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PSSR exit exam questions and answers — Set 9 — Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities

Set 9 of the Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities (PSSR) exit exam bank — 30 of 786 questions, with the correct option marked and a one-line explanation for every one. Read it end to end, jump to a single set, or search it — then sit the same bank as a timed paper. The real DG Shipping exit exam is 30 marks with 15 to pass.

These are the bank's original groupings. Practising deals the whole bank out again every time you reshuffle, so a practice “Set 3” is a different 30 questions each time — the set numbers below are the source file's, and are only used here so the key stays navigable. Options are listed in their original order with fixed letters; when you practise, those move too.

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Set 9 — 30 PSSR exit exam questions with answers

1. Which work activities require a permit to work?

  • A. Working aloft
  • B. Working on electrical circuits or high voltage
  • C. Working outboard or overside
  • D. All of the above
Answer: D — All of the above
Work aloft, overside work and work on live or high-voltage electrical equipment are high-risk activities that the Code of Safe Working Practices and company SMS control through permits to work.

2. What kind of safety signs need to be placed when work is being done in the radar mast?

  • A. A sign on all doors to the bridge
  • B. No particular sign
  • C. A sign in the engine control room
  • D. A sign fixed on each radar while work is in progress in the mast
Answer: D — A sign fixed on each radar while work is in progress in the mast
Radar must not be switched on while people work near the scanner, as rotating antennae and microwave radiation are dangerous. Warning notices are placed on the radar sets, and they are isolated until the work is complete.

3. Which of the following are qualities of a good team member?

  • A. Good judgement, common sense, logic and a positive attitude
  • B. Ability to plan and organise
  • C. Being responsible and co-operative
  • D. All of the above
Answer: D — All of the above
An effective team member combines sound judgement and a positive attitude with planning ability and a responsible, co-operative approach, all of which support safe shipboard operations.

4. Which book is used for maintaining complete records of oil transfers?

  • A. Deck log book
  • B. Oil Record Book
  • C. Garbage Record Book
  • D. Sounding log
Answer: B — Oil Record Book
MARPOL Annex I Regulations 17 and 36 require the Oil Record Book to record bunkering, internal transfers, sludge disposal, bilge discharges and, on tankers, cargo and ballast operations.

5. Precautions to prevent oil pollution include, but are not limited to:

  • A. Loading, carriage and discharge of oil cargo as per the manual
  • B. Regular inspection of oil piping and associated equipment
  • C. Regular training of crew in oil pollution drills
  • D. All of the above
Answer: D — All of the above
Pollution prevention depends on following approved procedures, maintaining and inspecting pipelines and equipment, and drilling the crew in SOPEP response so that leaks are prevented and quickly contained.

6. What permits are required for welding on a hydraulic pipeline inside a fresh water tank?

  • A. Hot work permit
  • B. Permit to work on a pressurised system
  • C. Enclosed space entry permit
  • D. All of the above
Answer: D — All of the above
The job combines three high-risk activities: entering a tank (enclosed space entry), breaking into a hydraulic system (pressurised system isolation) and welding (hot work). Each hazard needs its own permit.

7. Your vessel is a tanker in ballast and the two vessels are interlocked after a collision. All persons are accounted for and you will try to separate the vessels. What should be your greatest concern?

  • A. Sinking of the vessel due to flooding
  • B. Loss of money
  • C. Sparks caused by the separation igniting oil or flammable vapours
  • D. None of these
Answer: C — Sparks caused by the separation igniting oil or flammable vapours
A tanker in ballast has gas-filled cargo tanks that may be in the explosive range. Steel scraping during separation can generate sparks that ignite the vapours, so fire precautions must be taken before separating.

8. Which of the following sea areas is designated a special area under MARPOL?

  • A. Andaman Sea
  • B. Bay of Bengal
  • C. North Sea
  • D. None of the above
Answer: C — North Sea
The North West European waters including the North Sea are a special area under MARPOL Annexes I and V, and the North Sea is also an Emission Control Area under Annex VI. The Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea are not special areas.

9. Which book is used for maintaining complete daily records of the ship?

  • A. Garbage Record Book
  • B. Oil Record Book
  • C. Maintenance book
  • D. Log book
Answer: D — Log book
The deck and engine log books provide the daily record of the ship's navigation, watches, events, drills and machinery operation, whereas the Oil and Garbage Record Books cover specific pollution-related operations.

10. What is the main reason for having a person positioned immediately outside a confined space while work is taking place inside it?

  • A. To get the rescue plan under way in an emergency
  • B. To supervise the work taking place inside the confined space
  • C. To check compliance with the method statement
  • D. To carry out a risk assessment for the work
Answer: A — To get the rescue plan under way in an emergency
The attendant keeps communication with the entrants, monitors conditions and, if anything goes wrong, raises the alarm and starts the rescue plan. He must never enter the space himself without proper support and BA.

11. When is a toolbox talk conducted?

  • A. Every week
  • B. Every day
  • C. Before every job
  • D. Every month
Answer: C — Before every job
A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing held at the work site before a job starts, so that everyone understands the task, hazards, precautions and individual responsibilities.

12. The maximum permissible blood alcohol content generally adopted for seafarers on duty under company/OCIMF guidelines is:

  • A. 400 mg/100 ml
  • B. 40 mg/100 ml
  • C. 4 mg/100 ml
  • D. None of these
Answer: B — 40 mg/100 ml
OCIMF guidelines recommend a limit of 0.04% blood alcohol content, which is 40 mg per 100 ml, and most shipping companies adopt it. STCW Code A-VIII/1 sets an outer limit of 0.05% BAC for watchkeepers.

13. The Master must ensure all crew participate in monthly emergency drills. If more than 25% of the crew have not participated in such drills on board during the previous month, within what time must the drills be held after the vessel has left port?

  • A. Within 12 hours
  • B. Within a week
  • C. Within 2 hours
  • D. Within 24 hours
Answer: D — Within 24 hours
SOLAS Chapter III Regulation 19.3.2 requires abandon ship and fire drills to be held within 24 hours of the ship leaving port if more than 25% of the crew have not participated in drills on board that ship in the previous month.

14. The designated SOx Emission Control Areas (SECA) include:

  • A. The North Sea and English Channel
  • B. The Baltic Sea
  • C. The Mediterranean Sea only
  • D. Both the North Sea/English Channel and the Baltic Sea
Answer: D — Both the North Sea/English Channel and the Baltic Sea
Under MARPOL Annex VI, the Baltic Sea and the North Sea including the English Channel are designated SOx Emission Control Areas, together with the North American and US Caribbean ECAs.

15. Safety helmets are to be used during work to protect the:

  • A. Legs
  • B. Tools
  • C. Chest
  • D. Head
Answer: D — Head
A safety helmet protects the head from falling objects and from striking low overhead structures, which is why it is required on deck, in holds and in engine rooms.

16. How often is the safety committee meeting normally held on board?

  • A. Every week
  • B. Every 3 months
  • C. Every month
  • D. None of these
Answer: C — Every month
Under most company safety management systems, the shipboard safety committee meets monthly to review accidents, near misses, drills and safety concerns raised by the crew.

17. Instruction in the correct use of the ship's life-saving appliances should be given to new crew as soon as possible, but not later than:

  • A. 20 weeks after joining
  • B. 5 weeks after joining
  • C. 2 weeks after joining
  • D. None of these
Answer: C — 2 weeks after joining
SOLAS Chapter III Regulation 19.4.1 requires on-board training in the use of the ship's life-saving appliances, including survival craft equipment, as soon as possible but not later than two weeks after a crew member joins the ship.

18. Boiler suits or overalls are provided to protect the:

  • A. Head
  • B. Legs only
  • C. Hands
  • D. Skin and body
Answer: D — Skin and body
Boiler suits cover the body and protect the skin against dirt, oil, hot surfaces, sparks and minor abrasions. Head, hands and feet need their own PPE such as helmets, gloves and safety shoes.

19. Damage suffered by a passenger on a passenger vessel is covered under the:

  • A. LLMC Convention 1976
  • B. Load Line Convention 1966
  • C. Athens Convention 1974
  • D. Fund Convention 1971
Answer: C — Athens Convention 1974
The Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea, 1974, sets the carrier's liability for death, personal injury and loss of or damage to luggage of passengers.

20. Shipboard incineration of ____ is prohibited, except in shipboard incinerators for which IMO type approval certificates have been issued.

  • A. Fuel oil
  • B. Food waste
  • C. PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
  • D. Rags
Answer: C — PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 16 prohibits incineration of polyvinyl chlorides except in incinerators type approved for burning them, because PVC releases toxic hydrogen chloride and dioxins when burnt.

21. The parent instrument for the mandatory International Safety Management (ISM) Code is:

  • A. SOLAS Chapter IV
  • B. SOLAS and MARPOL
  • C. SOLAS Chapter IX
  • D. UNCLOS
Answer: C — SOLAS Chapter IX
The ISM Code was made mandatory through SOLAS Chapter IX, Management for the Safe Operation of Ships, which entered into force in 1998 and applies to all passenger ships and cargo ships of 500 GT and above.

22. Annex II of MARPOL deals with the control of pollution by:

  • A. Harmful substances in packaged form
  • B. Sewage
  • C. Noxious liquid substances in bulk
  • D. Air pollution
Answer: C — Noxious liquid substances in bulk
MARPOL Annex II contains the regulations for the control of pollution by noxious liquid substances carried in bulk, implemented with the IBC Code for chemical tankers.

23. Which organ of IMO consists of all member states?

  • A. Council
  • B. Assembly
  • C. Facilitation Committee
  • D. None of the above
Answer: B — Assembly
The Assembly is the highest governing body of IMO and consists of all member states. It meets every two years and elects the 40-member Council.

24. Dumping of wastes at sea is controlled by which IMO convention?

  • A. London Convention
  • B. US Convention
  • C. India Convention
  • D. None of these
Answer: A — London Convention
The Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972 (London Convention) and its 1996 Protocol control deliberate dumping of wastes at sea.

25. As per MARPOL, every crude oil tanker of ____ tonnes deadweight and above delivered after 1 June 1982 shall be fitted with a cargo tank cleaning system using crude oil washing.

  • A. 200
  • B. 20,000
  • C. 2
  • D. 2,000
Answer: B — 20,000
MARPOL Annex I Regulation 33 requires every crude oil tanker of 20,000 tonnes deadweight and above delivered after 1 June 1982 to have a crude oil washing system for cargo tank cleaning.

26. What is an advantage of written communication?

  • A. It avoids the need for any verbal briefing
  • B. It can be understood by a person who cannot see
  • C. It is always faster than speaking
  • D. Highly technical topics can be presented using words and diagrams
Answer: D — Highly technical topics can be presented using words and diagrams
Written communication provides a permanent record and allows complex technical information to be explained with text, drawings and diagrams that the reader can study and refer back to.

27. A limit of ____ on the sulphur content of marine fuel oil applies in designated SOx Emission Control Areas.

  • A. 0.10%
  • B. 0.50%
  • C. 1.00%
  • D. 3.50%
Answer: A — 0.10%
MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14 limits fuel sulphur content in Emission Control Areas to 0.10% m/m from 1 January 2015. The 0.50% limit is the global cap applicable outside ECAs since 1 January 2020.

28. Which book is used for maintaining complete records of garbage discharged to sea or delivered ashore?

  • A. Oil Record Book
  • B. Garbage Record Book
  • C. Navigation log
  • D. None of these
Answer: B — Garbage Record Book
MARPOL Annex V Regulation 10 requires ships of 400 GT and above, and ships certified for 15 or more persons, to record every garbage discharge, incineration and delivery to reception facilities in the Garbage Record Book.

29. What is the most likely cause of fractured limbs?

  • A. Fall
  • B. Climbing
  • C. Sleeping
  • D. None of these
Answer: A — Fall
Falls from height, down ladders or on slippery decks are the commonest cause of fractures on board. Good housekeeping, handrails and fall protection reduce this risk.

30. ____ shall be launched and manoeuvred in the water at least once every three months.

  • A. Every rescue boat only
  • B. Every liferaft
  • C. Every lifeboat only
  • D. Every lifeboat and rescue boat
Answer: D — Every lifeboat and rescue boat
SOLAS Chapter III Regulation 19.3.3 requires each lifeboat to be launched with its operating crew and manoeuvred in the water at least once every three months, and rescue boats to be launched monthly where reasonable, but at least every three months.

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