STCW Maritime Safety 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What action should be taken first when a fire is discovered aboard ship?
- Immediately attempt to fight the fire
- Sound the alarm and report to the officer of the watch (Correct answer)
- Evacuate all passengers overboard
- Close all watertight doors
Correct answer: Sound the alarm and report to the officer of the watch
The first action is always to sound the alarm and notify the officer of the watch so the crew can respond in an organized manner.
Question 2: In a closed compartment fire, why must a firefighter be cautious when opening a door?
- The door may be locked
- A backdraft or flashover may occur due to sudden oxygen introduction (Correct answer)
- Smoke detectors may be triggered
- The door handle may be cold
Correct answer: A backdraft or flashover may occur due to sudden oxygen introduction
Opening a door to a closed fire compartment introduces fresh oxygen that can cause a sudden violent backdraft or flashover, endangering the firefighter.
Question 3: According to STCW, what is the minimum watch hours that must be maintained at sea?
- A continuous watch is not required in port only
- An officer of the watch must maintain a continuous navigational watch at sea (Correct answer)
- Watches are only required at night
- A single engineer is sufficient for all watches
Correct answer: An officer of the watch must maintain a continuous navigational watch at sea
STCW mandates that a qualified officer of the watch must maintain a continuous bridge watch at all times when a vessel is at sea.
Question 4: What does the acronym PASS stand for when using a portable fire extinguisher?
- Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep (Correct answer)
- Push, Angle, Shoot, Sweep
- Pull, Apply, Spray, Stop
- Point, Aim, Shoot, Spread
Correct answer: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
PASS stands for Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep side to side — the correct technique for using a portable extinguisher.
Question 5: A vessel's hydrostatic release unit (HRU) on a liferaft automatically activates at what depth?
- 1–4 meters (Correct answer)
- 10 meters
- 20 meters
- 50 meters
Correct answer: 1–4 meters
The HRU is designed to activate at a depth of 1.5–4 meters, automatically releasing and inflating the liferaft if the vessel sinks rapidly.
Question 6: Which STCW certificate is specifically required for officers serving as officer in charge of a navigational watch on ships of 500 GT or more?
- STCW II/1 (Correct answer)
- STCW IV/2
- STCW V/1
- STCW VI/3
Correct answer: STCW II/1
STCW Regulation II/1 sets the mandatory minimum standards for officers in charge of a navigational watch on ships of 500 GT or more.
Question 7: What is the correct procedure if a seafarer witnesses unsafe working conditions that could cause injury?
- Ignore it if no supervisor is present
- Report it immediately to the officer on duty or safety officer (Correct answer)
- Complete the task first, then report
- Only report if an injury occurs
Correct answer: Report it immediately to the officer on duty or safety officer
STCW and the ISM Code require seafarers to immediately report unsafe conditions to prevent accidents — safety is everyone's responsibility.
STCW Maritime Safety 4
What action should be taken first when a fire is discovered aboard ship?