§ 144.20-5 Exposure suits.

This section applies to each MODU except those operating south of 32 degrees North latitude in the Atlantic Ocean or south of 35 degrees North latitude in all other waters.

(a) Each MODU must carry an exposure suit for each person on board. The exposure suit must be stowed in a readily accessible location in or near the berthing area of the person for whom the exposure suit is provided.

(b) In addition to the exposure suits required by paragraph (a) of this section, each watch station and work station must have enough exposure suits to equal the number of persons normally on watch in, or assigned to, the station at one time. However, an exposure suit need not be provided at a watch or work station for a person whose cabin, stateroom, or berthing area (and the exposure suits stowed in that location) is readily accessible to the station.

(c) Each exposure suit on a MODU must be of a type approved under 46 CFR 160.171.

(d) Each exposure suit must have a personal flotation device light that is approved under 46 CFR 161.012. Each light must be securely attached to the front shoulder area of the exposure suit.

(e) Each exposure suit on a MODU must be provided with a whistle of the ball type or multi-tone type, of corrosion resistant construction, and in good working order. The whistle must be attached to the exposure suit by a lanyard without hooks, snaps, clips, etc., that is long enough to permit the whistle to reach the mouth of the wearer. If the lanyard allows the whistle to hang below the waist of the wearer, the whistle must be stowed in a pocket on the exposure suit, or with the lanyard coiled and stopped off.

(f) No stowage container for exposure suits may be capable of being locked.

[CGD 82–075b, 49 FR 4377, Feb. 6, 1984, as amended by CGD 84–090, 50 FR 3904, Jan. 29, 1985; USCG–2000–7223, 65 FR 40057, June 29, 2000]