Life jackets are designed to keep you afloat in water. They will automatically turn you into a face-up position, keeping your mouth and nostrils clear of the water to prevent the risk of drowning. This is particularly important if, for any reason, you are unconscious when you fall into the water.
Anyone working close to water should wear a life jacket — your health and safety risk assessment will determine where this is necessary.
People working on small boats and other vessels are recommended to wear a twin-chamber life jacket at all times as must anyone who has to travel in a vessel of any type, e.g. as a passenger on a pilot boat to board ships at anchor. You should wear a life jacket wherever visibility is likely to be poor.
Once you’ve got the life jacket on, buckle the bottom buckles, and zip the front-entry zipper. That bottom adjustment is critical to prevent the jacket from riding up. Then, tighten the other straps by pulling forwards on both sides at the same time, working from the bottom to the top of the jacket