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An immersion suit, also known as a survival suit, is a type of waterproof dry suit intended to protect the wearer from hypothermia if immersed in cold water or otherwise exposed after abandoning a vessel, especially in the open ocean. Immersion suits usually have integral footwear, and a hood, and either built-in gloves or watertight wrist seals. Suits manufactured by several manufacturers also include an inflatable pillow which is permanently attached high on the back, or an inflatable tube that is attached with zippers at two points on the chest, each side of the main zipper, and circles the back.
Immersion suits are of two types: Work suits are worn for long periods in high risk environments, and survival suits are worn during emergencies. When inflated, both of these devices provide enhanced stability to the wearer, which, if conscious, allows them to keep the head above water, and to keep wind and seas from striking the face. The inflation tube is routed from the inflatable pillow over the left shoulder of the user, and secured in a loop on the chest. Immersion suits with buoyancy aids are provided with buddy lines to allow multiple survivors to connect to one another in the water, to keep survivors together. Some suits are manufactured with built-in hoisting lanyards, to allow easier retrieval from vessels with a higher freeboard that have hoisting capabilities.
Some of these garments resemble diving . Others may have many of the features of an immersion suit.
Since humans are warm blooded and sweat to cool themselves, suits that are worn all the time usually have some method for sweat to evaporate and the wearer to remain dry while working.
Unlike work suits, "quick don" immersion suits are not normally worn for work, but are stowed in an accessible location on board the craft. The operator may be required to have one immersion suit of the appropriate size on board for each crew member, and other passengers. If an immersion suit is not accessible both from a crew member's work station and berth, then two accessible suits must be provided.
This type of immersion suit's flotation and thermal protection is usually better than an immersion protection work suit, and if the suit is properly maintained, should extend in-water survival for a person who is trained in its use.
An adult immersion suit is often a large bulky one-size-fits-all design meant to fit a wide range of sizes. Two types of materials are used. Neoprene suits, without additional insulation, and suits constructed of a trilaminate waterproof material, with a snap-in insulating liner made from thin foam sheets cut and glued to form the suit, with a rayon backing to make donning the suit easier. These suits typically have oversize booties to accommodate various foot sizes. Gloves may be built into the suit, or be stored in easy access pouches at the end of the sleeves. These suits have a waterproof zipper in front for access. The zippers must be properly maintained or the suit may not seal properly. There is generally a face flap to somewhat seal water out around the neck and protect the wearer from spray. Because of the oversized booties and large mittens, quick don immersion suits are often known as "Gumby suits", after the 1960s-era children's toy.
The integral gloves may be a thin waterproof non-insulated type to give the user greater dexterity during donning and evacuation, with a second insulating outer glove tethered to the sleeves to be worn while immersed.
A ship's captain (or master) may be required to hold drills periodically to ensure that everyone can quickly access the immersion suit storage in an emergency, and don the suit in the allotted amount of time. In the event of an emergency, it should be possible to put on an immersion suit in 60 seconds.
The Submarine Escape Immersion Equipment is a type of survival suit that can be used when escaping from a sunken submarine. The suit is donned before leaving the submarine and then inflated to act as a liferaft when the sailor reaches the surface.
The seams of the neoprene suit are sewn and taped to make them waterproof, and the suit has strips of SOLAS specified retroreflective tape on the arms, legs, and head to help locate the wearer at night from a rescue aircraft or ship.
Suits intended for long-term worksuit use, or donned by rescue personnel, typically have a form-fitting neck-seal, with a hood that conforms to the shape of the chin. This design is both more comfortable and allows the wearer to easily turn their head and look up or down. The suit material is designed to be either loose or elastic enough to allow the wearer to pull the top of the suit up over their head and then down around their neck.
Once the inflatable survival suit has been put on and zipped shut, the wearer activates firing handles on compressed carbon dioxide cartridges, which punctures the cartridges and rapidly inflates the suit. This results in a highly buoyant, rigid shape that also offers very high thermal retention properties.
However, like an inflatable boat, the inflatable survival suit loses all protection properties if it is punctured and the gas leaks out. For this reason, the suit may consist of two or more bladders, so that if one fails, a backup air bladder is available.
The first guideline gives instruction for monthly inspection and maintenance which must be done by the ship's crew. The second one specifies pressure testing which requires special equipment, and is usually done ashore by specialized companies, but can be done also on board the vessels if practical. Pressure testing must be performed every three years for immersion suits less than 12 years old counted from the suit's date of manufacture and every second year on older suits.
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