Question 1

You're a deckhand on a small trawler. The engine has just stalled and been restarted after a quick fix. The skipper decides to carry on hauling the gear rather than head for port. What's the most useful thing you can do?

Accepted Answer

Ask whether the coastguard has been told about the stall, and if not, suggest it On Excalibur, the coastguard only found out about the engine stall by overhearing a radio call to a sister vessel — the boat itself never reported it. A deckhand who prompts that call isn't overstepping; a stalled engine at sea, even briefly resolved, is exactly the kind of thing that should be logged with the coastguard as a matter of course.

Question 2

You're asked to test a deck crane grab after electrical repairs nearby. As the grab is hoisted, what should have happened first?

Accepted Answer

The area within the grab's swing radius should be cleared of personnel before the lift On the bulk carrier Fairfield Eagle, a crew member working nearby was struck and fatally injured when a grab being test-lifted after repairs swung unexpectedly. The investigation found the area should have been cleared and barriered before the test lift began.

Question 3

A toolbox talk held before a lifting operation should explicitly cover which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Who must remain clear of the exclusion zone while the lift takes place A toolbox talk exists to make sure everyone present understands the danger zones, the abort signal, and — critically — who must not be in the area while the lift happens. The RMIMA investigation into the Fairfield Eagle fatality found the toolbox talk had not made this clear.