SAFETY ALERT – Inflatable lifejackets equipped with Hammar Hydrostatic Inflator manufactured before 2006.
This Safety Alert was recently distributed to shipping authorities and advertised in the trade press, boating magazines and digital media worldwide. The Hammar Hydrostatic Inflator is attached to the lifejacket with a sealing ring. In 2006, CM Hammar upgraded the sealing ring with new state of the art raw materials, to eliminate potential defects and increase long term durability. A small number of sealing rings manufactured before 2006 have suffered premature material degradation, most likely after being exposed to extreme environmental conditions. When exposed to high temperature and high humidity for a long period of time, the sealing ring might become stiffer, change colour and in severe cases cracking of the plastic may occur. The change does not occur overnight and can be detected at the recommended service or inspections.
CM Hammar are concerned that a damaged sealing ring might put the user at risk. We recommend owners of lifejackets manufactured before 2006 that have not been serviced recently to contact the nearest authorized service station for an annual service. The date of manufacture can be identified on the inside of the lifejacket cover. Owners who still want to do the check of the sealing ring themselves are advised to visit www.cmhammar.com/inflator for further information. Lifejackets manufactured after 2006 are not affected by this Safety Alert.