Overview
ISO 18079-3:2018 - Ships and marine technology: Servicing of inflatable life-saving appliances - Part 3: Inflatable lifejackets - sets out provisions for servicing stations that inspect, test, repair and record work on inflatable lifejackets. Intended to be used in conjunction with ISO 18079-1 and as a companion to IMO/SOLAS requirements (notably SOLAS III/20.8 and IMO A.761(18)), the standard promotes consistent, auditable servicing practice for lifejackets used on ships and offshore installations.
Key topics and requirements
The standard focuses on practical servicing and documentation. Main technical topics include:
- Servicing procedures: Work must follow ISO 18079-1 and the manufacturer’s servicing manual.
- Inspection checklist (examples from the standard): cover condition, inflatable bladder, seams, fabric, reflective tape, straps, buckles, oral inflation tube, whistle and lifejacket light.
- Pressure testing: Inflation with dry compressed air to the pressure specified by the manufacturer.
- Inflation system checks: Inspect inflator units and sub-components (bobbins, tablets), CO cylinder weight/corrosion/charge, relief valves and connections.
- Functional tests: Light operation, whistle, and any other required components; check expiry dates for components (e.g., lights, bobbins).
- Marking and repacking: Confirm service date/next service marking and ensure appliance and atmosphere are dry before repacking.
- Repairs: Only carried out per manufacturer instructions/servicing manuals.
- Servicing records and retention: Maintain records for at least 5 years including station and technician ID, customer details, serial/lot numbers, manufacture date, test results (pressure test, CO cylinder weight, light function), faults found and actions taken.
- Condemnation and deficiency reporting: Capture cause of condemnation (Annex A example form), forward information to the manufacturer and make records available to Administrations.
Applications and users
ISO 18079-3 is directly applicable to:
- Servicing stations and certified technicians performing annual/periodic servicing
- Shipowners and operators managing lifejacket maintenance and compliance with SOLAS
- Manufacturers providing servicing manuals and handling condemnations
- Flag State administrations, maritime surveyors and auditors verifying conformity
- Offshore and commercial marine installations requiring consistent lifejacket maintenance records
Practical benefits include improved safety, consistent servicing quality, traceable records for audits, and clearer communication between servicing stations, manufacturers and Administrations.
Related standards
- ISO 18079-1 (general servicing requirements for inflatable life-saving appliances)
- IMO Assembly resolution A.761(18) and SOLAS Chapter III provisions
- LSA Code and other IMO guidance referenced in the ISO 18079 series
Keywords: ISO 18079-3, inflatable lifejackets, servicing stations, SOLAS III/20.8, lifejacket inspection, pressure test, servicing records, condemnation form.