175.23—Serviceable condition.
A PFD is considered to be in serviceable condition for purposes of § 175.21(a) only if the following conditions are met:
(1)
Metal or plastic hardware used to secure the PFD on the wearer that is broken, deformed, or weakened by corrosion;
(2)
Webbings or straps used to secure the PFD on the wearer that are ripped, torn, or which have become separated from an attachment point on the PFD; or
(b)
In addition to meeting the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, no inherently buoyant PFD, including the inherently buoyant components of a hybrid inflatable PFD, may exhibit—
(1)
Rips, tears, or open seams in fabric or coatings, that are large enough to allow the loss of buoyant material;
(2)
Buoyant material that has become hardened, non-resilient, permanently compressed, waterlogged, oil-soaked, or which shows evidence of fungus or mildew; or
(c)
In addition to meeting the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, an inflatable PFD, including the inflatable components of a hybrid inflatable PFD, must be equipped with—
(1)
Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, a properly armed inflation mechanism, complete with a full inflation medium cartridge and all status indicators showing that the inflation mechanism is properly armed;
(d)
The inflation system of an inflatable PFD need not be armed when the PFD is worn inflated and otherwise meets the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (c) of this section.