Lifejackets are the most important piece of safety equipment on any recreational vessel.Always wear a life jacket and insist that your crew and guests do the same.An approved lifejacket must be carried for each person on board most vessels. It must be the correct size for the wearer, in good condition and, if an inflatable lifejacket, properly serviced. Penalties may apply to the owners and masters of vessels found not carrying lifejackets, or if there are not enough lifejackets for everyone on board. Penalties may also apply if occupants are not wearing lifejackets when they are required to do so.More importantly, if you are not wearing your lifejacket, it cannot save your life.

Approximately 77 percent of fatal boating accident victims drowned in 2013.(1) Almost 84 percent of those who drowned were not wearing a life jacket, and 8 out of every 10 boaters who drowned were on vessels less than 21 feet in length. Always have an adequate supply of life jackets aboard. Make sure that children are wearing appropriate life jackets that fit correctly. Drowning was the reported cause of death for approximately 36 percent of the children under the age of 13 who perished in boating accidents in 2013. In cold water areas, life jackets are even more important. Hypothermia is a significant risk factor for injury or even death while boating. Cold water accelerates the onset and progression of hypothermia since body heat can be lost 25 times faster in cold water than in cold air. Boaters can be at risk of hypothermia in warm waters as well, where expected time of survival can be as little as two hours in waters as warm at 60 – 70°F.

Lifejacket standards

Your lifejacket must comply with:

•  Australian Standard for lifejackets AS 4758 or

• International Standard ISO 12402 or

• One of the approved standards for types of lifejacket listed below.

Lifejacket level 100+ (formerly known as Type 1)

• One of the following recognised standards for lifejackets, or types of lifejackets, that has been approved by a recognised appraiser:

• European Standard EN ISO 12402-2,3,4

      Underwriters Laboratories Standards UL 1180 – Fully inflatable recreational personal flotation devices,

       New Zealand Standards NZS 5823:2005, or

• Any standard or specifications approved by RMS.

• Lifejacket level 50 (formerly known as Type 2)

• European Standard EN ISO 12402-5, or

• Any standard or specifications approved by RMS.

Lifejacket level 50S (formerly known as Type 3)

• European Standard EN ISO 12402-5, or

• Any standard or specifications approved by RMS.

Note: A recognised appraiser means:

• A certifying body accredited by the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS–ANZ), or

A laboratory with National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accreditation, or

A notified body in accordance with the European Union Maritime Equipment Directive, Module B (MED–B), or

A body approved by RMS.