Oral Tip: Say answers clearly and confidently!
1. Watch Keeping
What is Engine Control Room?
Central control room to monitor and control all engine room machinery.
How identify engine room alarm?
Check alarm panel - shows location and fault type with sound/light.
If high-pressure fuel pipe leaks?
Fire risk, injury from oil injection, pollution. Report immediately.
Instruments for pressure, temperature, level, flow?
Pressure gauge (bar), thermometer (°C), sight glass/dip stick (meters), flow meter (m³/hr).
Basic watch duties?
Take rounds, check parameters, report abnormalities, maintain logbook.
Dos and Don'ts in engine room?
Do: Wear PPE, follow procedures, keep clean.
Don't: Bypass safety, work alone on hazardous tasks, ignore alarms.
Don't: Bypass safety, work alone on hazardous tasks, ignore alarms.
Checks on generator engine?
Oil pressure/temp, cooling water temp, fuel pressure, exhaust temp, voltage.
Engine parameters to observe?
All pressures (lube oil, fuel), temperatures, levels, rpm.
What is sounding tape?
Measuring tape with weight to check tank liquid levels.
What is sight glass? Where found?
Transparent tube to see liquid level. On boilers, tanks, sumps.
What is UMS?
Unattended Machinery Space - automatic operation with alarms.
Where is steering gear?
At ship's stern, lowest deck near rudder.
Three checks in steering room?
1. Hydraulic oil level 2. No leaks 3. Emergency steering working.
Importance of pressure gauge?
Monitors system safety. Important: lube oil pressure, fuel pressure, air pressure.
2. Alarms & Communication
If crankcase oil low?
Check for leaks, inform officer, top up if needed.
Types of alarms?
Fire, CO2, machinery (temp/pressure), bilge, general emergency.
Hear CO2 alarm?
Evacuate immediately via escape route to muster station.
Hear general emergency alarm?
Stop work, go to muster station with life jacket.
Ways to raise fire alarm?
Break glass point, call bridge, shout "Fire!".
Communication engine room to bridge?
Phone, intercom, radio, telegraph.
Notice fire in engine room?
Raise alarm, use extinguisher if small, evacuate if big.
3. Emergencies
What is emergency?
Sudden dangerous situation needing immediate action.
Emergencies in engine room?
Fire, flooding, blackout, explosion, machinery failure.
Importance of escape route?
Safe exit during fire/flooding, shortest way out, marked clearly.
How exit on CO2 alarm?
Use marked escape route, close doors, go to muster.
Engine room flooding?
Sound alarm, inform bridge, start bilge pump, find leak.
Why escape route safer?
Fire-protected, smoke-free, emergency lighting.
4. Fire Fighting
Types of extinguishers?
• Water (Red) - Class A (wood/paper)
• Foam (Cream) - Class B (oil/fuel)
• CO2 (Black) - Electrical/Class B
• Dry Powder (Blue) - All classes
• Foam (Cream) - Class B (oil/fuel)
• CO2 (Black) - Electrical/Class B
• Dry Powder (Blue) - All classes
Common causes of fire?
Oil leaks on hot surfaces, electrical faults, hot work, oily rags.
Class of fire in engine room?
Class B (flammable liquids) and Class C (electrical).
Extinguishers in engine room?
CO2, dry powder, foam extinguishers.
For large fires?
Fixed CO2 system, foam system, fire hydrants with hoses.
Fight electrical fire?
Switch off power, use CO2 or dry powder, never water.
5. Electrical Safety
Conductor vs insulator?
Conductor: Copper wires. Insulator: Plastic/rubber coating.
3-core cable color code?
Brown (live), Blue (neutral), Green/Yellow (earth).
Importance of cable condition?
Prevents shocks, short circuits, fires.
Electrical safety devices?
Fuses, circuit breakers, ELCB, overload relays.
Emergency generator importance?
Powers essential equipment during blackout. Located outside engine room.
Uses of batteries?
Emergency lighting, starting emergency generator, alarms, radios.
Fire in electrical equipment?
Isolate power, use CO2 extinguisher, never water.
Electrical safety precautions?
Use insulated tools, LOTO, test for dead, wear gloves.
Someone electric shocked?
Don't touch! Switch off power, use wood to separate, call for help.
Isolate electrical machine?
Switch off, lock and tag (LOTO), test voltage is zero.
Emergency lighting during blackout?
Battery lights, emergency generator lights, portable lamps.
Motor vs generator?
Motor: Electric to mechanical. Generator: Mechanical to electric.
Motor running hot/vibrating?
Inform officer, check bearings, ventilation, alignment.
Electricity produced onboard?
By diesel generators, shaft generator, emergency generator.
6. Lubrication
Functions of lubrication?
Reduce friction, cool parts, clean contaminants, prevent corrosion.
If lubrication not enough?
Overheating, increased wear, seizure, engine damage.
Methods of lubrication?
Splash, pressure pump, grease gun, oil mist.
Types of lubricants?
System oil, cylinder oil, gear oil, grease.
Importance of clean lubricant?
Prevents abrasion, maintains viscosity, prolongs life.
Engine guard if lubrication fails?
Low oil pressure alarm, automatic slowdown, shutdown.
Know lubrication problem?
Low pressure alarm, high temperature, unusual noise.
What is grease nipple?
Small fitting to inject grease into bearings using grease gun.
Know grease has gone in?
Fresh grease comes out from relief hole, gun resistance decreases.
Renew grease without dismantling?
Pump fresh grease until old grease purges out from relief hole.
7. Cleaning & Chemicals
Why keep engine room clean?
Prevents slips, reduces fire risk, helps detect leaks.
What is scupper?
Drainage channel along sides. Keep clean for proper drainage.
Why clean bilge?
Prevents pollution, corrosion, allows leak detection.
Safety with cleaning chemicals?
Read SDS, wear PPE (gloves, goggles), good ventilation.
Chemical on hand?
Wash with water 15 min, remove clothes, seek medical help.
Chemical in eye?
Flush with eye wash/water 15 min, hold eyelids open, get medical.
Chemical spill on floor?
Contain spill, wear PPE, absorb, dispose properly, ventilate.
Why keep floor plates clean?
Prevents slips/falls, major safety hazard in engine room.
Used cotton waste?
Put in metal fireproof bin with lid, never leave lying around.
Where chemical safety info?
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) in bridge/engine control room.
Storing chemicals?
Cool ventilated area, original containers, segregated, secured.
8. Waste & Sewage
What is garbage?
All waste generated on ship during operations.
Engine room waste?
Oily rags, used filters, sludge, chemical containers, scrap metal.
Hazards of waste?
Fire (oily rags), pollution, health hazard, injury.
Use of incinerator?
Burn combustible waste safely, reduce volume, comply with MARPOL.
Not burn in incinerator?
PVC plastics, batteries, aerosol cans, Annex I/II waste.
What is sewage?
Human waste from toilets, urinals, medical sinks.
Harm of direct discharge?
Spread disease, harm marine life, pollution, legal penalties.
Treatment before discharge?
Pass through sewage plant to kill bacteria, reduce solids.
Dangers of sewage plant?
Pathogens, toxic gases (H2S), confined space, chemicals.
9. Other Machinery
Boiler gauge glass importance?
Shows water level. Too low: explosion risk. Too high: water in steam lines.
Check gauge glass working?
Do blow-through test: open/close steam and water valves.
Water level in boiler?
Half to two-thirds of gauge glass, within marked range.
Checks on boiler watch?
Water level, steam pressure, fuel pressure, exhaust temp, flame.
How many gauge glasses?
Two for redundancy - if one fails, other shows level.
How many safety valves?
At least two - redundancy if one fails.
Boiler mountings?
Safety valves, water gauge, pressure gauge, feed check valve.
Risks near boiler?
Burns, explosion, scalding, confined space, high pressure.
Uses of steam?
Heating fuel, cargo tanks, accommodation, turbines, galley.
Use of air compressor?
Produce compressed air for starting engines, controls, tools.
Uses of compressed air?
Starting engines, controls, soot blowing, whistle, tools.
Drain cock on air receiver?
Drain water/moisture to prevent corrosion.
Checks on running compressor?
Oil level/pressure, cooling, discharge temp, unusual noise.
Compressor oil low?
Top up after checking leaks, monitor consumption.
Where compressed air goes?
To air receivers (starting air bottles, control air bottles).
Precautions with compressed air?
Never direct at skin (embolism risk), eye protection, check hoses.
Importance of oily bilge separator?
Separates oil from bilge water before discharge. Must be Less than 15 ppm oil.
Where do leaks collect?
In bilge wells.
Can bilge water be pumped directly?
No, must pass through oily water separator first.
Why not pump directly?
Contains oil which pollutes sea. Illegal under MARPOL.