(a) General. The construction methods used for a nonstandard buoyant vest must be equivalent to the requirements in §160.060-5 for standard vests and also meet the requirements specified in this section.

(b) Sizes. Each nonstandard vest must contain the following volume of unicellular polyethylene foam buoyant material, determined by the displacement method:

(1) Five hundred cubic inches or more for the adult size, for persons weighing over 90 pounds.

(2) Three hundred and fifty cubic inches or more for a child medium size, for children weighing from 50 to 90 pounds.

(3) Two hundred and twenty-five cubic inches or more for children weighing less than 50 pounds.

(c) Arrangement of buoyant material. The buoyant material in a nonstandard vest must:

(1) Be arranged to hold the wearer in an upright or backward position with head and face out of water;

(2) Have no tendency to turn the wearer face downward in the water; and

(3) Be arranged so that 70 to 75 percent of the total is located in the front of the vest.

(d) Neck opening. Each cloth covered nonstandard vest must have at the neck opening:

(1) A gusset; or

(2) Reinforcing tape.

(e) Adjustment, fit, and donning. Each nonstandard vest must be made with adjustments to:

(1) Fit a range of wearers for the type designed; and

(2) Facilitate donning time for an uninitiated person.

[CGD 72-163R, 38 FR 8122, Mar. 28, 1973]