National foreword

This British Standard is the official English language version of EN 14144:2003.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted by Technical Committee SME/32, Ships and marine technology, to Subcommittee SME/32/7, Ships and marine technology — Inland navigation vessels, which has the responsibility to:

aid enquirers to understand the text;
present to the responsible international/European committee any enquiries on the interpretation, or proposals for change, and keep the UK interests informed;
monitor related international and European developments and promulgate them in the UK.

A list of organizations represented on this subcommittee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

Cross-references

The British Standards which implement international or European publications referred to in this document may be found in the BSI Catalogue under the section entitled “International Standards Correspondence Index”, or by using the “Search” facility of the BSI Electronic Catalogue or of British Standards Online.

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard, was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 6 August 2003

Summary of pages

This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, the EN title page, pages 2 to 10, an inside back cover and a back cover.

The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the document was last issued.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 2 January 2003.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

Foreword

This document EN 14144:2003 has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 15 “Inland navigation vessels”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by October 2003, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by October 2003

The standard specifies requirements for lifebuoys within the meaning of the following Directives:

96/98/EC of 20 December 1996 on marine equipment and
82/714/EEC: Council Directive of 4 October 1982 laying down technical requirements for inland waterway vessels.

The standard is intended to apply generally, i.e. not just to inland navigation vessels, but also to seagoing vessels.

This document contains bibliographical references.

According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

1 Scope

This European Standard applies to lifebuoys used on watercraft in sea and inland navigation, on floating bodies, floating equipment, marine equipment and shore equipment in the vicinity of bodies of water.

The standard specifies the main dimensions, design, safety requirements and testing of lifebuoys.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 Safety requirements

4.1 Design

4.2 Dimensions

4.3 Buoyancy

4.4 Mass

4.5 Strength

4.6 Resistance

4.7 Burning behaviour

4.8 Temperature ranges for serviceability

5 Testing

5.1 General

5.1.1 Scope and sequence of testing

The tests shall comprise the individual tests described below to be carried out in the specified sequence.

5.2 Dimensions, mass, design

5.3 Temperature tests

5.4 Drop test

5.5 Resistance

5.6 Strength

5.7 Load-carrying capacity

6 Designation

7 Marking

Bibliography

BS EN 14144:2003

Lifebuoys. Requirements, tests

Published:

6 Aug 2003

Withdrawn:

31 Oct 2025