Journal of Applied Science and Agriculture, 9(18) Special 2014, Pages: 185-189

AENSI Journals
Journal of Applied Science and Agriculture
ISSN 1816-9112

Journal home page: www.aensiweb.com/JASA

The Study to Propose Life Jacket Provision Index Static Model for the Assessment of
the Provision of Life Jacket On Board Coastal Passenger Vessel
1,2
Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fuad, 1Abd. Saman Ab. Kader, 1Mohd Zamani Ahmad and 3A.M. Asmawi
1
Marine Technology Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
2
Department of Nautical Science and Maritime Transport, School of Ocean Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala
Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
3
Department of Construction and Maintenance, UniKL MIMET, 32200 Lumut, Perak, Malaysia

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article history: This paper proposed a new model referred as Life Jacket Provision Index Static (LPI S).
Received 25 July 2014 This new model and its algorithm weredeveloped based on the combination of variables
Received in revised form of the safety assessment model of life jackets, safety assessment model of passenger
8 July 2014 vessel and variable compatibility as the new variable.Thus,the variables are
Accepted 15 September 2014 accessibility, safety instruction and compatibility respectively. The purpose of the LPI S
Available online 17 October 2014 model is to assess the compatibility between life jacket and the coastal passenger
vessel.
Keywords:

© 2014 AENSI Publisher All rights reserved.

To Cite This Article: Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fuad, Abd. Saman Ab. Kader, Mohd Zamani Ahmad and A.M. Asmawi., The Study to Propose
Life Jacket Provision Index Static Model for the Assessment of the Provision of Life Jacket On Board Coastal Passenger Vessel. J. Appl.
Sci. & Agric., 9(18): 185-189, 2014

Background:
Life jackets are a lifesaving appliance by providing buoyancy and prevention against drowning (Lockhart et
al., 1965). The carriage of life jackets onboard passenger and commercial vessels is made compulsory by the
relevant international conventions and national regulations. The current international standards of life jacket are
Life Saving Appliances Code 1996 of SOLAS 1974 and ISO Standard for personal floatation device (IMO,
1996, 1998, 2005, 2009).
Despitethe establishment of standards for life jacket, both local and international, there have been cases of
drowning associated with the usage of life jackets by the passengers of passenger boat/vessels as depicted in
Table 1. There were also accidents associated with the usage of life jacket by passengers of passenger aircraft as
depicted in Table 2. Although the accident’s examplesin Table 2 related to passenger aircraft, these examples
are able to represent accidents associated with life jackets in the closed-deck passenger vessels. While the
examples in Table 1 are accidents associated with life jackets in the open-deck passenger vessels.
Hitherto, the evaluation on safety standard of life jackets and passenger vessel had been performed
separately, and no study has been performed by combining both life jacket and passenger vessel to assess the
provision of the life jacket on board passenger vessel with respect to compatibility between life jacket and
passenger vessel. The research-related assessment onsafety standard of life jackets has been performed by
Macintosh and Pask(1957); Pask(1961), Pask and Christie(1962); Gabb, Davidson, and Ferres (1965);Doll et
al.(1978a); Hart(1988); Macesker and White(1992); Macesker and Gareau(1997); Ayub and Nejaim(2003);
Lockhart et al.(2005); Fuller(2006); MacDonald, Brooks, Kozey, and Habib(2011). While, the research related
to safety assessment on the passenger vessel has been performed by Lois, Wang, Wall, and Ruxton (2004) and
Lu and Tseng(2012).
Therefore, this study would address this issue by proposing an assessment model that combines assessment
models of life jacket and passenger vessel to assess the compatibility between life jacket and passenger vessel
by proposing a new model known as Life Jacket Provision Index Static.

Methodology:
The variables to develop the model were selected from previous assessment modelor method for life jacket,
passenger vessel and the introduction of variable compatibility as the new variable. The previous modelsthat
assessed the safety standard of life jacket are Life Saving Index model developed byDoll et al.(1978) and Risk-
Comp PFDs model developed by Ayub and Nejaim(2003). While the previous modelsthat assess the safety of

Corresponding Author: Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fuad, Marine Technology Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81300
Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
E-mail: faizalfuad@hotmail.com
186 Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fuad et al, 2014
Journal of Applied Science and Agriculture, 9(18) Special 2014, Pages: 185-189

passenger vessels are Formal Safety Assessment of Cruise Ship by Lois et al. (2004) and Crucial Safety
Assessment Criteria for Passenger Ferry Services by Lu and Tseng(2012).

Table 1: Accident Related to Usage of Life jacket on board Open Boat in UK (Source: MAIB, 2001, 2007, 2008).
No. Year Type Casualty Summary
A dory capsized while carrying nine pupils and a teacher near a pontoon of Sailing Centre at
HMS Excellent of Portsmouth. A nearby boat managed to rescue eight pupils and the teacher.
Later, they noticed one pupil was missing. The pupil was found trapped underneath the
1 person capsized boat and was given first-aid after recovered. The pupil later died in a hospital. All
1 1999 Capsized
drowned pupils and the teacher were wearing life jacket at the time. The trapped pupil was unable to
escape from the capsized boat due to buoyancy force of the life jacket that she used. Situation
worsened by the further submerged of the up-turned boat was by some pupils that sat on top
while others clung to the side of the boat.
The yacht Ouzo sailed to Dartmouth from Bembridge, Isle of Wight (IOW) on the evening of
20 August 2006. The Ouzo had collided with the Ro-Ro Passenger Ferry Pride of Bilbao in
3 persons the morning of 21 August. The sea condition of the time was moderate with sea temperature
2 2006 Collision
drowned about 18°C.Three bodies of the crews were recovered within two days.All of them were
found wearing the inflated life jackets that not fitted with lights. The crews were also wearing
good-quality yachting clothing, which provided them good protection.
A rigid raiding craft carrying twelve persons capsized due to accumulation of water on its
deck. After capsized, four of the twelve persons on board managed to surface under the
1 person upturned hull, however, only three managed to swim clear. The fourth, a 14-year-old female
3 2007 Capsized
drowned cadet remained under the hull. Later, she was found trapped underneath the boat with her
inflatable life jacket inflated, which possibly prevented her escape. She was afterward flown
to hospital and pronounced dead-on arrival.

Table 2: Data of Accident Related to Usage of Life jacket on Board Passenger Airlines (Source: Chang & Liao (2009) and FAA (1996)).
No. Year Type Casualty Summary
Passengers of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 in 1996 had disobeyed directive from their
captain by inflating their inflatable life jacket in the aircraft prior to emergency landing on
123 died of water (FAA, 1996). The landing had caused the aircraft broke into three major sections.
1 1996 Crash 175 passengers Some of the passengers died immediately due to impact while some survived. The survivors
and crews who located inside the broken fuselage were trying to escape but prevented by their inflating
life jacket. The passengers were floated by their life jacket as the water level rise and push
further inside by the forces of water ingress. They were eventually trapped and drowned.
1 death and 8 A Hawaii BIA airline PA-31-350 ditched into sea due to engine failure. The cause of the
2 2000 Crash
minor injuries passenger death was early inflation of the life jacket before escape through the exit point.
An Air Sun Shine Cessna 402 ditched into Treasure Cay, Bahamas, causing two deaths and
2 deaths and 5
3 2003 Crash five minor injuries. The two death person was a child that was wearing three life jackets and
minor injuries
a person that inflated life jacket inside the aircraft before exiting.

The usage of the variable compatibility to develop the new model was confirmed by questionnaire survey
conducted to selected groups of maritime professional in Malaysia namely Marine Officer, Maritime Lecturers,
and Ship Surveyor. The other purpose of the questionnaire was to determine the compatibility between type of
space of coastal passenger vessel and type of life jacket. The responses were using the five-point Likert scale
(Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree). The responses were analysed by using the SPSS software.
The development of the Life jacket Provision Index algorithm was based on an algorithm of the Life Saving
Index developed by Doll et al.(1978)and the principles of Boolean function. The developments of the algorithm
of each index that contribute to the final index are described in the following paragraphs.
Thealgorithm of accessibility index was developed based on equation of Proportion of Time Candidate PFD
was Kept Accessible or Worn developed by Doll et al. (1978) and was adapted for on site evaluation.
The algorithm of safety instruction index was developed based on the seven elements of safety instruction.
The seven elements were retrievedfrom previous literatures related to safety briefing in passenger vessels and
aircraft. The weightage of element was determined by the frequency of appearance in the previous literature.
The algorithm of compatibility to don was developed based area available to don and area required to don.
The area available to don was based on area measured, type of space on board and compatibility between type
of life jacket and type of space, which determine by results of the survey. The area required to don was based on
anthropometry and area to don a life jacket.

Results:
The results are divided three sections, namely result of survey (Table 1), result of model developed (Figure
1) and result of algorithm developed (Equations 2 to 5).

Result of Survey:
Table 1 shows the result respondent’s perception on compatibility between type of life jacket and type of
space on board coastal passenger vessel. The results showedthe following results: inherently buoyant life jacket
is compatible to don inside an open space by passengers (No.1 and 3); inherently buoyant life jacketis not
187 Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fuad et al, 2014
Journal of Applied Science and Agriculture, 9(18) Special 2014, Pages: 185-189

compatible to don inside a fullyenclosed space by passengers (No. 2); inflatable life jacket is compatible to don
inside a fully enclosed space by passengers (No. 4); inflatable life jacket is compatible to don inside an open
space by passengers (No. 5); inherentlybuoyant life jacket is not compatible to don inside a partially enclosed
space by passengers (No. 6); and inflatable life jacket is compatible to don inside a partially enclosed space by
passengers (No. 7).

Table 1: Mean Score of Respondent’s Perception on Compatibility.

No Meaning Mean Likert Scale
1 Inherently Buoyant Lifejacket in Open Space = Compatible 4.42 Agree
2 Inherently Buoyant Lifejacket in Fully Enclosed Space = Not Compatible 4.00 Agree
3 Inherently Buoyant Lifejacket in Open Space = Compatible 4.16 Agree
4 Inflatable Lifejacket in Fully Enclosed Space = Compatible 3.87 Agree
5 Inflatable Lifejacket in Open Space = Compatible 4.28 Agree
6 Inherently Buoyant Lifejacket in Partially Enclosed Space = Not Compatible 3.73 Agree
7 Inflatable Lifejacket in Partially Enclosed Space = Compatible 4.07 Agree

Results of Model Developed:

The life jacket provision index static model (Figure 1) is comprised of three indexes namely accessibility
index, safety instruction index and space compatibility index static. Each index is comprised of several
contributing factors.
For accessibility index, it comprised of three factors, namely duration of life jacket kept accessible, duration
of life jacket don and duration of journey.
For safety instruction index, it comprised of two factors, namely safety briefing observed and safety
briefing required. Safety briefing observe is comprised of seven elements, namely location of safety placards,
donning instruction, instruction on when to don, location of assembly area, location of life jacket, location of
emergency exit and information on emergency notification.
For space compatibility index static, it comprised of two factors, namely space available and space required
static. The factor of space required static is comprised of two elements, namely approved maximum number of
passenger and space required to don a life jacket. While for factor of space available, it comprised of area for
each space and compatibility of each space to don life jacket that depends on type of space on board vessel and
type of life jacket.
Duration of LJ Kept Approved
Duration of LJ Don Accessible Maximum Number
of Passenger

Duration of Space to
Accessibility Space Required Don for
Journey Index Static Each
Lifejacket

Lifejacket Space
Safety Safety Provision
Briefing Instruction Index Compatibility
Index Static Index Static
Required

Location of Safety Briefing Information of Space Area for Each

Safety Placards Observed Emergency Available Space
Notification (Ship
Structure)

Compatibility
Donning Location of of each space to
Instruction Emergency Exit Lifejacket
don lifejacket
Type

Instruction on Location of Location of Type of Space

when to don Assembly Area Lifejacket (Ship Structure)

Fig. 1: Life Jacket Provision Index Static Model.

Result of Algorithm Developed:

The developed algorithm is Life jacket Provision Index Static which comprises of three algorithms, namely
accessibility index, safety instruction index and space compatibility index static.

Life jacket Provision Index Static:

𝐿𝑃𝐼𝑆 = 𝐼𝐴𝐶 + 𝐼𝑆𝐼 + 𝐼𝑆𝐶 (2.0)
𝑆
Where:LPIS = Lifejacket Provision Index Static; 𝐼𝐴𝐶 = Accessibility Index; 𝐼𝑆𝐼 = Safety Instruction Index;
𝐼𝑆𝐶 = Space Compatibility Index Static
𝑆

Accessibility Index:
𝐼𝐴𝐶 = (𝑇𝐴𝐶 + 𝑇𝐷 ) ∕ 𝑇𝐽 (3.0)
Where:𝐼𝐴𝐶 = Accessibility index; 𝑇𝐴𝐶 = Duration of Life Jacket kept accessible (hour); 𝑇𝐷 = Duration of LJ
don by passenger (hour); 𝑇𝐽 = Duration of journey
188 Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fuad et al, 2014
Journal of Applied Science and Agriculture, 9(18) Special 2014, Pages: 185-189

Safety Instruction Index:

𝐼𝑆𝐼 = 𝑆𝐵𝑜 ∕ 𝑆𝐵𝑟 (4.0)
Where:𝐼𝑆𝐼 = Safety Instruction Index; 𝑆𝐵𝑜 = Safety Briefing Observed; 𝑆𝐵𝑟 = Safety Briefing Required

Space Compatibility Index:

𝐼𝑆𝐶 = 𝑆𝐴 ∕ 𝑆𝐷𝑆 (5.0)
𝑆
Where:𝐼𝑆𝐶 = Space Compatibility Index Static; 𝑆𝐴 = Space available to don; 𝑆𝐷𝑆 = Space required to don
𝑆
static

Discussion:
The LPI static model was developed by the combination of variables from safety assessment model of life
jacket and safety assessment model of passenger vessel. The variable from the life jacket models is accessibility,
and the variable from the passenger vessel is safety instruction. The new variables introduce is compatibility.
Although variables accessibility and safety instruction were taken from the previous model, in the current
model, both variables were associated with compatibility between life jacket and coastal passenger vessel and
became compatibility on accessibility to life jacket and compatibility on safety instruction to don life jacket. The
new variable compatibility is associated with don of life jacket according to type of space and type of life
jacket.For the application of LPI static model, the application is limited for assessment of coastal passenger
vessel that engaged in single journey due to limitation of the algorithm.

Conclusion:
LPI static is a new model and algorithm developed based on the combination of variables from models of
life jacket, models of passenger vessel and new variable. The purpose of LPI static is to assess the provision of
life jacket on board coastal passenger vessel based on compatibility between life jacket and coastal passenger
vessel. The introduction of LPI static would improve the safety of passengers of the coastal passenger vessel.

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