[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 46, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 46CFR28.140]

[Page 341-342]
 
                           TITLE 46--SHIPPING
 
         CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
 
PART 28_REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY VESSELS--Table 
 
                 Subpart B_Requirements for All Vessels
 
Sec. 28.140  Operational readiness, maintenance, and inspection of 

lifesaving equipment.

    (a) The master or individual in charge of a vessel must ensure that 
each item of lifesaving equipment must be in good working order, ready 
for immediate use, and readily accessible before the vessel leaves port 
and at all times when the vessel is operated.
    (b) Each item of lifesaving equipment, including unapproved 
equipment, must be maintained and inspected in accordance with:
    (1) Table 28.140 in this section;
    (2) The servicing procedure under the subpart of this chapter 
applicable to the item's approval; and
    (3) The manufacturer's guidelines.
    (c) An inflatable liferaft or inflatable buoyant apparatus must be 
serviced no later than the month and year on its servicing sticker 
affixed under 46 CFR 160.151-57(n), and whenever the container is 
damaged or the container straps or seals are broken. It must be serviced 
at a facility specifically approved by the Commandant for the particular 
brand.
    (d) An escape route from a space where an individual may be employed 
or an accommodation space must not be obstructed.

                   Table 28.140--Scheduled Maintenance and Inspection of Lifesaving Equipment
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Interval
                Item                ------------------------------------------------          Regulation
                                             Monthly                Annually
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Inflatable wearable personal     ......................  Servicing.............  28.140
 flotation device (Type V
 commercial hybrid).
(2) Personal flotation devices,      ......................  Inspect, clean and      28.140
 exposure suits and immersion suits.                          repair as necessary.
(3) Buoyant apparatus and life       ......................  Inspect, clean and      28.140
 floats.                                                      repair as necessary.
(4) Inflatable liferaft............  ......................  Servicing \1\.........  28.140
(5) Inflatable buoyant apparatus...  ......................  Servicing \1\.........  28.140
(6) Hydrostatic release............  ......................  Servicing \1\.........  28.140
(7) Disposable hydrostatic release.  ......................  Replace on or before    28.140
                                                              expiration date.
(8) Undated batteries..............  ......................  Replace...............  28.140
(9) Dated batteries \2\ and other    ......................  Replace on or before    25.26-50, 28.140
 items.                                                       expiration date.
(10) EPIRB.........................  Test..................  ......................  25.26-50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ For a new liferaft or inflatable buoyant apparatus, the first annual servicing may be deferred to two years
  from the date of first packing if so indicated on the servicing sticker.

[[Page 342]]

 
\2\ Water activated batteries must be replaced whenever they are used.


[CGD 88-079, 56 FR 40393, Aug. 14, 1991; 56 FR 49822, Oct. 1, 1991, as 
amended at USCG-2001-11118, 67 FR 58540, Sept. 17, 2002; USCG-2004-
18884, 69 FR 58344, Sept. 30, 2004]