Auto inflating life-jackets

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Jelly

There was a case in the offshore siesmic industry a few years ago then auto life jakets cost the lives of two people when they got trapped inside a cabin on a work boat when it inverted. The crew on deck survied.

That sounds like an exceptional situation, but it does raise the question of auto or manual in an enclosed cabin.

In that case there is more chance of getting trapped, and less chance of being ejected from the boat, so a manual would probably be the preferred option.

John

[Richard B]

...but to add to the conundrum, possibly more chance of banging your head?

[Jelly]

Devils advocate
So why don't we all wear helmets in-side boats planes and helicopters?
Also planes and helicopters issue manual life jackets and stress that you don't inflate them inside the cabin. Can't just be a cost saving issue.
----------------------------

The work boat inverted when a paravane that they were helping manovoer back aboard the mother craft some how fell onto the work boat and inverted it.
Yes, unusual circumstances but does highlight the dangers of enclosed spaces and inflated life jackets.
Jelly

[Squirrel]

Surely if you get trapped under the boat unconscious, you're screwed whether the lifejacket auto-inflates or not. If you're conscious and it auto-inflates, hopefully you could take it off and escape.

How about an emergency deflate button so you could release the air, escape from the upturned hull, then blow it up orally?!

[CJL]

Everybody in my office has a lifejacket in the car which gets used once in a blue moon when we end up on a canal bank river etc.

After an unfortunate incident we discovered that unless you check them regularly the cylinders vibrate loose over a period of time. Consequently when I`m wearing my personal lifejacket I always check before heading out into the blue!

Its worth a five second check, particularly on those odd spares we all have lying around before we give to the girlfriends father (or maybe not?).


Chris

[roohairy]

If you're going to manually inflate your lifejacket for a leak test, make sure you remove the CO2 cartridge! We used to inflate our lifejackets every friday evening and leave them over the weekend, one discharged it's cylinder into an inflated lifejacket, POP!

[George8910]

Would it make sense to use a thread locking compound/tape? Or would this compromise gas action?

George

[ribrunt]

Bottle checks - raised by MAIB in a report in the last year/two - don't leave home without them
Double inflation - any jacket worth its salt </pun> should withstand a double inflation - but worth removing to save ££ on the bottle...
Trapping under rib - ILB crew use Crewsaver jacket which has foam buoyancy & inflatable bladder (can't remember N ratings but 80/150 come to mind) - trust me, there is no problem getting out from under the rib with the foam buoyancy and air trapped in drysuit.

However - if winched into SAR helo we should exchange our jackets for a manual jacket - presumably because you could be at a greater depth => greater upward thrust of jacket than under a rib.

HTH

Ribrunt.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by ribrunt

However - if winched into SAR helo we should exchange our jackets for a manual jacket - presumably because you could be at a greater depth => greater upward thrust of jacket than under a rib Ribrunt.

The reason is you won't get out of a crashed Heli with an auto inflate so the crew will take your life jacket off and give you one of theirs.

Pete

[Cork Rib]

A small tip to stop your cylinder corroding and damaging the bladder is cut a finger off a medical glove or marigold or use a condom to cover the cylinder (you also know where theres a spare condom if you get lucky ! )

Jon

[ribrunt]

Originally Posted by Pete7

The reason is you won't get out of a crashed Heli with an auto inflate so the crew will take your life jacket off and give you one of theirs.

Pete

Sorry Pete - wasn't very clear on my part. Ours are manual inflate with foam bouyancy. No problem evac'ing from under ILB (uninflated) but the same jacket is not suitable in the helo, presumably because you could be further under the water-> greater upthrust from foam portion.

Cheers
Ribrunt

(PS- Hi Cork Rib, hope you well!!)