46 CFR 160.044-1 - Applicable specifications.

The Coast Guard published a final rule in the Federal Register on September 22, 2014, which removes references to type codes in its regulations on the carriage and labeling of Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices. Two extra characters were included in the phone number for the Coast Guard person to contact for more information about that rule. This document corrects that phone number.

The Coast Guard is issuing a final rule that makes non-substantive changes throughout Title 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to Coast Guard regulations. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public. These changes are provided to coincide with the annual recodification of Titles 46 and 49 on October 1, 2014.

The Coast Guard is issuing this final rule to remove references to type codes in its regulations on the carriage and labeling of Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices (PFDs). Removing these type codes from our regulations will facilitate future incorporation by reference of new industry consensus standards for PFD labeling that more effectively convey safety information, and is a step toward harmonization of our regulations with PFD requirements in Canada and in other countries.

This rule finalizes the amendments to Coast Guard regulations for certain lifesaving equipment, including launching appliances (winches and davits), release mechanisms, survival craft (lifeboats, inflatable liferafts, and inflatable buoyant apparatus), rescue boats, and automatic disengaging devices, which were published as an interim rule and amended by a second interim rule. Additionally, it finalizes the amendments to the requirements for Coast Guard-approved release mechanisms proposed in a supplementary notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM). This final rule harmonizes the Coast Guard's design, construction, and performance standards for this lifesaving equipment with international standards, while providing for the use of qualified independent laboratories, instead of Coast Guard inspectors, during the approval process and for production inspections of certain types of lifesaving equipment.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend its regulations for certain design and approval standards for fire protection, detection, and extinguishing equipment on inspected and uninspected vessels, outer continental shelf facilities, deepwater ports, and mobile offshore drilling units. The proposed amendments would harmonize Coast Guard regulations with appropriate national and international consensus standards; address advances in fire protection technologies and standards; update Coast Guard approval processes for fire detection and alarm systems; and revise Coast Guard regulations for other types of equipment or components, such as spanner wrenches, non-metallic pipes, and sprinkler systems. These proposed changes are necessary to ensure Coast Guard regulations remain current and address advances in technology.

The Coast Guard is issuing a final rule that makes non-substantive changes throughout titles 46 and 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to Coast Guard shipping and transportation regulations. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public. These changes are provided to coincide with the annual recodification of titles 46 and 49 on October 1, 2013.

The Coast Guard proposes to remove references to type codes in its regulations on the carriage and labeling of Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices (PFDs). PFD type codes are unique to Coast Guard approval and are not well understood by the public. Removing these type codes from our regulations would facilitate future incorporation by reference of new industry consensus standards for PFD labeling that will more effectively convey safety information, and is a step toward harmonization of our regulations with PFD requirements in Canada and in other countries.

Many of the Coast Guard's regulations incorporate by reference consensus standards that are developed by organizations other than the Coast Guard. This final rule updates references to standards developed by ASTM International, that have been reapproved, without change, since their incorporation into Coast Guard regulation. This rule does not address standards that have changed substantively, and it will not have any substantive impact on the regulated public.

The Coast Guard proposes to amend the interim rule addressing lifesaving equipment to harmonize Coast Guard regulations concerning release mechanisms for lifeboats and rescue boats with recently adopted international standards affecting design, performance, and testing for such lifesaving equipment, and to clarify the requirements concerning grooved drums in launching appliance winches. The Coast Guard seeks comments on this proposal.

This final rule makes non-substantive changes throughout Titles 46 and 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this rule is to make conforming amendments and technical corrections to Coast Guard shipping and transportation regulations. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public. These changes are provided to coincide with the annual recodification of Titles 46 and 49 on October 1, 2012.

The Coast Guard is harmonizing structural and performance standards for inflatable recreational personal flotation devices (PFDs) with current voluntary industry consensus standards. The Coast Guard is also slightly modifying regulatory text in anticipation of a future rulemaking addressing the population for which inflatable recreational PFDs are approved, but is not changing the current affected population.