NIMASA STCW PST cheat sheet

General emergency alarm = seven or more short blasts followed by one long blast on the ship's whistle and internal alarm; the signal is duplicated on the public address system where fitted.

Muster list (station bill) assigns every person a muster station, survival craft, and emergency duty; it is posted in accommodation spaces, the bridge, and the engine room.

Abandon ship order is given verbally by the master only; it is followed by the same seven-short-one-long signal, and no one enters a craft before the order.

On hearing the general alarm: don warm clothing and lifejacket, take the immersion suit if assigned, proceed to muster station by the marked escape route, and report to the person in charge for roll call.

Lifeboat drill intervals under SOLAS: each crew member participates in at least one abandon-ship drill and one fire drill every month; the drills must occur within 24 hours of a ship leaving port if more than 25 percent of the crew has changed.

Enclosed-space rescue and other emergency duties require a minimum of two trained persons per lifeboat able to handle the craft; the muster list names a substitute for each key person.

Emergency escape routes are marked with low-location lighting and photoluminescent signs so that routes remain visible in smoke; count doorways and turns when moving blind.

Bridge emergency signals: fire = continuous ringing of the general alarm bells; abandon ship = verbal order plus the general alarm; man overboard = three long blasts on the whistle.

The muster list must be updated whenever the crew changes; outdated lists are a common cause of failed musters and a frequent inspection finding.

Lifejacket performance standard: turns an unconscious person face-up in the water and holds the mouth at least 120 mm above water; adult lifejackets provide at least 100 N buoyancy for the standard type.

Don a lifejacket over the head, fasten all straps, and tighten until snug; a loose jacket can ride up and slip off when entering water from height.

Lifebuoys: at least 8 on cargo ships over 200 m; at least half carry self-igniting lights, at least two carry buoyant lifelines, and at least two carry self-activating smoke signals.

Immersion suit (abandonment suit): reduces body heat loss; must allow the wearer to climb a 5 m ladder, jump from at least 4.5 m without injury, and swim 25 m and board a liferaft.

Anti-exposure suit (survival suit) is for working in a lifeboat or rescue boat; it does not replace a lifejacket and must be worn with one when required.

Thermal protective aid (TPA) is a waterproof foil bag used after boarding a craft to reduce evaporative and convective heat loss; it is not a substitute for dry clothing.

Lifejacket lights: flashing white light visible for at least 2 nautical miles, with a battery life of at least 8 hours; check the expiry date on the battery during inspections.

Retro-reflective tape on lifejackets and lifebuoys improves radar and searchlight detection; damaged or missing tape is a defect to report.

Stowage: lifejackets in cabins and at muster stations, lifebuoys on both sides of the ship and near the stern, and immersion suits in cabins or near muster stations with clear signage.

Cold shock: sudden immersion in water below about 15 C causes an uncontrollable gasp and hyperventilation for 1-3 minutes; keeping the face above water and controlling breathing prevents drowning in this phase.

The 1-10-1 principle: about 1 minute to control breathing, about 10 minutes of useful movement before cold incapacitation, and about 1 hour before unconsciousness in cold water (varies with temperature and clothing).

Heat loss routes: conduction to water is about 25 times faster than to air; the head and neck lose heat rapidly, so cover them, and keep the armpits and groin insulated.

HELP position (Heat Escape Lessening Posture): arms crossed over the chest, knees drawn up, lifejacket inflated; reduces heat loss and should be used when alone or in a small group.

Huddle position: two or more survivors lock arms and press torsos together; reduces heat loss and improves morale and mutual monitoring.

Hypothermia signs progress from shivering and cold hands to confusion, slurred speech, loss of fine motor control, then loss of consciousness; do not rub the limbs or give alcohol.

Rewarming: remove wet clothing, insulate, apply gentle external heat to the trunk (not the limbs), give warm sweet drinks only if fully conscious; handle the casualty gently to avoid afterdrop and cardiac arrest.

Drowning: rescue with a buoyant aid from a safe position; if unconscious and not breathing, start rescue breathing and CPR as soon as the casualty is on a stable platform; do not delay for removal of water from the lungs.

Never swim to keep warm in cold water; swimming increases heat loss and exhaustion; conserve energy and stay with the craft or flotation.

Abandon ship is the last resort; the master weighs the risk of staying against the risk of abandoning, and only the master orders abandonment.

Before boarding: wear warm layers, lifejacket, and immersion suit if available; take water, food, first-aid kit, radio, and a torch if they can be carried safely.

Boarding a lifeboat: enter only when the boat is at the embarkation deck or water level; keep hands inside, sit down, and fasten the seat belt; the person in charge confirms all are clear before lowering.

Boarding a liferaft from the ship: throw the painter over the side, pull the painter to inflate the raft, hold the painter, and board one at a time; do not jump onto the canopy.

In water, board a liferaft by grabbing the boarding handle at the entrance and rolling in; if too weak, use the ladder or the help of others inside.

Once in the craft: cut the painter (or leave it secured if the ship is still afloat and the raft is alongside), stream the sea anchor, close the canopy, and take a head count.

Do not jump into the water unless the craft cannot be launched and the ship is sinking; if you must jump, keep feet together, hold the lifejacket, and cover the nose and mouth.

Keep clear of the ship's side; a drifting ship or propeller can injure survivors; move away to a distance where the craft is visible to rescuers.

Inflatable liferaft: packed in a rigid container, inflated by a gas cylinder (usually CO2 plus nitrogen); the painter is attached to the weak link, which breaks if the ship sinks with the raft attached.

Liferaft equipment: sea anchor, bailer, sponges, repair kit, first-aid kit, seasickness tablets, rations and water (at least 1.5 L per person), signalling torch, radar reflector, and a survival manual.

Liferaft capacity and stability: survivors should sit low and evenly distributed; the canopy protects from spray and sun; keep the entrance closed to retain heat.

Rigid lifeboat: launched by davits with on-load release gear; the release gear must be checked and reset correctly; accidental release is a known cause of fatalities during drills.

Lifeboat equipment includes oars or a propeller, painter, sea anchor, bailer, compass, drinking water, food rations, first-aid kit, and a signalling torch; check the inventory during drills.

Lifeboat engine: start and run the engine during drills, check fuel and battery; a lifeboat engine should run for at least 5 minutes in the water and reach 6 knots in calm water.

Free-fall lifeboat: board, sit, fasten the four-point harness, and brace with the head against the headrest; the craft is launched by releasing the hook from inside.

Craft checks: ensure hatches and valves are closed, the drain plug is in place, and the painter is secured before lowering; the person in charge confirms the boat is clear of the ship before release.

Survival priorities: protection (from cold, sun, and sea), location (make yourself visible), and water (ration it; do not drink seawater).

Water rationing: in cold water, survivors may need 0.5-1 L per day; do not drink for the first 24 hours unless injured or the supply is ample; collect rain with a clean cloth or the canopy.

Signalling: use the EPIRB, SART, flares, torch, mirror, and whistle; whistle blasts and torch flashes in groups of three are recognised distress signals.

First aid in the craft: treat bleeding by direct pressure, treat hypothermia by insulation and gentle rewarming, and treat seasickness with tablets before symptoms become severe.

CPR in a lifeboat: place the casualty on a stable platform, give chest compressions at 100-120 per minute with a depth of 5-6 cm, and use a ratio of 30 compressions to 2 breaths.

Do not give food or drink to an unconscious or semi-conscious casualty; keep the airway open and monitor breathing.

Sun protection: cover skin, use the canopy, and avoid midday exposure; dehydration and sunburn worsen survival time.

Morale and routine: keep a watch, keep occupied, and keep the craft tidy; panic and inactivity reduce survival chances.

EPIRB: stowed so it can float free and activate automatically if the ship sinks; it transmits on 406 MHz to the COSPAS-SARSAT system and includes a 121.5 MHz homing signal.

SART: carried in the lifeboat or at the bridge; when interrogated by a 9 GHz radar it shows a series of dots on the rescuer's radar screen; it has a range of about 5 nautical miles.

Two-way VHF radiotelephone: at least three sets on ships over 500 GT, stowed at the bridge and in the lifeboats; channel 16 is the distress and calling channel.

Distress flares: parachute flares (red, visible for at least 40 km, burn 40 seconds), hand flares (red, 6 nautical miles, 1 minute), and buoyant smoke signals (orange, 3 minutes).

Lifebuoy quick-release and smoke signals are stowed on the bridge wings; the bridge is the normal location for the EPIRB, SART, and line-throwing appliance.

Line-throwing appliance: throws a line at least 230 m with reasonable accuracy; used to pass a hawser to another vessel or to the shore.

Emergency lighting and low-location lighting mark the route to muster stations and life-saving equipment; check them during drills and report failures.

VHF channel 16 and DSC channel 70 are used for distress; Mayday is spoken three times followed by the vessel name and position.

During drills wear the same PPE as in a real emergency: hard hat, lifejacket, immersion suit, gloves, and safety shoes; this tests the equipment and the wearer.

Before any drill, brief the participants on the sequence, the hazards, and the stop signal; a safety officer is posted to stop unsafe actions.

Lifeboat drill hazards: the on-load release gear must be checked and the boat secured; no one stands under the boat during lowering, and the falls are kept clear.

Immersion suit drills: practise donning the suit within 2 minutes, including the lifejacket; check the suit for tears and the zip for function.

Fire drill PPE: breathing apparatus, fire helmet, gloves, and boots; the wearer must be fit-tested and trained, and the BA set checked before entry.

Enclosed-space entry: test the atmosphere for oxygen (at least 20 percent), flammable gas, and toxic gas before entry; use a permit and a standby person at the entrance.

Drill records: date, duration, participants, and any defects found are entered in the official logbook; defects are corrected before the next drill.

Stop-work authority: any person may stop a drill or task that is unsafe; report the hazard and do not resume until it is controlled.