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Check your lifejacket

Check if your lifejacket has expired. This is especially important for inflatable lifejackets.

How to check an inflatable life jacket

Many people are not very familiar with how an inflatable life jacket should be maintained.

An inflatable life jacket must be checked regularly, and there are three things in particular that are important to keep an eye on:

  1. GAS CARTRIDGE: Unscrew the gas cartridge and check that it is intact and without damage. If you have a precise kitchen scale, you can weigh the cartridge and make sure it weighs the same as the indicated on the cartridge. If everything is in order, screw the cartridge back tightly again. It is a good habit to check that the cartridge fits well every time you use the vest.
  2. RELEASE TABLET: Check that the release tablet is not broken, expired or has been exposed to moisture. How often you need to change the tablet varies between different vests – follow the instructions that come with the product. Manufacturers usually recommend changing the tablet annually.
  3. THAT THE VEST IS AIRTIGHT: Open the cover and check that the inflatable vest is undamaged and holds air for 24 hours. You do this by opening the cover and inflating the vest, for example by using a bicycle pump. Be careful not to damage the valve on the nozzle. Note: Do not inflate the vest with your own breath. This will cause moisture inside the vest. If the vest retains air for 24 hours, you can completely deflate the vest again and fold it into the cover. Follow the supplier's instructions.

Check regular life jackets too

Ordinary life jackets and life jackets that are not inflatable should also be checked as wear and tear can occur on old life jackets. Are all seams intact? Is the vest durable for your weight? Does the vest have crotch straps? Does it fit ? 

We strongly recommend to be well prepared before the next boat trip, and have a good, suitable and safe vest for each of the passengers in the boat. 

Facts

  • In Norway, an average of 26 people die each year from drowning from recreational craft.
  • Everyone who is in recreational boats under eight meters must wear a suitable life jacket when the boat is moving.
  • It is the boat driver and boat owner who are responsible for ensuring that there are life jackets for everyone on board, while it is the individual's responsibility to use the equipment.
  • It is the boat driver's responsibility to ensure that children under the age of 15 wear a life jacket when the boat is in motion.
  • DSB recommends that children who cannot swim also do not use an inflatable life jacket. Children should wear a vest with a collar that helps keep their head above water.
  • Life jackets must be CE marked.
  • People who are towed behind the boat, for example on water skis, in tubes and on wakeboards, must also wear a life jacket.
  • It is important to read the instructions for use to know the necessary maintenance of life jackets and how many kilograms the vest is intended for. Improper use of the vest may cause it to not work as expected.

How to check the inflatable life jacket

The Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue has made some instructional videos that show how to check your own life jacket. This can vary slightly between different types of vests, but the principle is the same: 

Annual check of inflatable life jacket:

Life jackets for children

For smaller children and children who cannot swim, it is recommended to wear a life jacket with a collar. This type of vest will turn the child the right way if it falls into the water. 

Life jackets for older children children

Flight vests can be used for older children who are able to swim, in protected waters and with help nearby.

  • The Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue recommends that children should be at least 140cm tall, 55cm around the waist and able to swim to wear inflatable vests.

More information

You can read more about checking vests at sikkerhverdag.no 
and on the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue sjekkvesten.no



The Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue page sjekkvesten.no