Servicing inflatable jackets

[gav73]

On a recent fishing trip a fisheries officer did a inspection on our gear and said we didnt have a service tag on our jackets.He said they need to be serviced every 12months has anyone heard what the requirements are. Cheers Gav

[bennyboy]

Inflatable PFD's need to be tested each year as per the manufacturers specifications. Check it out but with most this means manually inflating the jacket, leaving it overnight and checking if it goes down. You then need to get a marker pen and put the date of inspection on it. The manufacturer may specify a qualified inspector check it every so many years.

The important part of the leglislation is that it's inspected as per the manufacurers specification, and marked on the PFD

[geoffmck]

I recently bought a replacement gas canister for my inflatable and enquired about the requirement to service the jackets. I was told by the sales guy (at very big dealer here in Vic) that neither him or anyone he new, including customers had ever worried about getting a service done. He said that most of the jackets they sold would have been sitting on the shelf for ages so would have old dated canisters anyway. He also said that his argument would be that there is a manual inflation by mouth alternative that would still render the jacket serviceable in an emergency. He said the guys in the dive shop would merely check unscrew the canister and check that it was not empty and there waqs no corrosion. Convinced me that I could do that myself, which I did.

I'll be interested to see what others have done. Cheers

[BR65]

Similar query was on Nuggets show Saturday morn.

[Feral]

Where are you? If in Qld he is wrong.
InflatablePFD's need to be serviced at the manufacturers recommended interval. Yes most of them are 12 months, but some are two years.

You dont need a service tag, just service records.

Either service them yourself, or just buy another one when they come on special for $80. Service costs are generally $30 - $40 if paying someone to do it, may as well have a new one. Servicing them yourself is dead simple, see below - Copied from my manufacturers service requirements, with a service record proforma (cant remember if that's the one off my manufacturers site, or one I scrounged of the forum from someone else, got a few versions)

Also keep your receipt handy, Service interval starts from date of Purchase, not date of manufacture.

[geoffmck]

Thanks mate. I think I always took "must be serviced" to mean you had to have them serviced by a "qualified" person, therefore incurring the cost. I have done it myself so will keep a record as you have suggested. Thanks again.

PS, I am in Vic.

[Feral]

Just check your local regs first! In Qld they recommend you dont, but say you can if you consider yourself competent. My 8 year old could competently service one I'd reckon.

Below is the relevant extract from the Qld FAQ on lifejacket rules. (The whole document is to big to upload)

[oldboot]

This issue has been raised before.......inflatable most certainly do need to be inspected and tested......" servicing" realy isn't a good word.

The words are something like......."inspected by a competent person".......and...." according to manufacterers recommendations"

Now here is the rub........and this goes for replacing parts after the unit has been used.

Some manufacturers are quite happy to provide documents and procedures for inspection and replacement of parts.........some do not.......the "manufacturers recomendation"....is that the life jacket is returned to the manufacturer or authorised service agent.......so it can be strogly argued that you cant service those.

As for being competent.......ahh now that is an interesting word these days........there is this "asumption" that you cant be competent unless you have been trained or assessed as being competent.......::).

If push came to shove.....you might be required to prove your competency.......::)

Like all things...one of the most important things is the paperwork....unless you produce the documentation in the right form....it simply did not happen.
And more and more authorities are looking for proof of continuing compliance.

So
if you are going to do it yourself, you need to be able to produce

The instructions from the manufacturer for the inspection, testing or replacement of parts.
some form of "inspection check list" that has been filled in for each time the item has been tested.....signed and dated.
some form of log book or card that details the history.
As proof of competence, you rely should be " able to demonstrate a complete knoweledge" of all the regulations, and procedures associated with the inflatable jackets.

I do not believe there is any legal requirement to apply a tag to the jacket, but all commercial inspectors will.

Of course none of this will cause you a problem till, something goes pear shaped.....then thay will come looking for the records.

Yeh your 8 year old probably could perform the procedure, but untill they are of " a responsible age" they are not legaly capable of either performing the inspection or signing off on the records.

One could make the same argument about an 8 year old being able to perform electrical saftey checks........but it is simply a rediculous argument.

I could perform the inspection my self, and easily produce the documentation....... but for $30 $40, I get mine inspected, a tag is affixed, I get a certificate of test and the inspector also keeps coppies of the documantation.

One of the BIG considerations when purchasing an inflatable is......does the manufacturer permit end user servicing and do they supply the documantation.... and what parts are available.

Stromy.....provide the information, and you can purchase almost every part of the jacket.



cheers

[TimiBoy]

Mine require the bottle to fall within a weight range, and for the jacket to be inspected for wear/damage.

There is a matrix on the jacket for the date to be recorded.

I am in Brisbane.

Cheers,

Tim