(a) General. Manufacturers seeking approval of a life preserver design shall follow the procedures of subpart 159.005 of this chapter, as explained in §160.001-3 of this part.

(b) Assignment of inspector; standard life preservers. Upon receipt of an approval of a standard life preserver, a Coast Guard inspector is assigned to the factory to:

(1) Observe the production facilities and manufacturing methods;

(2) Select from a lot of 10 manufactured life preservers or more, three or more of each model for examination;

(3) Test the selected sample for compliance with the requirements of this subpart; and

(4) Forward to the Commandant a copy of his report of the tests and the production and manufacturing facilities, a specimen life preserver selected from those already manufactured but not tested, and one copy of an affidavit for each material used in the life preservers.

(b-1) Approval number—standard life preserver. An approval number is assigned to the manufacturer by the Coast Guard for a standard life preserver found to be in compliance with the requirements of this subpart.

(c) Assignment of inspector—nonstandard life preserver. Upon receipt of an application from a manufacturer for approval of nonstandard life preservers, an inspector is assigned to the factory to:

(1) Observe the production facilities and manufacturing methods;

(2) Select three samples of life preservers of each model for which approval is desired;

(3) Forward to the Commandant:

(i) Three samples of each model of life preserver;

(ii) A copy of the inspector's report of tests and the production and manufacturing facilities; and

(iii) Four copies each of fully dimensioned, full-scale drawings showing all details of construction of the sample life preservers submitted, material affidavits, and four copies of a bill of materials showing all materials used in construction of the life preservers submitted by the manufacturer.

(c-1) Approval number—nonstandard life preserver. An official approval number is assigned to the manufacturer by the Coast Guard for a nonstandard life preserver approved after tests.

(d) Private brand labels. Private brand labels are those bearing the name and address of a distributor in lieu of the manufacturer. In order for a manufacturer to apply for an approval number to be used on such a private brand label, he shall forward a letter of request to the Commander of the Coast Guard District in which the factory is located, setting forth the life preservers involved, together with a letter from his distributor also requesting that approval be issued. The manufacturer's request for approval together with that of his distributor, will be forwarded to the Commandant, and when deemed advisable, an approval number or numbers will be issued in the name of the distributor. Approvals issued to a distributor under such an arrangement shall apply only to life preservers made by the manufacturer named on the certificate of approval, and this manufacturer shall be responsible for compliance of the life preservers with the requirements of this subpart.

[CGFR 66-73, 32 FR 5500, Apr. 4, 1967, as amended by CGD 72-163R, 38 FR 8121, Mar. 28, 1973; CGD 78-012, 43 FR 27154, June 22, 1978; CGD 88-070, 53 FR 34536, Sept. 7, 1988; CGD 95-028, 62 FR 51215, Sept. 30, 1997]