STCW Seafarer Safety & Emergency Procedures 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the minimum safe oxygen concentration level in a confined space before entry without breathing apparatus?
- 17%
- 19.5% (Correct answer)
- 21%
- 23%
Correct answer: 19.5%
An oxygen concentration below 19.5% is considered oxygen-deficient and unsafe for entry without self-contained breathing apparatus.
Question 2: Under SOLAS Chapter III, how long must a totally enclosed lifeboat be able to sustain its crew without resupply?
- 24 hours
- 48 hours
- 3 days (Correct answer)
- 7 days
Correct answer: 3 days
SOLAS requires totally enclosed lifeboats to carry sufficient food, water, and supplies to sustain the survival craft's complement for three days.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a 'dead man alarm' or bridge navigational watch alarm system (BNWAS)?
- To alert the engine room if the bridge officer falls asleep
- To detect officer incapacitation by requiring periodic acknowledgment, triggering an alarm if unresponsive (Correct answer)
- To automatically engage the autopilot if the helm is abandoned
- To sound the general alarm when a crew member enters a restricted zone
Correct answer: To detect officer incapacitation by requiring periodic acknowledgment, triggering an alarm if unresponsive
BNWAS requires the officer of the watch to periodically acknowledge the system; failure to do so triggers escalating alarms to alert back-up watchkeepers.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the 'cold shock' response when a person enters very cold water?
- Immediate loss of consciousness due to cardiac arrest
- Uncontrollable gasping and hyperventilation that can cause drowning within seconds (Correct answer)
- Gradual cooling of the body core over several hours
- Muscle cramps that prevent swimming but do not affect breathing
Correct answer: Uncontrollable gasping and hyperventilation that can cause drowning within seconds
Cold shock triggers an involuntary gasp reflex and hyperventilation that can cause aspiration of water and rapid drowning in the first 1–3 minutes of cold water immersion.
Question 5: During an emergency, what is the responsibility of the crew member designated as 'Crowd Control' on the muster list?
- To fight the fire while others evacuate passengers
- To guide and calm passengers, prevent panic, and direct them to muster stations (Correct answer)
- To count passengers at the muster station and report to the bridge
- To operate the PA system and broadcast emergency instructions
Correct answer: To guide and calm passengers, prevent panic, and direct them to muster stations
Crowd control personnel direct passengers calmly and efficiently to muster stations, preventing panic and ensuring orderly movement.
Question 6: What is the correct immediate action when a vessel is flooding rapidly and bilge pumps cannot control the ingress?
- Increase engine speed to keep the bow high and reduce flooding forward
- Activate watertight doors and bulkheads, muster the crew, and prepare to abandon ship (Correct answer)
- Transfer ballast to the flooded compartment to stabilize the vessel
- Anchor the vessel to prevent it from sinking in deep water
Correct answer: Activate watertight doors and bulkheads, muster the crew, and prepare to abandon ship
When flooding cannot be controlled, activating watertight closures to limit spread, mustering crew, and preparing abandon ship equipment are the priority actions.
Question 7: Which STCW table specifies the minimum standards of competence for proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats?
- Table A-VI/1-1
- Table A-VI/2-1 (Correct answer)
- Table A-II/1
- Table A-III/1
Correct answer: Table A-VI/2-1
STCW Table A-VI/2-1 sets out the minimum standards of competence for proficiency in survival craft and rescue boats other than fast rescue boats.
STCW Seafarer Safety & Emergency Procedures 5
What is the minimum safe oxygen concentration level in a confined space before entry without breathing apparatus?