What is a SOLAS Lifejacket?

What is a SOLAS Approved Life Jacket?

An inflatable SOLAS approved Life jacket has 5 main features.  SOLAS inflatable lifejackets are used by windfarm technicians and SOLAS regulated marine industry like cruise ship, superyacht and ferry.  The main requirements for a SOLAS life jacket are- 

Double chamber life jacket - A SOLAS inflatable life jacket is required to have two independent chambers activated by two automatic firing heads.  The Double chamber, twin-chamber or dual-chamber system offers redundancy.  Both firing heads will activate filling the life jackets with gas.    

SOLAS Ships Wheel approved - The SOLAS inflatable life jackets should be marked with the Ships Wheel Mark to identify it has been approved to the latest SOLAS standard. 

SOLAS approved life jacket light - It is required that a SOLAS approved life jacket is fitted with a SOLAS approved life jacket light.  The Spinlock DURO SOLAS is fitted with the Spinlock PYLON SOLAS approved life jacket light. 

Fitted with floating ‘buddy line’ - A SOLAS inflatable life jacket is fitted with a 2m long floating line to use to connect casualty's together or tie to floating debris. 

SOLAS lifejackets will turn you on to your back - When inflated in the water SOLAS approved life jackets will turn the user on to their back and stay fully inflated for 24hrs. 

SOLAS lifejacket inspection - A SOLAS life jacket needs to be serviced at a SOLAS approved service centre.  In the UK these are approved by the MCA, in other countries, they will be approved by the local authorities.  A list of Spinlock approved service centres here. 

Spinlock's DURO SOLAS life jacket is suitable for SOLAS regulated marine industry applications such as cruise ship, superyacht, ferries, oil & gas, marine geophysical, tugs, pilot boats, offshore wind, fishing, aquaculture, energy, military, security, rescue, government, harbormasters barges, hi-speed craft, port workers, dock workers, marine construction and more.