RESOLUTION MSC.

81(70)
(adopted on 11 December 1998)
REVISED RECOMMENDATION ON TESTING OF
MSC 70/23/Add.1 LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES
ANNEX 6
Page 20

Alternative former

After completing the above test the lifejacket should be removed from the manikin and immersed in water
to verify that the auto-inflation system functions.

3 IMMERSION SUITS, ANTI-EXPOSURE SUITS AND THERMAL PROTECTIVE AIDS

3.1 Tests common to non-insulated and insulated immersion suits and anti-exposure suits

Test subjects

3.1.1 These tests should be carried out with at least six persons as described in 2.8.2.

Tests with a lifejacket

3.1.2 If the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit is to be worn in conjunction with a life-jacket, the
lifejacket should be worn over the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit for the tests prescribed in 3.1.3 to
3.1.12 inclusive.

Donning test

3.1.3 Following a demonstration, each test subject should be able to unpack, don and secure the
immersion suit or anti-exposure suit over their test clothing without assistance in less than 2 min. This time
should include the time to don any associated clothing, and a lifejacket, if such is to be worn in conjunction
with the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit, and the test subjects should be able to don such lifejacket
without assistance.

3.1.4 The immersion suit or anti-exposure suit should be capable of being donned in a reasonable time
at an ambient temperature as low as -30°C. Before the donning test the packed immersion suit or anti-
exposure suit should be kept in a refrigerated chamber at a temperature of -30°C for 24 h.

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 RESOLUTION MSC.81(70)
(adopted on 11 December 1998)
REVISED RECOMMENDATION ON TESTING OF
LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES MSC 70/23/Add.1
ANNEX 6
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Ergonomic test

3.1.5 When wearing the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit, the test subjects should be able to climb
up and down a vertical ladder of at least 5 m in length and demonstrate no restriction in walking, bending
over or arm movement. The test subjects should be able to pick up a pencil and write. The diameter of
the pencil shall be 8 to 10 mm.

Field of vision test

3.1.6 With the heads of the seated test subjects in a fixed position, the lateral fields of vision should be
at least 120° when wearing the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit.

3.1.7 When wearing the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit in conjunction with a lifejacket if required,
the test subjects should float face-up with their mouths clear of the water by at least 120 mm and be stable
in that position. The freeboard should be measured from the water surface to the nose and mouth with the
test subject at rest. The freeboard of the anti-exposure suit without a lifejacket should be at least 50 mm.

Righting test

3.1.8 Except where it has been demonstrated that the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit will right the
test subjects within 5 s, the test subjects should each demonstrate that they can turn themselves from a
face-down to a face-up position in not more than 5 s.

Water ingress and jump test

3.1.9 Following a jump by each test subject into water from a height sufficient to totally immerse the
body, the ingress of water into the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit should not exceed a mass of 500 g.
This may be determined from the difference in the combined mass of the test subject and the immersion
suit or anti-exposure suit (pre-wetted), as measured prior to the jump and immediately after the jump.
Weighings should be performed on a machine accurate to + 100 g.

3.1.10 The immersion suit or anti-exposure suit should not be damaged or dislodged in any way following
a jump from a height of 4.5 m vertically into the water. It should be established by questioning the test
subjects that the suit does not injure the wearer as a result of this test.

Leak test

3.1.11 The ingress of water into the pre-wetted suit should not exceed a mass of 200 g following:

.1 a period of flotation in calm water for 1 h; or

.2 swimming for 20 min for a distance of at least 200 m.

The mass of water ingress should be measured by weighing the test subject and the suit in accordance with
the method prescribed in subparagraph 3.1.9.

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 RESOLUTION MSC.81(70)
(adopted on 11 December 1998)
REVISED RECOMMENDATION ON TESTING OF
MSC 70/23/Add.1 LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES
ANNEX 6
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Swimming and water emergence test

3.1.12 All test subjects, each wearing a lifejacket but not the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit should
attempt to swim 25 m and board a liferaft or a rigid platform with its surface 300 mm above the water
surface. Test subjects who successfully complete this task should also perform it wearing the immersion
suit or anti-exposure suit.

Tests for oil resistance

3.1.13 After all its apertures have been sealed, an immersion suit or anti-exposure suit should be
immersed under a 100 mm head of diesel oil for 24 h. The surface oil should then be wiped off and the
immersion suit or anti-exposure suit subjected to the test prescribed in 3.1.11. The ingress of water should
not exceed a mass of 200 g.

3.1.14 In lieu of the test for oil resistance prescribed in 3.1.13, either of the following tests may be
conducted:

.1 After all apertures have been sealed, the suit should be immersed under a 100 mm head
of diesel oil for a period of 24 h at normal room temperature, if necessary using weights
to keep the suit submerged. Any surface oil should then be wiped off and the suit turned
inside out. The suit should then be laid on a table suitable for collecting and draining off
any leakage and be supported at the neck aperture by a suitably designed hanger. The suit
should then be filled with water to neck level which should be 300 mm above the table.
The suit should be left in this position for 1 h and the leakage collected and weighed. The
leakage should not exceed a mass of 200 g.

.2 Representative samples of the exterior fabric and seams should be immersed under a
100 mm head of diesel oil for 24 h. After removal from the oil, samples should be wiped
off before being subjected to a hydrostatic test of a 1 m water head and a tensile seam
strength of 150 N.

Fire test

3.1.15 An immersion suit or anti-exposure suit should be subjected to the fire test as prescribed in 1.5.
If necessary, the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit should be draped over a hanger to ensure the whole
immersion suit or anti-exposure suit is enveloped in the flames. The immersion suit or anti-exposure suit
should not sustain burning or continue melting after being removed from the flames.

Temperature cycling test

3.1.16 An immersion suit or anti-exposure suit should be subjected to the temperature cycling as
prescribed in 1.2.1 and should show no sign of damage such as shrinking, cracking, swelling, dissolution
or change of mechanical qualities.

Buoyancy test

3.1.17 A buoyancy test, as prescribed in 2.2, should be carried out to establish that the buoyancy of an
immersion suit or anti-exposure suit designed to be worn without a lifejacket is not reduced by more than
5% after 24 h submersion in fresh water.

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REVISED RECOMMENDATION ON TESTING OF
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ANNEX 6
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Strength test

3.1.18 The immersion suit or anti-exposure suit should be subjected to the body strength tests prescribed
in 2.6.1, except the load applied should be 1350 N. The immersion suit or anti-exposure suit may be cut
if necessary to accommodate the test device.

3.2 Thermal protective tests

General

3.2.1 These tests should be performed as described below. The thermal protective qualities may be
measured using a thermal manikin, when such a method is required by an Administration and has been
demonstrated to provide test results which correlate satisfactorily in all aspects to test results using human
subjects.

3.2.2 If the test should be performed by human subjects, they should be medically examined before being
accepted for participation in the tests. Each design of immersion suit- or anti-exposure suit is to be tested
by the test subjects specified in subparagraph 3. 1. 1

3.2.3 Where human subjects are used, the tests should always be conducted under the supervision of a
physician. Emergency resuscitation equipment should be available during all tests. For safety reasons,
ECG should be monitored during every test. Testing should be stopped at the wish of the test subjects, if
the falling rate of the core temperature Is more than 1.5°C per hour after the first half hour, if the skin
temperature of the hand, foot or lumbar region should fall below 10°C, or if the attending physician
considers it advisable.

3.2.4 When testing with human subjects, continuous body core temperature (rectal temperature) and skin
temperatures of lumbar region, both hands, calves, feet (foot instep) and heels, should be measured. The
accuracy of the measuring system should be + 0.2°C. Appropriate corresponding measurements should
be taken if a manikin is used in lieu of human subjects.

3.2.5 Prior to the tests, the same amount of water resulting from the jump test in paragraph 3.1.9 should
be poured into the dry immersion suit or anti-exposure suit worn over the dry test clothing specified in
3.2.6 by the test subject lying down.

Test clothing

3.2.6 The test subjects should wear a standard range of clothing consisting of:

.1 underwear (short sleeved, short legged);

.2 shirt (long sleeved);

.3 trousers (not woollen); and

.4 woollen socks.

3.2.7 If the immersion suit or anti-exposure suit is to be worn in conjunction with a lifejacket, the
lifejacket should be worn during the thermal protective tests.

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 RESOLUTION MSC.81(70)
(adopted on 11 December 1998)
REVISED RECOMMENDATION ON TESTING OF
MSC 70/23/Add.1 LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES
ANNEX 6
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Specific tests for non-insulated immersion suits

3.2.8 In addition to the clothing specified in paragraphs 3.2.6 and 3.2.7, the test subject should wear two
woollen pullovers.

3.2.9 Each test subject should wear an immersion suit previously subjected to the jump test in paragraph
3.1.10. Following a 1 h period of immersion, with the hands gloved, in circulating calm water at +5°C,
each test subject's body core temperature should not fall more than 2°C below the normal level of the
subject's temperature.

3.2.10 Immediately on leaving the water after completion of the test prescribed in 3.2.9 the test subject
should be able to pick up a pencil as specified in paragraph 3.1.5 and write.

Specific tests for insulated immersion suits

3.2.11 Each test subject should wear an immersion suit previously subjected to the jump test in
paragraph 3.1.10. Following a 6 h period of immersion, with the hands gloved, in circulating calm water
at between 0° and +2°C, each test subject's body core temperature should not fall more than 2°C below
the normal level of the test subject's temperature.

3.2.12 The immersion suit should provide sufficient thermal protection to ensure that immediately on
leaving the water after a 1 h period of immersion, with hands gloved, in circulating calm water at +5°C,
each test subject can pick up a pencil as specified in paragraph 3.1.5 and write. Alternatively, at the
manufacturer's option, the ability to pick up a pencil as specified in paragraph 3.1.5 and write may be
demonstrated immediately on leaving the water after completion of the test prescribed in 3.2.11.

Specific tests for anti-exposure suits

3.2.13 Each test subject should wear an anti-exposure suit previously subjected to the jump test in
paragraph 3.1.10. Following a 1 h period of immersion, with the hands gloved and hood donned, in
circulating calm water at a temperature of + 5°C, each test subject's body core temperature should not fall
more than 2°C below the normal level of the test subject's temperature.

3.2.14 Immediately on leaving the water after completion of the test prescribed in paragraph 3.2.13, the
test subject should be able to pick up a pencil as specified in paragraph 3.1.5 and write.

3.3 Thermal protective aids for survival craft

Fabric test

3.3.1 It should be demonstrated that the fabric from which the thermal protective aid is constructed can
maintain its watertight integrity when supporting a column of water 2 m high.

3.3.2 It should be demonstrated by test that the fabric has a thermal conductivity of not more than
0.25 W/(m.K).

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