(a) General. This section contains requirements for servicing facilities, manuals, training, guidelines, and records. Other regulations in this chapter require inflatable lifejackets to be serviced at approved facilities at 12 month intervals.

(1) Each manufacturer of an approved inflatable lifejacket must provide one or more Coast Guard approved facilities for servicing those lifejackets. The manufacturer must notify the Commandant whenever an approved facility under its organization no longer provides servicing of a lifejacket make and model listed in the guidelines required by paragraph (d) of this section.

(2) Each manufacturer of an approved inflatable lifejacket must make replacement parts available to Coast Guard approved independent servicing facilities.

(b) Servicing facilities. Each Coast Guard approved servicing facility must meet the requirements of this paragraph and paragraph (d) of this section in order to receive and keep its approval for each make and model of lifejacket. Approval is obtained according to §160.176-5(c) of this part.

(1) Each servicing facility must conduct lifejacket servicing according to its servicing guidelines and follow the procedures in the service manual required by this section.

(2) Each servicing facility must have a suitable site for servicing which must be clean, well lit, free from excessive dust, drafts, and strong sunlight, and have appropriate temperature and humidity control as specified in the service manual.

(3) Each servicing facility must have the appropriate service, repair, and test equipment and spare parts for performing required tests and repairs.

(4) Each servicing facility must have a current manufacturer's service manual for each make and model of lifejacket serviced.

(5) A servicing facility may have more than one servicing site provided that each site meets the requirements of paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(6) Each servicing facility must be inspected at intervals not exceeding six months by an accepted independent laboratory, and a report of the inspections must be submitted to the Commandant at least annually. The report must contain enough information to show compliance with paragraphs (b) (1) through (4) of this section and paragraph (d) of this section. Where a facility uses more than one site the report must show compliance at each site at least biennially.

(c) Service manual.

(1) Each manufacturer of an approved inflatable lifejacket must prepare a service manual for the lifejacket. The service manual must be approved by the Commandant according to §160.176-5(b) of this part.

(2) The manufacturer must make the service manual, service manual revisions, and service bulletins available to each approved servicing facility.

(3) Each service manual must contain the following:

(i) Detailed procedures for inspecting, servicing, and repackaging the lifejacket.

(ii) A list of approved replacement parts and materials to be used for servicing and repairs, if any.

(iii) A requirement to mark the date and servicing facility name on each lifejacket serviced.

(iv) Frequency of servicing.

(v) Any specific restrictions or special procedures prescribed by the Coast Guard or manufacturer.

(4) Each service manual revision and service bulletin which authorizes the modification of a lifejacket, or which affects a requirement under this subpart, must be approved by the Commandant. Other revisions and service bulletins are not required to be approved, but a copy of each must be sent to the Commandant when it is issued. At least once each year, the manufacturer must provide to the Commandant and to each servicing facility approved to service its lifejackets a bulletin listing each service manual revision and bulletin in effect.

(d) Servicing facilities guidelines. Each servicing facility must have written guidelines that include the following:

(1) Identification of each make and model of lifejacket which may be serviced by the facility as well as the manual and revision to be used for servicing.

(2) Identification of the person, by title or position, who is responsible for the servicing program.

(3) Training and qualifications of servicing technicians.

(4) Provisions for the facility to retain a copy of its current letter of approval from the Coast Guard at each site.

(5) Requirements to—

(i) Ensure each inflatable lifejacket serviced under its Coast Guard approval is serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's service manual;

(ii) Keep servicing technicians informed of each approved servicing manual revision and bulletin and ensure servicing technicians understand each change and new technique related to the lifejackets serviced by the facility;

(iii) Calibrate each pressure gauge, weighing scale, and mechanically-operated barometer at intervals of not more than one year;

(iv) Ensure each inflatable lifejacket serviced under the facility's Coast Guard approval is serviced by or under the supervision of a servicing technician who meets the requirements of item (3) of this paragraph;

(v) Specify each make and model of lifejacket it is approved to service when it represents itself as approved by the U.S. Coast Guard; and

(vi) Not service any lifejacket for a U.S. registered commercial vessel, unless it is approved by the U.S. Coast Guard to service the make and model of lifejacket.

(e) Servicing records. Each servicing facility must maintain records of all completed servicing. These records must be retained for at least 5 years after they are made, be made available to any Coast Guard representative and independent laboratory inspector upon request, and include at least the following:

(1) Date of servicing, number of lifejackets serviced, lot identification, approval number, and test results data for the lifejackets serviced.

(2) Identification of the person conducting the servicing.

(3) Identity of the vessel receiving the serviced lifejackets.

(4) Date of return to the vessel.