Lifejackets are flotation devices which can be worn to keep a person afloat in the water. These are a crucial piece of equipment that have helped save thousands of lives over the years.
A lifejacket is typically made of polyester stuffed with foam cubes, with reflective patches on the front and back. They are bright, colored orange or yellow, so as to be spotted easily from a distance.
How do Lifejackets Work?
LifeJackets work on the principle of buoyancy, i.e. the amount of water displaced by an object is equal to its weight. This implies that when a person is in the water, the buoyancy force created is equal to the weight of the person. A LifeJacket, however, is made of lightweight form that weighs much less than the average weight density of human beings. As a result, when a person is wearing a LifeJacket, the total weight to be displaced by the water is much less as compared to the weight of the person alone, and so the person floats.
It is important to wear a jacket that fits well, protects the person from injuries due to impact, and ensures maximum safety till further help arrives, even in rough sea conditions.
Types of LifeJackets
There are five principal types of LifeJackets manufactured by LifeJacket manufacturers in India. These include:
-
- Type 1 : Open Water Life Jacket:
Used to protect the wearer in open water bodies, these lifejackets provide safety in rough seas and are useful in maintaining the body in the optimum position to prevent drowning.These provide a minimum buoyancy of 10kg.F on Adults & 5.5kg.F on child wearer .This is the best LifeJacket when the head is intended to keep above the rough waters.
-
- Type 2 : Inshore Water Personal Flotation Device:
These are primarily used in inshore area, in water bodies where rapid rescue operations can be implemented. In colder regions they are designed to protect the wearer against hypothermia.These provide a minimum buoyancy of 7.5 kg.F on Adult wearer.
-
- Type 3: Buoyancy Vest:
These lifejackets are good for protection in inland water near shore, where chance of immediate rescue is good. These are comfortable to wear and provide a minimum buoyancy of 7.5 kg.F on Adult wearer.
-
- Type 4 : Throwable device:
These are designed to be thrown to an overboard victim or to supplement the buoyancy of a person overboard. It is not to be worn. Minimum buoyancy is 8.5 kg F on wearer of the Lifebuoy.
-
- Type 5 : Specialist Personal Flotation Device:
Lifejacket manufacturers in India design specialist personal flotation devices for extreme water sports like kayaking, rafting in the rapids, or on a powerboat or jet-ski, where there is a high risk of the person being thrown overboard.
All types of lifejackets manufactured across the world are expected to adhere to the rules of design specified by the SOLAS LSA Code.
What is the SOLAS LSA Code?
The SOLAS LSA Code specifies rules for ease of wearability of a lifejacket without assistance, comfort of the wearer, and the minimum lifting capabilities to protect conscious and unconscious people from swallowing water accidentally. In addition, there are detailed instructions as to the nature, quality, and ability of the lifejackets.
SHM’s Lifejackets: A Step Ahead of the World
Fig: LifeJacket Manufacturers in India
SHM Shipcare, one of the leading life jacket manufacturers in India, designs Lifejackets for complete safety in water which are compliant with the SOLAS LSA Code. Lifejacket manufacturers in India like SHM, have incorporated features like slip-on Lifejackets which are easy to wear and manage, in various sizes, and can be used for a variety of applications.
The principal features of the life jackets manufactured by SHM include:
- Modern design of polyester Oxford fabric with EPE Foam
- Multiple sizes available as per size of wearer
- Operable within a working temperature of -30C to +65C
- Equipped with additional accessories such as buddy line, lifting loop, whistle, etc.
Lifejacket manufacturers in India, such as SHM, have endeavored to develop exceptional life jackets that adhere to the rules of the International SOLAS LSA Code and are used to protect lives every single day!
