There are many relevant certificates and standards for life jackets in Canada and the
United States. The following is a detailed introduction for you:
Canada
UL12402 series standard certification: Canada adopts
UL12402-5/UL12402-9/ISO12402-4 standards as the basis for testing and certification of
life jacket products. This standard specifies different performance levels of life jackets,
including safety requirements for buoyancy aids (level 50), materials and components,
accessories, test methods, etc. If life jackets are to be sold on Amazon Canada, they
usually need to comply with this standard and may require a test report from a laboratory
that meets the ISO 17025 qualification requirements.
United States
USCG certification: The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is responsible for certifying
various safety components used on ships, such as life jackets. There are two types of
USCG approval modes, namely Type Approval and Case by Case Approval. Applicable to
products that are regularly or mass-produced for export, requiring factory inspections and
subsequent annual factory inspections at least once a year. If the relevant equipment
passes the test and meets all other requirements, the USCG will issue the manufacturer a
formal approval certificate and a number to be affixed to each conforming product. The
certificate is valid for five years, and the manufacturer is required to submit an annual
inspection report.
ANSI/UL series standard certification: In the United States, platforms such as Amazon
require personal flotation devices to meet specific standards. Among them, offshore life
jackets must comply with ANSI/UL 1177 or ANSI/UL 1180 standards; near-shore
buoyancy vests must comply with ANSI/UL 1123 and other standards; floating aids or
buoyancy aids must comply with ANSI/UL 1123, ANSI/UL 1517 and other standards.
Generally, a test report is required from an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory to prove that
the product complies with these regulations, standards and requirements.