NCCER Maritime cheat sheet

Personal protective equipment on a maritime site minimally includes hard hat, safety glasses, hearing protection in high-noise zones, steel-toe boots, and a personal flotation device (PFD) when working over or near water.

Fall protection is required at 4 ft in general industry and 5 ft in shipyard work; OSHA 29 CFR 1915 governs shipyard employment and 1910 governs general industry.

Confined-space entry requires a permit, atmospheric testing for oxygen (19.5–23.5%), flammables, and toxics, plus a standby attendant and rescue plan before entry.

Hot work requires a permit, a fire watch, 35 ft clearance of combustibles (or shielding), and the fire watch maintained at least 30 minutes after work ends.

The fire triangle requires fuel, oxygen, and heat; removing any one leg extinguishes combustion. Class A = ordinary combustibles, B = flammable liquids, C = energized electrical, D = combustible metals.

Rigging working load limit (WLL) = breaking strength divided by the design factor; wire rope slings typically use a 5:1 factor, chain slings 4:1.

A 90-degree two-leg sling lift shares load at 0.707 × total load per leg; the included angle between legs should not exceed 90 degrees.

Line handling: never stand in the bight of a line or inside a coil; snap-back zone is the area a parted line can whip, so stand clear and to the side.

Lockout/tagout requires isolating all energy sources, verifying zero energy, and applying a personal lock; only the person who applied a lock removes it.

Hull terminology: bow (forward), stern (aft), port (left facing forward), starboard (right facing forward), beam (width), draft (depth below waterline), freeboard (hull above waterline).

Knot decision rule: bowline for a fixed loop that will not slip; clove hitch for a temporary adjustable tie-off; sheet bend to join two ropes of unequal diameter; two half hitches for a quick securing to a post.

Wire rope inspection rejects rope with broken wires exceeding the manufacturer's count in one lay, kinks, birdcaging, or corrosion reducing diameter by 10%.

Pipefitting: nominal pipe size (NPS) is not the actual outside diameter; for NPS 12 and below, OD exceeds NPS, so always measure OD when identifying pipe.

Welding positions are flat (1G/1F), horizontal (2G/2F), vertical (3G/3F), and overhead (4G/4F); vertical and overhead are the most difficult to pass.

Electrical: power (watts) = volts × amps; three-phase power = √3 × volts × amps × power factor. Marine systems commonly use 120/208 V or 440/480 V three-phase.

Coating systems require surface preparation (SSPC-SP 10 near-white blast is common for marine immersion service) and control of dew point - surface temp must be at least 5°F above dew point.

Carpentry and layout: the 3-4-5 method establishes a right angle; a level and plumb line verify vertical and horizontal alignment before permanent fastening.

Preventive maintenance intervals follow manufacturer specs and vessel class requirements; engine room logs record running hours, temperatures, pressures, and fuel/water consumption.

A job hazard analysis (JHA) is completed before each task; it lists steps, hazards, and controls, and is reviewed with the crew in a pre-task briefing.

Toolbox talks are short (5–15 minute) daily safety briefings covering the day's tasks, hazards, and controls; they are documented with attendees' signatures.

Productivity is measured as earned versus planned units; a 10% deviation from plan triggers a look-ahead review and a corrective action in the weekly schedule.

Material staging on a pier or deck must respect load limits; point loads are calculated as weight divided by contact area and checked against deck rating.

Crane lifts: verify the load chart for radius and boom length, calculate the load including rigging, and never exceed 75% of capacity without a critical-lift plan.

Weather limits: stop crane operations when wind exceeds the manufacturer's limit (often 20–25 mph for non-critical lifts); lightning within 10 miles halts work at height.

Daily reports capture crew hours, equipment hours, weather, delays, and work completed; these become the basis for change orders and delay claims.

Housekeeping: keep walkways clear, secure loose gear before heavy weather, and stow tools; slips, trips, and falls are the most common maritime jobsite injuries.

Waste segregation at a shipyard separates hazardous waste (oily rags, solvents, paint) from scrap metal and general refuse; manifests track hazardous waste from cradle to grave.

The chain of command on a vessel runs from master (captain) down through chief mate, department heads (chief engineer, bosun), and crew; the master has ultimate authority and responsibility.

Situational leadership: tell when the task is new and the follower is low in ability; coach when ability is low but motivation is high; support when ability is high but motivation is low; delegate when both are high.

A supervisor's first duty in an incident is to secure the scene, account for personnel, and preserve evidence before investigating root cause.

Root cause analysis tools include the 5 Whys and the fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram; both trace an incident back to system failures, not just individual error.

Progressive discipline follows verbal warning, written warning, suspension, and termination; each step is documented and consistent with the policy manual.

NCCER credentialing: craft trainees progress through levels (e.g., Level 1–4) tied to hours and demonstrated competencies; completion requires both classroom hours and verified on-the-job training.

Apprenticeship duration in maritime trades typically runs 3–4 years (about 4,000–8,000 OJT hours) depending on the trade; journey-level status follows completion.

Effective crew briefings use the two-way communication model: sender encodes, receiver decodes, feedback confirms; repeat-back (closed-loop) is standard for critical instructions.

Career pathways from craft to supervision: helper → apprentice → journeyman → lead/supervisor → superintendent → project manager, with certifications (OSHA 30, first aid/CPR) accelerating advancement.