SOLAS Pipefitting study guide
SOLAS Pipefitting · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The SOLAS Pipefitting assessment is a multiple-choice examination aimed at pipefitters, marine pipe fabricators and engine-room maintenance staff who work on piping covered by SOLAS-related shipboard requirements - for example fire main, ballast, bilge, fuel, cooling-water and steam lines. It checks whether you can read an isometric and a specification, choose and join pipe and fittings correctly, allow for expansion and support the line, pressure-test and inspect the finished work, and recognise the safety and regulatory rules that govern it. The SOLAS Pipefitting study guide has 10 sections and about 3,096 words.
01Safety
The Safety domain checks whether you can identify energy sources, isolate them positively, and complete piping work without fire, flooding, or injury. Shipboard piping work overlaps with hot work, confined spaces, live machinery, and hydrocarbon systems, so the exam favors practical permit and isolation discipline over slogans.
346 words, about 2 min02Regulations and Code Requirements
This domain examines the regulatory chain behind a piping installation: IMO instruments such as SOLAS and MARPOL, flag-State requirements, classification-society rules, and the approved drawing and test package. Questions often ask which document governs a detail rather than simply recalling a rule number.
332 words, about 2 min03Pipe, Fittings, Valves and Materials
This domain tests material selection and component identification: pipe, fittings, valves, gaskets, and fasteners. The exam expects you to match material to fluid, temperature, pressure, and corrosion risk, and to recognize where a valve type is unsuitable.
330 words, about 2 min04Pipe Layout, Measurement and Preparation
This domain covers routing, field measurement, cut length, and end preparation. The exam tests whether you can translate a route into a cut length, allow for fittings and joints, and prepare an end that will pass inspection.
306 words, about 2 min05Pipe Joining and Fabrication Methods
This domain tests joining methods: welding, brazing, threading, and flanging. The exam focuses on procedure control, fit-up, filler selection, purge, and the defects that cause rejection.
285 words, about 1 min06Pipe Supports, Hangers and Expansion Control
This domain tests support selection, spacing, and thermal expansion control. The exam expects you to calculate expansion, recognize when a loop or expansion joint is needed, and distinguish anchors, guides, and spring hangers.
315 words, about 2 min07Pressure Testing, Inspection and Quality Control
This domain covers hydrostatic and pneumatic testing, non-destructive examination, inspection hold points, and documentation. The exam tests whether you know what to test, when to test, and what makes a test invalid.
306 words, about 2 min08Piping Systems and Components
This domain tests system-level knowledge: bilge, ballast, fuel oil, lube oil, cooling, fire main, compressed air, and steam. The exam asks you to identify components, understand system separation, and recognize where a component is wrongly applied.
294 words, about 1 min09Isometric Drawings, Specifications and Documentation
This domain tests drawing literacy: reading isometrics, recognizing symbols, following line numbers and specifications, and using the bill of materials. The exam expects you to extract installation information without guessing.
292 words, about 1 min10Tools, Equipment and Safe Work Practices
This domain tests correct tool selection, inspection, and safe use. The exam favors practical judgments: which tool for which pipe, how to avoid contamination, and how to control grinding, lifting, and welding hazards.
290 words, about 1 min