What is the BFU?
The Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU) is a private, politically independent foundation dedicated with great passion to the safety of people in Switzerland. Its mission is to protect lives and prevent accidents – where they happen most often: on the road, during sports, at home, and in leisure activities. With a clear legal mandate, the BFU raises awareness, provides guidance, and fosters understanding – always with a focus on what truly matters: that we can go through life healthy and safe.
As a competence center within the Swiss network bildung + gesundheit (education + health), it also supports teachers in fostering a strong sense of safety awareness among children and young people – for example, with practical teaching aids. Because safety begins with knowledge – and with the will to take responsibility for one another.
What is behind the predetermined breaking point?
An important safety feature of many RESTUBE Safety Buoys and Swim Buoys is an integrated predetermined breaking point.
It was specifically developed for situations where a buoy could get caught on obstacles – especially in flowing waters. In rivers like the Aare, lines can easily snag on branches, rocks, or other objects—this is exactly where this safety concept comes into play.
The predetermined breaking point ensures that the connection releases in a controlled way when a defined pulling force is reached. This prevents dangerous forces from acting on the swimmer if the buoy becomes entangled. In the mechanism used in this project, for example, the release occurs at a pulling force of around 15 kg.
This significantly increases safety, especially in:
- use in rivers or waters with currents
- open water training and long-distance swimming
- situations where lines or straps could get caught on obstacles
With this solution, the buoy remains a reliable safety companion – without becoming a risk itself.
The Collaboration with BFU
The collaboration between RESTUBE and Swiss Council for Accident Prevention (BFU) shows how such technical details can make a real difference – especially in popular river sections like the Aare, where many people swim regularly.
