U.S. Coast Guard Issues Immersion Suit Safety Alert
The U.S. Coast Guard Safety Alert 03-26, issued on January 16, highlights critical findings related to immersion suit maintenance, inspection practices, and material integrity.ABS reports that U.S. Coast Guard inspectors have increasingly identified adhesive failures between immersion suit zippers and suit bodies, as well as other seam related defects. These deficiencies compromise watertight integrity and pose significant risks to crew survival in emergency situations.Contributing factors cited include use of non-approved lubricants…
US Coast Guard: Immersion Suit Maintenance and Inspections
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) inspectors frequently find immersion suit defects caused by adhesivef ailures between the main zipper and the suit body. These failures, illustrated in the images, compromise watertight integrity and pose serious survival risks from water ingress. Contributing factors to the defects include improper maintenance (e.g., the use of non-approved petroleum based lubricants or scented powders), improper storage, and neglecting to conduct periodic pressure testing. Seam and closure deterioration may not always be detectable during routine visual inspections.
