Life Jacket Maintenance and Testing This page is provided by the Cold Lake Sailing Club and is solely for information, the Club is not responsible for accuracy. ALWAYS REFER TO YOUR OWNERS MANUAL. For life jackets to work, they must be kept in good condition. You should inspect each device on a regular basis for outer skin and stitching damage, mildew, leaks, insecure straps, or hardened stuffing. Use only mild soapy solution when cleaning. The use of oil-based solvents, such as gasoline, or strong detergents to remove stains can cause life jackets to deteriorate and lose buoyancy. For this reason, you should be cautious to prevent life jackets from coming in contact with gasoline, oil, or grease at all times. Life Jacket Handling and Storage You should always air-dry life jackets thoroughly before stowing them away. Avoid exposure to sunlight and never dry a life jacket on a heater or any other direct heat source. When life jackets are not in use, they must be stored in a dry, well-ventilated, easily accessible place on board the vessel. Life jackets should not be stepped on, or used as kneeling pads or seats. Placing any heavy weight on a life jacket can damage the internal buoyancy material. Life Jacket Tips It is recommended that all life jackets be individually marked with an identification system and that a record be kept of the date of purchase and the dates that you inspected the life jacket. This will assist with scheduling of future inspections and replacement planning. Reference: Transport Canada - Safety Equipment - Safe, Not Sorry |