Components for Personal Flotation Devices

Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL)
Standards Development Organisation:
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
Working Program:
View the UL work program
Designation Number:
ANSI/CAN/UL 1191
Standard Type:
National Standard of Canada - Domestic
Standard Sub-Type
Joint Canada-U.S. National Standard
Standard Development Activity:
Amendment Revision
ICS code(s):
13.340.70
Status:
Proceeding to development
SDO Comment Period Start Date:
SDO Comment Period End Date:
Posted On:

Scope:

Note: The project need of this Notice of Intent (originally published on January 17, 2023) was updated by the responsible SDO on January 31, 2023.

These requirements cover components intended for use in the manufacturer of personal flotation devices and immersion suits. Compliance with these requirements does not indicate that the product is intended for use as a component of an end product without further investigation. The requirements shall be applied to other components if found to be appropriate. The components addressed in this Standard are intended for use in personal flotation devices and immersion suits which comply with the requirements of Underwriters Laboratories Inc., the United States Coast Guard Subparts of Chapter I, Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, and Transport Canada. These include: a) USCG Subparts 160.002, 160.047, 160.048, 160.049, 160.050, 160.052, 160.053, 160.055, 160.060, 160.064, 160.076, 160.077, 160.150, 160.155, 160.171, and 160.176. b) The requirements for: 1) Marine Buoyant Devices, UL 1123; 2) Buoyant Cushions, UL 1175; 3) Buoyant Vests, UL 1177; 4) Hybrid Personal Flotation Devices, UL 1517; and 5) Fully Inflatable Recreational Personal Flotation Devices, UL 1180. 6) Immersion Suits, UL 1197. 7) Personal Flotation Devices – Part 5: Buoyancy Aids (Level 50) – Safety Requirements, UL 12402-5. These requirements also cover personal flotation device components intended to meet the requirements of the United States Coast Guard Subparts of Chapter I, Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations. These include USCG Subparts 164.019 and 164.023. The components addressed in this Standard are not prohibited from being used on devices that comply with other regulations and requirements (other than those tabulated in 1.2) when the component meets the intent of the requirements of Underwriters Laboratories Inc., the United States Coast Guard, and Transport Canada.

Project need:

UL Solutions proposes the following changes to ANSI/CAN/UL 1191: Table 36.1 - single sided fabric laminated foam has reduced Use Codes of 2F, 3F and 5H when applying Exposure 3 compared to 2, 2F, 3, 3F, 5H and 5R when applying Exposure 2. Table 36.2 - double sided fabric laminated foam allows Use Codes 2F, 3, 3F, 5H and 5R when using either exposure 2 or 3, resulting in an inconsistency between different types of fabric laminated foam. Table 36.1 and 26.2 in Revision 4 of UL 1191 have the Use Codes 2F, 3F, and 5H only allowed when applying exposure 3. This suggests a typo in Table 36.2 in the 5th Edition which should have the reduce Use Codes split out for exposure 3. Also, the Carbon Arc weathering option was meant to have been removed from the last version of UL 1191 however some instances still remain in Table 36.1 Fabric tests for knitted fabric laminated foam flotation material having fabric on one side. An amendment for the correction of opening and closing force for zippers in Table 17.2 is also being made. The opening and closing force of the zipper is intended to measure the operability of the zipper to ensure that it can be opened and closed with an acceptable level of force below or equal to a set limit in the standard. Table 17.2 Zippers for Immersion Suits currently has the Open and Close Force as greater than a designated value rather than less than. The table should be updated to bring this in line with the intent and replace the greater than with a less than sign.

Note: The information provided above was obtained by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and is provided as part of a centralized, transparent notification system for new standards development. The system allows SCC-accredited Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), and members of the public, to be informed of new work in Canadian standards development, and allows SCC-accredited SDOs to identify and resolve potential duplication of standards and effort.

Individual SDOs are responsible for the content and accuracy of the information presented here. The text is presented in the language in which it was provided to SCC.