CFR

146.20—Work vests.

(a) Types of approved work vests. Each buoyant work vest carried under the permissive authority of this section must be approved under—

(1) 46 CFR 160.053; or

(2) 46 CFR 160.077 as a commercial hybrid PFD.

(b) Use. Approved buoyant work vests are considered to be items of safety apparel and may be carried aboard OCS facilities to be worn by persons employed thereon when working near or over the water. The use and control of such vests shall be under the supervision of the person in charge of the facility. When carried, such vests shall not be accepted in lieu of any portion of the required number of approved life preservers and shall not be substituted for the approved life preservers required to be worn during drills and emergencies.

(c) Stowage. The work vests shall be stowed separately from the regular stowage of approved life preservers. The location for the stowage of work vests shall be such as not to be easily confused with that for approved life preservers.

(d) Inspections. Each work vest shall be subject to examination by a marine inspector to determine its serviceability. If found to be satisfactory, it may be continued in service, but shall not be stamped by a marine inspector with a Coast Guard stamp. If a work vest is found not to be in a serviceable condition, then such work vest shall be removed from the OCS facility. If a work vest is beyond repair, it shall be destroyed or mutilated in the presence of a marine inspector so as to prevent its continued use as a work vest.

(e) Additional requirements for hybrid work vests. Commercial hybrid PFD's must, in addition to the other requirements in this section, be—

(1) Used, stowed, and maintained in accordance with—

(i) The procedures set out in the manual required for these devices by 46 CFR 160.077-29; and

(ii) Any limitation(s) marked on them; and

(2) Of the same or similar design and have the same method of operation as each other hybrid PFD carried on board.

Code of Federal Regulations

[CGD 78-160, 47 FR 9383, Mar. 4, 1982, as amended by CGD 78-174A, 51 FR 4339, Feb. 4, 1986]

Tips