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PST exit exam questions and answers — Set 6

Set 6 of the Personal Survival Techniques (PST) exit exam bank — 30 of 268 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 6 — 30 PST exit exam questions with answers

1. Which of the following is considered a general emergency on board a ship?

  • A. Loss of stability during cargo operations
  • B. Hull failure
  • C. Uncontrolled venting or cargo jettisoning on a gas tanker
  • D. All of the above
Answer: D — All of the above
A general emergency refers to any catastrophic event that threatens the safety of the ship or personnel, including hull failure, uncontrolled cargo incidents, or stability loss, requiring immediate muster.

2. Which one of the listed requirements regarding the stability of inflatable life rafts does NOT correspond to present regulations? The stability of inflatable life rafts shall be such that:

  • A. It can withstand high winds
  • B. In the event of capsizing, it will automatically attain a position providing an enable water escape
  • C. It can be towed easily
  • D. It has water pockets underneath
Answer: B — In the event of capsizing, it will automatically attain a position providing an enable water escape
Inflatable life rafts don't automatically self-right unless they are specially designed self-righting types

3. Retro-reflective tape is provided on which equipment?

  • A. Lifeboats and life rafts
  • B. Fire hoses and nozzles
  • C. Anchor chains and windlass
  • D. Main engine control panel
Answer: A — Lifeboats and life rafts
Retro-reflective tape is required on all LSA, including lifeboats, life rafts, and life jackets, to make them visible at night by reflecting light from searchlights or other sources.

4. How much lifeboat capacity should be provided on a conventional cargo ship of more than 85 meters in length?

  • A. 150% total capacity anywhere
  • B. 200% on each side
  • C. 50% on each side
  • D. 100% of the ship's complement on each side
Answer: D — 100% of the ship's complement on each side
For cargo ships of 85 meters and above, SOLAS requires that lifeboats be carried on each side of the ship with a total capacity of 100% of the ship's complement on each side.

5. Which one of the listed requirements regarding rescue boat equipment does NOT correspond to present regulations? The normal equipment of every rescue boat shall include:

  • A. searchlight
  • B. Buoyant oars or paddlers
  • C. buoyant biler
  • D. Immersion suits for the total number of persons the boat is permitted to accommodate
Answer: D — Immersion suits for the total number of persons the boat is permitted to accommodate
Regulations only specify them for the actual rescue boat crew, not full capacity

6. A SART typically uses a lithium primary battery of:

  • A. 1.5 Volts
  • B. 6 Volts
  • C. 12 Volts
  • D. 24 Volts
Answer: C — 12 Volts
The SART is a survival craft transponder that, as per IMO performance standards, typically utilizes a 12-volt battery to provide sufficient power for its 96-hour standby and 8-hour transmission requirement.

7. What is the minimum number of channels required for a portable 2-way VHF radio used for survival craft?

  • A. Channel 70
  • B. Channel 12 only
  • C. Channel 16
  • D. Channels 6, 13, and 16
Answer: C — Channel 16
A portable two-way VHF radio for survival craft must be capable of operating on Channel 16, which is the international distress, safety, and calling channel.

8. Which channel is designated as the VHF follow-on communication channel and is mandatory in all portable survival craft equipment?

  • A. Channel 6
  • B. Channel 22
  • C. Channel 13
  • D. Channel 16
Answer: D — Channel 16
Channel 16 is the mandatory calling and distress frequency. Once contact is established on Channel 16, the survival craft and rescuers switch to a 'follow-on' channel to keep the distress frequency clear.

9. GMDSS regulations require that cargo vessels carry two-way VHF for survival craft. How many are required and when did the regulations fully apply?

  • A. 1 set per lifeboat station
  • B. 5 sets for any container ship
  • C. 2 sets for all ships built after 2000
  • D. 3 sets; new builds from February 1992, other ships from February 1995
Answer: D — 3 sets; new builds from February 1992, other ships from February 1995
GMDSS requirements dictate that cargo vessels must carry at least 3 sets of two-way VHF radiotelephone apparatuses for use in survival craft to ensure effective communication during abandonment.

10. Batteries fitted in an EPIRB, SART, etc., are to be changed when:

  • A. They look old and dusty
  • B. Every 6 months automatically
  • C. Only after they drain out completely during an emergency
  • D. Battery to be changed as per the expiry date mentioned by the maker
Answer: D — Battery to be changed as per the expiry date mentioned by the maker
Batteries for safety equipment like SARTs and EPIRBs have a limited service life due to chemical degradation. They must be replaced by the manufacturer's specified expiry date to ensure reliability.

11. If a distress signal is received on board, what should you do?

  • A. Try to make contact with the vessel in distress
  • B. All of the alternatives together
  • C. Contact SAR authorities via the nearest coastal radio station
  • D. Post an extra lookout
Answer: B — All of the alternatives together
Upon receiving a distress signal, a vessel is under legal and moral obligation to assist, which involves notifying SAR authorities, maintaining a sharp lookout, and attempting to establish communication.

12. What is the minimum required duration of a buoyant smoke marker?

  • A. 1 minute
  • B. 2 minutes
  • C. 5 minutes
  • D. 3 minutes
Answer: D — 3 minutes
A buoyant smoke marker is a distress signal that must produce smoke for a duration of at least 3 minutes to provide a sustained visual reference for search and rescue aircraft or vessels.

13. Life jackets should be stored in:

  • A. Readily accessible spaces
  • B. The steering flat
  • C. Sealed boxes requiring tools to open
  • D. Under lock and key by the Chief Mate
Answer: A — Readily accessible spaces
Life jackets must be stored in readily accessible spaces so that they can be retrieved quickly without hindrance, even in the dark or during vessel movement.

14. Which one of the listed requirements regarding lifeboat fittings does NOT correspond to present regulations? All lifeboats shall be fitted with:

  • A. Lifelines becketed around the outside
  • B. continuous bright flame burning bucket around the outside of the lifeboat
  • C. An efficient drain valve
  • D. rudder and tiller
Answer: B — continuous bright flame burning bucket around the outside of the lifeboat
Lifeboats are not required to be fitted with a burning bucket around the outside; such a device would be hazardous and inefficient. The other options listed are standard mandatory requirements.

15. Every lifeboat is required to be launched and maneuvered in water at least once in every:

  • A. Three months
  • B. Year
  • C. Month
  • D. Two months
Answer: A — Three months
SOLAS requires that each survival craft must be stowed, launched, and maneuvered in the water at intervals of at least once every three months during a drill.

16. After abandoning ship, survivors in a lifeboat must be given:

  • A. Double rations of water if they feel hot
  • B. Seawater to drink
  • C. No water for the first 24 hours
  • D. Rations and water immediately
Answer: C — No water for the first 24 hours
To avoid dehydration induced by the body attempting to process the salt content of seawater, survivors are instructed not to drink water for the first 24 hours to stabilize their fluid balance.

17. Fire-protected lifeboats, when waterborne, should be capable of protecting their full complement when subjected to a continuous oil fire that envelops the boat for a period of not less than:

  • A. 5 minutes
  • B. 8 minutes
  • C. 15 minutes
  • D. 20 minutes
Answer: B — 8 minutes
Fire-protected lifeboats (tanker lifeboats) are specifically designed to withstand extreme heat and must be capable of surviving for at least 8 minutes in a continuous oil fire.

18. An enclosed lifeboat is fitted with a self-contained air support system. With the engine running, what is the minimum period of time the air should remain safe and breathable?

  • A. 5 minutes
  • B. 20 minutes
  • C. 10 minutes
  • D. 30 minutes
Answer: C — 10 minutes
Enclosed lifeboats must have a self-contained air support system capable of providing breathable air for at least 10 minutes, protecting occupants from toxic smoke or fumes during launching.

19. The smoke detector panel indicates a fire in a cargo hold loaded with general cargo. What first action should be taken?

  • A. Run fire hoses into the hold immediately
  • B. Increase the mechanical ventilation speed
  • C. Open all hatches to look inside
  • D. Close the ventilation system and other openings to the hold in order to choke the fire
Answer: D — Close the ventilation system and other openings to the hold in order to choke the fire
In the event of a fire in a cargo hold, the immediate first step is to cut off the oxygen supply by closing all ventilation dampers and sealing the compartment to starve the fire.

20. Lifebuoy self-igniting lights shall be capable of burning continuously for a period of not less than:

  • A. 1 hour
  • B. 4 hours
  • C. 2 hours
  • D. 8 hours
Answer: C — 2 hours
Lifebuoy self-igniting lights must be able to operate continuously for at least 2 hours to provide a visual marker in the water for search and rescue teams.

21. The centrifugal brake mechanism incorporated in a lifeboat handling winch is intended to:

  • A. Stop the boat instantly if a cable snaps
  • B. Increase the lifting speed of the winch motor
  • C. Automatically control the speed of lowering by gravity
  • D. Lock the davit arms in the stowed position
Answer: C — Automatically control the speed of lowering by gravity
The centrifugal brake is a safety feature on the lifeboat winch that automatically regulates the lowering speed by gravity, preventing the boat from descending too fast.

22. If the water is rising in the bilge of a survival craft, you should first:

  • A. Use a hand flare to signal for help
  • B. Start drilling holes to let water out
  • C. Abandon the survival craft
  • D. Check the bilge drain plug
Answer: D — Check the bilge drain plug
A rising water level in the bilge indicates either a leak or an improperly secured drain plug; therefore, the plug must be the first item checked to prevent flooding.

23. The maximum speed of lowering for a lifeboat on gravity davits is controlled by the:

  • A. Electric winch motor
  • B. Governor brake
  • C. Hand crank handle
  • D. Limit switch
Answer: B — Governor brake
The governor brake (or centrifugal brake) is the primary mechanism that limits the speed of the lifeboat during gravity lowering to a safe rate of descent.

24. The function of the lifeboat davit limit switch is to:

  • A. Turn on the lifeboat internal lights
  • B. Cut off power to the winch when the lifeboat nears the final stowed position
  • C. Stop the boat from lowering too fast into the water
  • D. Release the hooks automatically
Answer: B — Cut off power to the winch when the lifeboat nears the final stowed position
The limit switch is a safety device that cuts off the power to the winch motor when the lifeboat reaches the final stowed position, preventing damage to the davits.

25. Most lifeboats are equipped with which type of rudder configuration?

  • A. Flap rudder
  • B. Unbalanced rudder
  • C. Semi-balanced rudder
  • D. Balanced rudder
Answer: B — Unbalanced rudder
Most lifeboats utilize an unbalanced rudder configuration, which is simpler to design and maintain, providing adequate maneuverability for the relatively low speeds at which lifeboats travel.

26. At what speed and for how long must a fully loaded motor lifeboat operate in calm water?

  • A. 5 knots for 6 hours
  • B. 6 knots for 24 hours
  • C. 10 knots for 48 hours
  • D. 4 knots for 12 hours
Answer: B — 6 knots for 24 hours
A fully loaded motor lifeboat is required to have an engine capable of propelling the boat at a speed of at least 6 knots in calm water for a period of 24 hours.

27. Which item in the lifeboat is considered a regulatory study/instructional material?

  • A. Engineering blue print of the ship
  • B. Instructions on how to survive on board the craft
  • C. Nautical almanac
  • D. Solas Consolidated Edition
Answer: B — Instructions on how to survive on board the craft
LSA Code regulations mandate that survival craft must carry manuals or instructions detailing survival techniques and the operation of craft equipment to assist survivors in maintaining their safety and welfare after abandoning ship.

28. What is the standard minimum length of a lifeboat painter?

  • A. 50 meters
  • B. 30 meters
  • C. 15 meters
  • D. 10 meters
Answer: C — 15 meters
Under the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code, the lifeboat painter must have a length of at least 15 meters to ensure safe tethering and deployment during launching operations.

29. What is the purpose of the hydrostatic interlock in the keel of an enclosed lifeboat?

  • A. It automatically pumps out the bilges
  • B. It stabilizes the boat's rolling
  • C. It prevents release of the hooks until the keel of the boat is fully under water
  • D. It prevents the engine from starting out of the water
Answer: C — It prevents release of the hooks until the keel of the boat is fully under water
The hydrostatic interlock is a critical safety mechanism designed to prevent the accidental release of lifeboat hooks while the craft is still suspended in the davits; it only allows release once the buoyancy of the water triggers the mechanism.

30. Steering a motor lifeboat broadside (parallel) to heavy waves and sea could cause it to:

  • A. Align smoothly
  • B. Capsize
  • C. Pitch heavily
  • D. Go faster
Answer: B — Capsize
Steering broadside to heavy seas exposes the lifeboat to the full force of waves hitting the beam, which significantly increases the risk of the craft rolling to the point of capsizing.

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