SOLAS Refrigeration exam-day guide
SOLAS Refrigeration · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original ID document in the name used on your booking. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether a second form is required; do not rely on a photocopy or a digital copy.
Appointment confirmation and candidate number
Print or save the booking confirmation showing date, time, test centre address, and any candidate or registration number. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory.
Admission or eligibility documentation
If your provider requires proof of sea service, training-record book, or course completion before sitting the practical, bring the originals. Confirm with the provider exactly which documents the examiner will inspect.
Approved calculator
A basic non-programmable calculator is normally useful for capacity, heat-load, and refrigerant-charge estimates. Confirm with the provider which models are permitted and whether memory must be cleared.
Writing materials
Bring pens, a pencil, and an eraser for worksheets, checklists, and any written answers. Do not bring loose paper unless the provider permits it.
Personal protective equipment
If the practical involves a machinery space or plant room, bring safety shoes and any PPE the centre requires. Confirm with the provider whether PPE is supplied or must be brought.
Knowledge of the refrigeration safety and operational references
Be ready to explain the safety, operational, and survey expectations for refrigeration installations on board, including refrigerant handling and leak response. Confirm with the provider which references or extracts may be consulted during the test.
Review of the assessment format
Confirm with the provider the number of tasks, time limits, pass marks, and whether any part is oral, written, or plant-based. Do not assume the format from another centre.
Travel and arrival plan
Check the route, travel time, and arrival instructions. Confirm with the provider how early to report and what happens if you arrive late.
Personal medication and comfort items
Bring any medication you need and a water bottle if permitted. Confirm with the provider whether food, drink, or bags are allowed in the assessment area.
Plan the day
Re-read the provider's candidate instructions and confirm the test centre, start time, and required documents. Build a short revision list around the practical tasks: compressor and condenser operation, expansion devices, refrigerant charging and recovery, leak detection, pressure and temperature readings, and fault diagnosis. Rehearse explaining each step aloud in the order you would perform it, because practical assessments often score your verbal reasoning as well as your actions.
Practise the calculations you may be asked to perform, such as superheat and subcooling from gauge and thermometer readings, and simple heat-load or capacity checks. Work through two or three fault scenarios, for example high discharge pressure, low suction pressure, or icing at the expansion valve, and state the likely causes, the checks you would make, and the safety precautions. Confirm with the provider whether formula sheets or reference tables are supplied.
Prepare your documents and clothing, charge devices, and confirm transport. Do a final review of safety points: refrigerant identification, ventilation, personal protection, isolation and lock-off before work, recovery rather than venting, and the correct response to a leak or alarm. Get a normal night's sleep; avoid last-minute cramming of unfamiliar material.
Eat properly, arrive with time to spare, and re-check that your ID and confirmation are with you. On arrival, follow the centre's registration and briefing process, listen carefully to instructions, and ask the invigilator to clarify anything unclear before the assessment starts. Confirm with the provider where to store bags and phones.
Read each task fully before acting, and state your safety checks out loud if the format allows. Work methodically: identify the equipment, confirm the state of valves and isolation, take readings, record them, then interpret. If a reading or action does not make sense, say so and explain what you would check next rather than guessing silently. Manage time by noting how many tasks remain; if you are unsure about a scoring or timing rule, ask the invigilator rather than assuming.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID in the name on your booking. Confirm with the provider which documents are accepted and what happens if the name does not match.
Follow the centre's instructions on phones, smart watches, notes, and bags. Confirm with the provider what is prohibited in the assessment area before you arrive.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the assessment, and do not share task details with candidates who have not yet sat the test.
Ask the invigilator before touching any plant, valve, or control you have not been told to operate. Treat all machinery as live until isolation has been confirmed and, where required, lock-off applied.
If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and wait for permission. Confirm with the provider the rules on breaks, rest room use, and whether the clock stops.
If you believe a task, instruction, or piece of equipment is unclear or faulty, say so immediately and ask for clarification. Do not attempt to work around a defect.
Scoring, pass marks, and any re-sit arrangements are set by the provider. Confirm these in advance and ask for the result and feedback process at the end of the assessment.
If you are unwell or unable to attend, contact the provider as early as possible using the contact details in your booking confirmation; do not assume a missed appointment can be rearranged.