SOLAS Pipefitting

It is delivered as multiple-choice questions, each with one best answer, covering the nine published domains. Some items are recall (symbols, schedules, valve types); others are short scenarios asking you to choose a joint, a support or a test method. Confirm the current delivery method and any administrative rules with the official body, which publishes them on its website.

Those figures are set by the administering body and change from time to time, so they are not stated here. Check the official body's website for the current question count, time allowance and sitting arrangements before you book, and plan your pacing around the number it publishes.

The passing score is set by the official body and is not fixed on this page. Look up the current pass mark and any domain-level requirements on its website. As a study target, aim to be comfortable across all nine domains rather than strong in a few, because the weighting is fairly even.

Most candidates who work with pipe daily find the material familiar but the wording demanding. Common failure modes: confusing nominal bore with actual outside diameter, mixing up valve types by their end connection, forgetting fitting take-out when calculating cut lengths, and treating a hydrostatic test as proof of dimensional accuracy rather than strength and tightness.

Retake rules, waiting periods and any fee are set by the official body, so confirm them on its website rather than relying on second-hand accounts. Before re-sitting, review which domains you scored weakest in and rebuild those areas with drawings and hands-on practice rather than re-reading the same notes.

Start with materials and components, then layout and measurement, because everything else assumes you can identify a fitting and work out a cut length. Add joining methods, then supports and expansion. Finish with testing, documentation and safety, which draw on all the earlier topics and are easier to absorb once the physical work makes sense.

Fees are set by the administering organisation and vary by location and membership status, so no figure is given here. The official body publishes current fees and payment details on its website. Budget separately for any training course, reference material or travel to the test centre.

There is no substitute for having built or installed a spool: bending, cutting, threading or welding, fitting supports and watching a line being tested. Candidates who have only read about pipework tend to struggle with the scenario questions. If your experience is narrow, spend time on the systems you have not worked on, such as steam or fuel lines.

Use them to find gaps, not to memorise answers. After each set, write down why the wrong options were wrong - that is where the marks are won. If a question depends on a number you cannot verify, such as a test pressure or hanger spacing, check the applicable standard or specification rather than trusting a practice key.

No. This is independent study material prepared for candidates searching for this assessment. It does not reproduce any official question bank and makes no claim of affiliation with, endorsement by, or approval from any certifying body, classification society or maritime authority. Always treat the official body's published rules as authoritative.