Overview
ISO 25649-1:2024 - Floating leisure articles for use on and in the water specifies classification, materials, general safety requirements and test methods for classified floating leisure articles. The standard covers safety and performance aspects related to materials, design, durability, and testing procedures for inflatable and other classified floating leisure products intended for recreational use on or in water.
The document explicitly excludes certain items, for example:
- aquatic toys for shallow-water supervised use,
- inflatable boats with buoyancy > 1 800 N,
- buoyant aids for swimming instruction,
- general-purpose air mattresses not intended for on-water use,
- surf-sports boards, water-ski/wakeboard/kite boards,
- rigid-material devices (wood, aluminium, hard plastics),
- devices kept inflated by continuous airflow,
- rings for water slides and wading devices.
Key technical topics and requirements
ISO 25649-1:2024 organizes safety and test requirements across several technical areas, including:
- Classification and measurement - criteria to distinguish floating leisure articles from aquatic toys and methods for measuring the largest dimension.
- General safety requirements - protection against body and torso entrapment, accessible protrusions that can entangle users, and human-subject testing protocols for stability and posture assessment.
- Structural and component requirements - design working pressure, hull strength, load-bearing components, towing devices, valves and valve adapters, buckles and fixings.
- Material requirements and tests - chemical resistance (e.g., mineral oil, chlorinated salt water), physical resistance to heat and cold, puncture resistance, adhesion for reinforced materials, and thread strength.
- Durability of markings and warnings - resistance to perspiration, chlorinated salt water, colour fastness and adhesion of labels.
- Specific test methods - pressure tests, air-tightness testing for unsupported and reinforced inflatables, heat testing (with class-specific applicability), and test procedures for entrapment and protrusion hazards.
- Human subject testing - use of test panels and assessment procedures where applicable.
Practical applications and who uses it
ISO 25649-1 is essential for:
- Manufacturers and product designers developing inflatable and floating leisure products to ensure safety-by-design and compliance with recognized test methods.
- Testing laboratories and certification bodies implementing standardized test methods for performance, air-tightness, strength, and marking durability.
- Retailers and procurement teams selecting safe products that meet international safety criteria.
- Regulators and consumer-safety engineers referencing a harmonized framework for risk assessment, market surveillance, and incident investigation.
Use cases include product development, prototype testing, production quality assurance, conformity assessment, and documentation for regulatory compliance and market entry.
Related standards
ISO 25649-1 is part of the ISO framework for floating leisure articles; other parts within the ISO 25649 series and broader product-safety standards (e.g., standards for toys, personal flotation devices, and material testing) may apply depending on product type and jurisdiction.
Open preview (PDF)Floating leisure articles for use on and in the water — Part 1: Classification, materials, general requirements and test methods
