Safety, Environmental Compliance, and Field Operations
Domain focus
This domain tests safe and compliant field work: vessel and site safety, environmental permits, and operational risk control.
Core rules
- A field visit starts with a risk assessment and float plan: weather, sea state, vessel capacity, crew, communications, and check-in times.
- Personal protective equipment and vessel safety: PFDs, kill switch, VHF, first aid, fall protection, electrical lockout/tagout, and confined-space procedures where applicable.
- Working around water and lifting gear requires controlled access, trained operators, and a rescue plan; lone work is avoided or specially controlled.
- Environmental compliance includes permits for in-water work, protected-species precautions, antifouling and spill prevention, and proper disposal of batteries and debris.
- Document incidents and near misses; change procedures when conditions change.
Worked example
Servicing a current meter on a buoy requires a weather window, a float plan filed with a shore contact, PFDs for all crew, a kill switch, and a check for permitted in-water work. If sea state exceeds the plan, the correct action is to abort and reschedule, not to finish quickly.
Traps
Skipping the float plan for a short trip; working alone at a remote site; ignoring permit conditions; using the wrong antifouling; lifting gear without inspection; failing to report a near miss.