LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES
2003 Edition
International Life-Saving Appliance Code Resolution MSC. 48(66)
and
Testing and Evaluation of
Life-Saving Appliances
INTERNATIONAL
MARITIME ORGANIZATION London, 2003
Resolution MSC.81(70)
Testing and Evaluation of Life-Saving Appliances first published in 1985
by the INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION
4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR
Second edition 1992
International Life-Saving Appliance Code first published in 1997 Combined edition published 2003
Printed by Arkle Print Ltd., Northampton
2468 10 97531
ISBN 92-801-5143-6
IMO PUBLICATION
Sales number: IC982E
Copyright © IMO 2003
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic,
magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise.
without prior permission in writing from the
International Maritime Organization.
Foreword
The International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code was adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its 66th session (June 1996) by resolution MSC 48(66) in order to provide international standards for the life-saving appliances required by chapter III of the 1974 SOLAS Convention. The Code was made mandatory by the MSC at the same session by resolution MSC.47(66) and entered into force on 1 July 1998.
Recommendations on the testing of life-saving appliances had been adopted by the Assembly in 1991 by resolution A.689(17). In 1998 the MSC recognized the need to introduce more precise requirements for the testing of life-saving appliances and also recalling that it had amended the Recommendations on several occasions since their adoption, adopted the Revised recommendation on testing of life-saving appliances (resolution MSC.81(/0)), effectively replacing resolution A.689(1 7).
Resolution A 520(13) - Code of practice for the evaluation, testing and acceptance of prototype novel life-saving appliances and arrangements - was adopted by the Assembly in 1983 in order to cater for prototype novel life-saving appliances and arrangements which may be developed and do not fully meet the requirements of chapter III of the 1974 SOLAS Convention but provide the same or higher safety standards.
Contents
Page International Life-Saving Appliance Code (LSA Code)
Chapter I General 5
Chapter II Personal life-saving appliances 7
Chapter III Visual signals 14
Chapter IV Survival craft 16
Chapter V Rescue boats 42
Chapter VI Launching and embarkation appliances 46
Chapter VII Other life-saving appliances 54
Testing and Evaluation of Life-Saving Appliances
I Revised recommendation on testing of life-savingappliances (annex to resolution MSC.81 (70))
Part 1 - Prototype tests for life-saving appliances 64
Part 2 - Production and installation tests 152
II Code of practice for the evaluation, testing and acceptance of prototype novel life-saving appliances
and arrangements (annex to resolution A.520(13)) 163
Appendices
Appendix 1 - Resolution MSC.48(66) 185
Appendix 2 - Resolution MSC.81 (70) 186
Appendix 3 - Resolution A.S20(13) 187
International Life-Saving
Appliance Code
(LSA Code)
Page
PREAMBLE 5
CHAPTER 1 - GENERAL
1.1 Definitions 5
1.2 General requirements for life-saving appliances 6
CHAPTER II - PERSONAL LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES
2.1 Lifebuoys 7
2.2 Lifejackets g
2.3 Immersion suits 11
2.4 Anti-exposure suits 12
2.5 Thermal protective aids 14
CHAPTER III - VISUAL SIGNALS
3.1 Rocket parachute flares 14
3.2 Hand flares 15
3.3 Buoyant smoke signals 15
CHAPTER IV - SURVIVAL CRAFT
4.1 General requirements for life rafts 16
4.2 Inflatable life rafts 21
4.3 Rigid life rafts 25
4.4 General requirements for lifeboats 27
4.5 Partially enclosed lifeboats 37
4.6 Totally enclosed lifeboats 38
4.7 Free-fall lifeboats 40
4.8 Lifeboats with a self-contained air support system 42
4.9 Fire-protected lifeboats 42
CHAPTER V - RESCUE BOATS
5.1 Rescue boats 42
CHAPTER VI - LAUNCHING AND EMBARKATION APPLIANCES
6.1 Launching and embarkation appliances 46
6.2 Marine evacuation systems
Contents of LSA Code
CHAPTER VII - OTHER LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES
7.1 Line-throwing appliances
7.2 General alarm and public address system
54 55
International Life-Saving Appliance Code
PREAMBLE*
1 The purpose of this Code is to provide international standards forlife-saving appliances required by chapter III of the International Conven-tion for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974.
2 On and after 1 July 1998, the requirements of this Code will bemandatory under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea(SOLAS), 1974, as amended. Any future amendment to the Code will beadopted and brought into force in accordance with the procedure laiddown in article VIII of that Convention.
Chapter I
General
1.1 Definitions
1.1.1 Convention means the International Convention for the Safety ofLife at Sea, 1974, as amended.
1.1.2 Effective clearing of the ship is the ability of the free-fall lifeboat tomove away from the ship after free-fall launching without using its engine.
1.1.3 Free-fall acceleration is the rate of change of velocity experiencedby the occupants during launching of a free-fall lifeboat.
1.1.4 Free-fall certification height is the greatest launching height forwhich the lifeboat is to be approved, measured from the still water surface...
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