(1) General requirements for immersion suits
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(a) The immersion suit shall be constructed with
waterproof materials such that:
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(i) it can be unpacked and donned without assistance
within 2 min taking into account any associated clothing, and a lifejacket
if the immersion suit is to be worn in conjunction with a lifejacket;
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(ii) it will not sustain burning or continue melting
after being totally enveloped in a fire for a period of 2 s;
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(iii) it will cover the whole body with the exception
of the face. Hands shall also be covered unless permanently attached
gloves are provided;
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(iv) it is provided with arrangements to minimize
or reduce free air in the legs of the suit;
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(v) following a jump from a height of not less
than 4.5 m into the water there is no undue ingress of water into
the suit.
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(b) An immersion suit which also complies with
the requirements of regulation 24 may
be classified as a lifejacket.
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(c) An immersion suit shall permit the person
wearing it, and also wearing a lifejacket if the immersion suit is
to be worn in conjunction with a lifejacket to:
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(i) climb up and down a vertical ladder at least
5 m in length;
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(ii) perform normal duties during abandonment;
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(iii) jump from a height of not less than 4.5
m into the water without damaging or dislodging the immersion suit,
or being injured;
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(iv) swim a short distance through the water and
board a survival craft.
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(d) An immersion suit which has buoyancy and is
designed to be worn without a lifejacket shall be fitted with a light
complying with the requirements of regulation
24(3) and the whistle prescribed by regulation 24(1)(f).
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(e) If the immersion suit is to be worn in conjunction
with a lifejacket, the lifejacket shall be worn over the immersion
suit. A person wearing such an immersion suit shall be able to don
a lifejacket without assistance.
(2) Thermal performance requirements for immersion
suits
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(a) An immersion suit made of material which has
no inherent insulation shall be:
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(i) marked with instructions that it must be worn
in conjunction with warm clothing;
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(ii) so constructed that, when worn in conjunction
with warm clothing and with a lifejacket if the immersion suit is
to be worn with a lifejacket, the immersion suit continues to provide
sufficient thermal protection following one jump by the wearer into
the water from a height of 4.5 m to ensure that when it is worn for
a period of l h in calm circulating water at a temperature of 5°C
the wearer's body core temperature does not fall more than 2°C.
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(b) An immersion suit made of material with inherent
insulation when worn either on its own or with a lifejacket, if the
immersion suit is to be worn in conjunction with a lifejacket, shall
provide the wearer with sufficient thermal insulation following one
jump into the water from a height of 4.5 m to ensure that the wearer's
body core temperature does not fall more than 2°C after a period
of 6 h immersion in calm circulating water at a temperature of between
0°C and 2°C.
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(c) The immersion suit shall permit the person
wearing it with hands covered to pick up a pencil and write after
being immersed in water at 5°C for a period of 1 h.
(3) Buoyancy requirements
A person in fresh water wearing either an immersion suit
complying with the requirements of regulation
24 or an immersion suit with a lifejacket shall be able to
turn from a face-down to a face-up position in not more than 5 s.