Floating leisure articles for use on and in the water - Part 3: Additional specific safety requirements and test methods for Class A devices
1Key Takeaways
This document is applicable for CLASS A classified floating leisure articles for use on and in water according to ISO 25649-1 regardless whether the buoyancy is achieved by inflation or inherent buoyant material. This document is to be applied with ISO 25649-1 and ISO 25649-2. NOTE 1 Typical products forming Class A (s…
2Expert Interpretation
This article provides an in-depth analysis of the specific safety requirements for Class A floating leisure water equipment in ISO 25649-3:2017, covering key technical specifications such as design specifications, residual buoyancy testing, and user calculations. It also provides implementation recommendations and case studies. This article is applicable to the R&D and quality inspection of products such as floating islands and inflatable rafts.
Analysis of the core requirements of the standard
| Technical dimensions | Class A1 equipment | Class A2 equipment |
|---|---|---|
| Buoyancy stability | Must maintain stable floating (4.3.1) | Require user to balance by themselves (3.3) |
| Residual buoyancy requirements | Safely carry for 10 minutes after single air chamber failure (4.3.2.2) | A grip structure must be provided (4.3.3.1) |
| Space per person | Use ISO 25649-1 template measurement (4.2.3) | Clear seat size (4.2.4) |
Detailed explanation of key technical indicators
Residual buoyancy test method
The standard requires that Class A1 equipment, in the event of complete failure of a single air chamber (4.3.2.2.2):
- Load according to the maximum number of users declared by the manufacturer
- Select the air chamber that is most likely to fail for rapid deflation
- Evaluate whether the equipment maintains:
- Structural integrity (4.3.2.2.1a)
- 10-minute safe load capacity (4.3.2.2.1b)
Floating island products need to pay special attention to the requirement that the height of the surrounding air chambers should be ≥15cm (4.3.2.2.1)
Recommendations for the implementation of the standard
Precautions in the design phase
- Multi-chamber layout: At least two independent air chambers (4.3.2.1)
- Anti-entanglement design: Pass the tests 5.2-5.4 of ISO 25649-1 (4.3.4)
- Grip device: Each user must be equipped with a reachable handle/safety rope (4.3.5)
Marking specifications
Must include (5.2-5.4):
- Actual size drawing of the product
- Safety information symbol (ISO 25649-2)
- "Swimming Pool For Use Only" Signage (Structures Over 1 Meter Height)
Technological Evolution Background
Main improvements of this standard (2017 edition) compared with the previous edition:
- Clarified A1/A2 classification standards (1 Scope)
- Detailed residual buoyancy test scenarios (4.3.2-4.3.3)
- Added wind resistance requirements for super structures (4.3.7)
Typical application scenarios include: Inflatable floating islands, Leisure rafts, etc. (Annex A)