the inspection or test was conducted.
(b) In addition to the information required by § 159.007–13 of this chapter,
the manufacturer’s records must also
include the following information:
(1) For each test, the serial number
of the test instrument used if more
than one test instrument was available.
(2) For each test and inspection, the
identification of the samples used, the
lot number, the approval number, and
the number of PFDs in the lot.
(3) For each lot rejected, the cause
for rejection, any corrective action
taken, and the final disposition of the
lot.
(4) For all materials used in production the—
(i) Name and address of the supplier;
(ii) Date of purchase and receipt;
(iii) Lot number; and
(iv) Where required by § 164.019–5 of
this chapter, the certification received
with standard components.
(5) A copy of this subpart.
(6) Each document incorporated by
reference in § 160.076–11.
(7) A copy of the approved plans and
specifications.
(8) The approval certificate obtained
in accordance with § 2.75–1 and 2.75–5 of
this chapter.
(9) Certificates evidencing calibration of test equipment, including the
identity of the agency performing the
calibration, date of calibration, and results.
(c) A description or photographs of
procedures and equipment used in testing required by § 159.007–13(a)(4) of this
chapter, is not required if the manufacturer’s procedures and equipment meet
the requirements of this subpart.

§ 160.076–35

Information pamphlet.

A pamphlet that is consistent in format to that specified in UL 1123 (incorporated by reference, see § 160.076–11)
must be attached to each inflatable
PFD sold or offered for sale in such a
way that a prospective purchaser can
read the pamphlet prior to purchase.
The pamphlet text and layout must be
submitted to the Commandant for approval. The text must be printed in
each pamphlet exactly as approved by
the Commandant. Additional information, instructions, or illustrations
must not be included within the approved text and layout. Sample pamphlet text and layout may be obtained
by contacting the Commandant. This
pamphlet may be combined with the
manual required by § 160.076–37 if PFD
selection and warning information is
provided on the PFD packaging in such
a way that it remains visible until purchase.
[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by USCG–2011–0076, 77 FR 19943,
Apr. 3, 2012]

§ 160.076–37

Owner’s manual.

(a) General. The manufacturer must
provide an owner’s manual with each
inflatable PFD sold or offered for sale.
A draft of the manual for each model
must be submitted for approval in accordance with § 160.076–13.
(b) Manual contents. Each owner’s
manual must contain the information
specified in UL 1180 (incorporated by
reference, see § 160.076–11), and, if the
PFD is conditionally approved, an explanation of the meaning of, and reasons for, the approval conditions.
[CGD 94–110, 60 FR 32848, June 23, 1995, as
amended by CGD 94–110, 61 FR 13947, Mar. 28,
1996; USCG–2011–0076, 77 FR 19943, Apr. 3,
2012]

§ 160.076–39

Marking.

Each inflatable PFD must be marked
as specified in UL 1180 (incorporated by

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§ 160.077–1

46 CFR Ch. I (10–1–16 Edition)

reference, see § 160.076–11). At a minimum, all labels must include—
(a) Size information, as appropriate;
(b) The Coast Guard approval number;
(c) Manufacturer’s contact information;
(d) Model name/number;
(e) Lot number, manufacturer date;
and
(f) Any limitations or restrictions on
approval or special instructions for
use.
[USCG–2013–0263, 79 FR 56500, Sept. 22, 2014]

Subpart 160.077—Hybrid Inflatable
Personal Flotation Devices
SOURCE: CGD 78–174, 50 FR 33928, Aug. 22,
1985, unless otherwise noted.

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§ 160.077–1

Scope.

(a) This specification contains requirements for approving hybrid inflatable personal flotation devices (hybrid
PFDs).
(b) Under this chapter and 33 CFR
part 175, certain commercial vessels
and recreational boats may carry Type
I, II, or III hybrid PFDs to meet carriage requirements. Type V hybrid
PFDs may be substituted for other required PFDs if they are worn under
conditions prescribed in their manual
as required by § 160.077–29 and on their
marking as prescribed in § 160.077–31.
For recreational boats or boaters involved in a special activity, hybrid
PFD approval may also be limited to
that activity.
(c) Unless approved as a Type I
SOLAS Lifejacket, a hybrid PFD on an
inspected commercial vessel will be approved only—
(1) As work vest; or
(2) For the special purpose stated on
the approval certificate and PFD
marking.
(d) A hybrid PFD may be approved
for adults, weighing over 40 kg (90 lb);
youths, weighing 23–40 kg (50–90 lb);
small children, weighing 14–23 kg (30–50
lb); or for the size range of persons for
which the design has been tested, as indicated on the PFD’s label.
(e) This specification also contains
requirements for—

(1) Manufacturers and sellers of recreational hybrid PFD’s to provide an
information pamphlet and owner’s
manual with each PFD; and
(2) Manufacturers of commercial hybrid PFD’s to provide a user’s manual.
[CGD 78–174, 50 FR 33928, Aug. 22, 1985, as
amended by CGD 78–174, 60 FR 2486, Jan. 9,
1995]

§ 160.077–2

Definitions.

(a) Commandant means the Chief of
the Lifesaving and Fire Safety Standards Division. Address: Commandant
(CG-ENG-4), Attn: Lifesaving and Fire
Safety Division, U.S. Coast Guard Stop
7509, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20593-7509;
telephone 202-372-1392 or fax 202-3721924.
(b) Commercial hybrid PFD means a
hybrid PFD approved for use on commercial vessels identified on the PFD
label.
(c) First quality workmanship means
construction which is free from any defect materially affecting appearance or
serviceability.
(d) Hybrid PFD means a personal flotation device that has at least one inflation chamber in combination with
inherently buoyant material.
(e) Inflation medium means any solid,
liquid, or gas, that, when activated,
provides inflation for buoyancy.
(f) Inspector means an independent
laboratory representative assigned to
perform duties described in § 160.077–23.
(g) PFD means a personal flotation
device of a type approved under this
subpart.
(h) Recreational hybrid PFD means a
hybrid PFD approved for use on a recreational boat as defined in 33 CFR
175.3.
(i) [Reserved]
(j) Reference vest means a model AK–
1, adult PFD; model CKM–1, child medium PFD; or model CKS–2, child small
PFD, meeting the requirements of subpart 160.047 of this chapter, except that,
in lieu of the weight and displacement
values prescribed in Tables 160.047–
4(c)(2) and 160.047–4(c)(4), each insert
must have the minimum weight of
kapok and displacement as shown in
Table 160.077–2(j). To achieve the specified volume displacement, front and

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