AB - Able Seaman Deck General and Safety Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Navigation Rules (Rule 5), what is the primary responsibility of a lookout?
- To steer the vessel as directed by the Officer of the Watch.
- To perform routine maintenance on the bridge.
- To assist with cargo operations on deck.
- To maintain a continuous watch by sight and hearing to detect any risk of collision. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To maintain a continuous watch by sight and hearing to detect any risk of collision.
Rule 5 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) explicitly states that "Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision." The lookout's sole duty during their watch is to be the eyes and ears of the ship.
Question 2: While working on deck, a shipmate collapses and is not breathing. You are the first to respond. After ensuring the scene is safe, what is your immediate next action?
- Start chest compressions immediately.
- Run to find the ship's medical officer.
- Call for help and check for a pulse. (Correct answer)
- Roll the person into the recovery position.
Correct answer: Call for help and check for a pulse.
In any first aid scenario, the first step after ensuring your own safety is to assess the victim and summon assistance. You should loudly call for help to alert others who can assist and bring necessary medical equipment, while simultaneously checking for vital signs like a pulse to determine the next course of action (e.g., starting CPR).
Question 3: Which of the following items is NOT typically required to be in a lifeboat's SOLAS 'A' Pack or a vessel's emergency grab bag?
- Personal passports and crew documents. (Correct answer)
- First-aid kit and seasickness tablets.
- Flares and other signaling devices.
- Emergency food rations and drinking water.
Correct answer: Personal passports and crew documents.
While personal documents are important, they are not a required item in a SOLAS-approved lifeboat survival kit or a standard emergency grab bag. The focus of these kits is on immediate survival: distress signaling (flares), medical treatment (first-aid kit), and sustenance (food/water).
Question 4: A vessel is equipped with a Type II Marine Sanitation Device (MSD). What is the primary function of this system?
- To incinerate all sewage and galley waste.
- To hold untreated sewage in a storage tank for shoreside discharge.
- To biologically treat and disinfect sewage to a high standard before discharge. (Correct answer)
- To grind solids and mix them with raw seawater for immediate overboard discharge.
Correct answer: To biologically treat and disinfect sewage to a high standard before discharge.
Type II MSDs are flow-through treatment systems that use biological processes and disinfection to treat sewage, producing an effluent with low fecal coliform and suspended solids counts, making it safe for discharge in permissible waters. Type I devices perform maceration and disinfection, while Type III devices are holding tanks.
Question 5: When rigging a pilot ladder, which of the following is a critical SOLAS requirement?
- The ladder must be secured to the ship's railing with a bowline knot.
- The bottom four steps must be made of rubber or a resilient synthetic material. (Correct answer)
- The ladder should be positioned near the stern to avoid engine discharges.
- Manropes are optional if the pilot is wearing a safety harness.
Correct answer: The bottom four steps must be made of rubber or a resilient synthetic material.
SOLAS regulations (V/23) specify construction details for pilot ladders to ensure safety. A key requirement is that the four lowest steps must be made of rubber or a similar resilient material to prevent damage from impact against the pilot boat or ship's hull. Securing methods must be robust, and the ladder must be clear of discharges and within the mid-ship half length of the vessel where possible.
Question 6: You are standing watch as part of the fire patrol. You discover a fire in a trash can in the ship's laundry. What is the FIRST action you should take?
- Attempt to extinguish the fire with the nearest appropriate extinguisher.
- Immediately evacuate the area and close the door behind you.
- Sound the fire alarm and report the location of the fire. (Correct answer)
- Use a fire hose to douse the entire compartment with water.
Correct answer: Sound the fire alarm and report the location of the fire.
The absolute first priority upon discovering a fire is to alert the crew. Sounding the alarm ensures a rapid, organized response from the entire ship's fire party and bridge team. Reporting the location allows responders to proceed directly to the scene with the correct equipment. Personal attempts to fight the fire should only begin after the alarm has been raised and if it is safe to do so.
AB - Able Seaman Deck General and Safety Questions and Answers
According to Navigation Rules (Rule 5), what is the primary responsibility of a lookout?