OMI - IMO982E - International Life-Saving Appliance Code (LSA) 2017

This book is available in hard copy and in digital format in a locked format to read with the IMO reader (free)

This publication contains the three most important IMO instruments dealing with life-saving appliances, namely the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code, the Revised Recommendation on Testing of Life-Saving Appliances and the Code of Practice for the Evaluation, Testing and Acceptance of Prototype Novel Life-Saving Appliances.

The International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code was adopted by IMO#s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its 66th session (June 1996) by resolution MSC.48(66). It provides international requirements for the life-saving appliances required by chapter III of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, including personal life-saving appliances, such as lifebuoys, lifejackets, immersion suits, anti-exposure suits and thermal protective aids; visual aids, such as parachute flares, hand flares and buoyant smoke signals; survival craft, such as life rafts and lifeboats; rescue boats; launching and embarkation appliances and marine evacuation systems line throwing appliances; and general alarm and public address systems.

The Code was made mandatory by resolution MSC.47(66) under SOLAS regulation III/3.10, whereby regulation III/34 determines that all life-saving appliances and arrangements shall comply with its requirements.

The Code entered into force on 1 July 1998 and has been amended in accordance with SOLAS Article VIII as follows:

• 1 by the May 2006 amendments, which were adopted by resolution MSC.207(81) and entered into force on 1 July 2010;
• 2 by the December 2006 amendments, which were adopted by resolution MSC.218(82) and entered into force on 1 July 2008;
• and 3 by the 2008 amendments, which were adopted by resolution MSC.272(85) and entered into force on 1 July 2010.
• 4 by the May 2010 amendments, which were adopted by resolution MSC.293(87) and entered into force on 1 January 2012;
• 5 by the May 2011 amendments, which were adopted by resolution MSC.320(89) and entered into force on 1 January 2013;
• 6 by the May 2014 amendments, which were adopted by resolution MSC.368(93) and entered into force on 1 January 2016.

The consolidated text of the LSA Code in the present publication incorporates the above six sets of amendments.