Overview
ISO 12402-2:2020 - Personal flotation devices - Part 2: Lifejackets, performance level 275 - Safety requirements - is the international safety standard that defines requirements for lifejackets at performance level 275. It applies to lifejackets for adults, children and infants intended for offshore use under severe conditions, or where users wear protective clothing or carry additional loads. This second edition (2020) updates the original 2006 standard and clarifies performance, strength and material requirements for high-support lifejackets.
Key topics and technical requirements
ISO 12402-2:2020 covers the technical and safety aspects necessary to ensure reliable in-water performance and user safety. Major topics include:
- Classification and performance levels - situates level 275 within the ISO 12402 series of PFD performance levels (50, 100, 150, 275) and lifejacket classes.
- Materials and components - requirements for fabrics, buoyancy materials and component compatibility to ensure durability and safety.
- Types of buoyancy - provisions for inherently buoyant, inflatable and hybrid designs; requirements for inflatable chambers and total buoyancy contribution.
- Inflation and rearming - standards for manual, automatic and oral inflation, plus rearming and repacking information.
- Ride-up prevention and fit - systems and donning/adjustment requirements to maintain proper wear and in-water posture.
- Strength and performance testing - tests for structural strength, multi‑chamber performance, and in‑water behavior to ensure users are returned to a safe face‑up position.
- Conspicuousness - colour and retroreflective material requirements for visibility and locating users.
- Marking and documentation - required lifejacket marking, manufacturer information, consumer information at point of sale and data lists.
- Special considerations - magnetic properties, combination with accessories, and operational limits when wearing protective clothing or carrying additional loads.
Practical applications and users
ISO 12402-2:2020 is used by:
- Manufacturers and designers of lifejackets to design, test and certify level‑275 lifejackets.
- Purchasers and specifiers in offshore, commercial diving, fisheries, wind‑farm, and heavy‑industrial maritime operations where severe conditions or additional clothing/loads are expected.
- Safety managers, regulators and testing bodies responsible for acceptance, inspection and conformity assessment of personal flotation devices (PFDs).
- Rescue and emergency services selecting high‑support lifejackets for rapid-deployment scenarios.
Adherence helps ensure lifejackets provide predictable buoyancy, stability and user visibility in severe offshore environments.
Related standards
- ISO 12402 (all parts) - full series covering buoyancy aids and lifejackets (levels 50–275).
- ISO 12402-8:2020 - contains requirements moved from this part (e.g., lifting loop requirements).
- SOLAS/IMO requirements - SOLAS lifejackets for seagoing ships are regulated separately by IMO and are not covered by ISO 12402-2.