What is ISO 12402‑4 about?
ISO 12402‑4 is fourth in the series of documents on personal floating devices. ISO 12402‑4 specifies the safety requirements for performance level 100 lifejackets. ISO 12402‑4 is applicable to lifejackets used by adults, children, and infants, for use in sheltered or calm water, or when the users are fully clothed.
ISO 12402‑2 deals with personal floatation devices (PFDs) for persons engaged in activities, whether in relation to their work or their leisure, in or near water. Performance level 100 lifejackets are intended for use in sheltered or calm water, where users may have to wait for rescue.
Who is ISO 12402‑4 for?
ISO 12402‑4 on personal floatation devices is useful for:
- PFD manufacturers
- PFD designers
- Rescue personnel
- Private and public swimming pool officials
- Lifeguards
- Quality control personnel
Why should you use ISO 12402‑4?
PDF’s provide various degrees of buoyancy in garments that are light in weight and only as bulky and restrictive as needed for their intended use. They need to be secure when worn, to provide positive support in the water and to allow users to swim or actively assist themselves or others.
ISO 12402‑4 provides you with safety requirements that are necessary to consider ensuring that it is of the right size and has enough buoyancy to support the wearer in the water and prevent the wearer from drowning in a body of water.
By using the requirements, marking provided by ISO 12402‑4 you can improve the quality of performance level 100 lifejackets by increasing reliability and durability, and the in-water performance of the PFDs, hence ensuring the safety of swimmers.
What is changed since the last update?
BS EN ISO 12402‑4:2020 supersedes ISO 12402‑4:2006. BS EN ISO 12402‑4:2020 has some technical changes. These include:
- Updated terms and definitions added, level 50 was modified
- General requirements were modified, requirements for lifting loops were moved to ISO 12402‑8:2020
- Requirement for distinct types of buoyancy were modified, requirements on strength were added, requirements on performance were modified
