Wearing a crotch strap on a correctly fitted lifejacket improves lifejacket performance.
Wearing a lifejacket when immersed in water should support the wearer, maintaining their airway clear of the water. It is proposed that a retention system would improve airway protection by improving retention of the lifejacket around the torso. Study one (n = 10) quantified the performance of lifejackets immediately following a step into water from height when a lifejacket was worn with a crotch strap (two different tightness) and without a crotch strap. Airway freeboard was improved when wearing a crotch strap (P < 0.05) compared with no crotch strap. Study two used a manikin to examine the performance of lifejackets with and without a crotch strap during 3-h exposures to waves. During exposure to waves, the time taken to aspirate the lethal dose of seawater for drowning was doubled when wearing a crotch strap compared with the no-crotch-strap conditions (P < 0.001). Therefore, wearing a crotch strap (functioning retention system) on a correctly fitted lifejacket improves airway protection following accidental immersion and prolonged wave exposure.
a Extreme Environments Laboratory, Department of Sport and Exercise Science , University of Portsmouth , Spinnaker Building, Cambridge Road, Portsmouth PO1 2ER , UK.
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Lunt
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White
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Tipton
D000328:Adult; D004332:Drowning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D008297:Male; D008348:Manikins; D011481:Protective Clothing; D014867:Water
D014867:Water
airway protection; drowning; lifejacket retention