SOLAS and MED Approval
The Marine Equipment Directive (MED) defines safety and approval requirements for marine equipment used within the EU. Immersion suits fall within its scope.
The technical basis for approval is derived from the requirements of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the LSA Code (Life Saving Appliances), which define performance requirements for life-saving equipment.
SOLAS-approved immersion suits are divided into two thermal performance categories:
Six-hour suit
One-hour suit
SOLAS-approved lifejackets are divided into two categories based on buoyancy:
SOLAS and EN ISO approvals are separate certification systems, although their requirements are partly similar. A survival suit or lifejacket may have both approvals, or only one of them.
SOLAS requirements include high visibility, which is why approved survival suits and lifejackets are typically brightly coloured, such as orange or yellow.
The Red Ensign mark is the British equivalent of the EU MED wheel mark.
