(b) Copies on file. Copies of the specifications referred to in this section shall be kept on file by the packer, together with the approved plans and certificate of approval issued by the Coast Guard. The military specifications may be obtained from the Commanding Officer, Naval Supply Depot, 5801 Tabor Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa., 19120. The "Drinking Water Standards" may be obtained from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Washington, DC, 20201. [CGFR 65-9, 30 FR 11466, Sept. 8, 1965, as amended by CGD 84-064, 49 FR 34004, Aug. 28, 1984]

(a) General. The emergency drinking water container shall be a sanitary type can, approximately 21/16 in diameter by 4%" in height. The top and bottom of the can shall be double-seamed and compound-lined. The side seam shall be of a locked type, soldered on the outside. The can shall be made of 1.25-pound coating coke tin-plate throughout, with not less than 100pound plate for the body and 85-pound plate for the ends.

(b) Interior and exterior coatings. The interior of the container shall be uncoated, except for the tin-plating required by paragraph (a) of this section. In addition to the tin-plating, the exterior surfaces of the container, including the ends, but excluding the side seam, shall be lithographed a gray enamel conforming to Type I or II, Class 2 of Specification MIL-E-15090,

with the marking as provided by §160.026-5 lithographed in black print. After filling, sealing, autoclaving, and marking, the container shall be dipcoated with one coat of clear base lacquer conforming to Specification MIL L-7178.

(c) Plant sanitation, sterilizing and filling. The plant and equipment in which the water is canned shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times, and standard aseptic procedures shall be followed throughout in filling the cans. The container shall be free from all foreign materials, and shall be filled with approximately 10% oz. of water meeting the requirements of § 160.026-4. After filling, it shall be hermetically sealed under vacuum, and after sealing, it shall be autoclaved at a temperature of not less than 250 °F. for not less than 15 minutes.

[CGFR 53-25, 18 FR 7865, Dec. 5, 1953]

§ 160.026-4 Water.

(a) Only water meeting the U.S. Public Health Service "Drinking Water Standards" which has been suitably inhibited to protect the container against corrosion shall be used. After treatment and packing the water shall be free from organic matter, sediment and odor. It shall have a pH between 7.0 and 9.0 as determined by means of a standard pH meter using glass electrodes.

(b) [Reserved]

[CGFR 65-9, 30 FR 11466, Sept. 8, 1965]

§ 160.026-5 Marking.

(a) General. The month and year of packing and the lot number shall be embossed on the top of the container. The container shall also be lithographed on one side in accordance with § 160.026–3(b) with the following:

(e) Lot acceptance. When the independent laboratory is satisfied that the emergency drinking water meets the requirements of this subpart, the lot shall be accepted. When permitted by the independent laboratory, rejected lots may be resubmitted for official inspection, provided all containers in the lot have been reworked by the packer, and all defective units removed. Emergency drinking water from rejected lots may not, unless subsequently accepted, be sold or offered for sale under representation as being in compliance with this subpart or as being approved for use on merchant vessels.

[CGFR 53-25, 18 FR 7865, Dec. 5, 1953, as amended by CGFR 65-9, 30 FR 11466, Sept. 8, 1965; CGD 75-186, 41 FR 10437, Mar. 11, 1976; CGD 95-028, 62 FR 51211, Sept. 30, 1997]

§ 160.026-7 Procedure for approval.

(a) General. Emergency drinking water for lifeboats and liferafts on merchant vessels is approved only by the Commandant, U.S. Coast Guard.

(b) Pre-approval samples and plans. Packers who desire to pack approved emergency drinking water shall have the required tests in accordance with § 160.026-5 performed by an independent laboratory accepted by the Coast Guard under 46 CFR 159.010. A copy of the independent laboratory's report

nominal cross-section dimensions not less than 100 mm (4 in.) by 12.5 mm (2 in.). The space between adjacent slats must not exceed the width of the slats. The space between each frame member and the adjacent slat must not exceed twice the width of the slats. The platform must be riveted together at each intersection of

(i) Frame members,

(ii) Slats, and

(iii) Frame members and slats.

(2) A plywood platform must be made of exterior or marine type plywood with surfaces that are either "A" or "B" grade as commonly designated in the plywood industry. Holes 35 mm (1% in.) to 50 mm (2 in.) in diameter must be drilled through the platform. The number of holes must be at least the number equal to (L-25) (W-25)/225, where L is the length of the platform in cm and W is the width of the platform in cm. (The formula is (L-10)(W10)/36 where L and W are measured in inches.) The thickness of the plywood must be at least

(i) 12.5 mm (1⁄2 in.) for life floats of 10 persons capacity and under,

(ii) 16 mm (% in.) for life floats between 11 and 25 persons capacity inclusive, and

(iii) 19 mm (34 in.) for life floats of 26 persons capacity and over.

(3) A platform of construction differing from that described in either (1) or (2) of this paragraph will be approved if it has holes to permit the passage of water and if it passes the tests in § 160.027-7. The number of holes must be the same as required for a plywood platform. If the platform is netting on a frame, the netting must be constructed of cordage with a breaking strength of at least 1600 N (355 lb.). The netting must be constructed on not more than 5 cm (2 in.) centers and must be knotted together at each point where the lines intersect.

(c) Each platform must be of a material that is resistant to deterioration by exposure to weather or must have a surface that protects it from deterioration by exposure to weather. For a wood platform, this surface must be at least two coats of water resistant spar varnish, or two coats of marine paint.

(d) Each part of the platform, including surfaces, edges, and rivets must be

smooth and must not have cutting edges, points, or splinters which would be dangerous for bare feet.

(e) The platform must be arranged so that under normal stowed conditions, it can be retained in the center of the float and can be readily released from this position for use.

(f) The platform must be suspended from the body of the float by a net or an equivalent arrangement, which when fully extended, holds the top of the platform approximately 900 mm (36 in.) below the center of the float body.

(1) The net must be constructed of cordage with a minimum breaking strength of 1600 N (355 lb.). The net must be attached to the platform through holes on centers that do not exceed 165 mm (61⁄2 in.).

(2) If the platform is suspended from the body of the float by an arrangement other than a net as described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the arrangement must be of equivalent to the net in terms of strength, resistance to tangling, and allowing the platform to freely pass through the center of the life float body.

§ 160.027-7 Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs.

(a) The tests in this section are for life float platforms that do not meet the requirements of either § 160.027-3(b) (1) or (2).

(b) The float body must be supported so that the platform is suspended in the air by the net or equivalent supporting arrangement. The platform must be loaded evenly with a weight equal to 60 percent of the weight of the total number of persons for which the float is to be rated, assuming a weight of 75 kg (165 lb.) per person. The weight must be allowed to remain on the platform for ten minutes after which it is removed. The supporting arrangement and platform must not show any evidence of damage or permanent deformation as a result of this test.

(c) The float body must be supported so that the platform is suspended in the air by the net or equivalent supporting arrangement. A bag of sand, shot or similar granular material weighing 90 kg (200 lb.) must be dropped onto the center of the platform