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PST exit exam questions and answers — Set 7

Set 7 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 7 — 30 PST exit exam questions with answers

1. With the water sprinkler system and the air system turned on and all hatches shut, an enclosed survival craft will provide protection from:

  • A. Shark attacks
  • B. Heavy rain only
  • C. External fire and a toxic gas environment
  • D. High pressure waves only
Answer: C — External fire and a toxic gas environment
Enclosed survival craft feature air support systems and water spray protection to provide a secure environment, protecting occupants from the intense thermal radiation of an external oil fire and preventing the ingress of hazardous smoke or toxic gases.

2. Which data is NOT painted on the bow of a lifeboat?

  • A. Carrying capacity of persons
  • B. Dimensions of the boat
  • C. Name of the parent vessel
  • D. Total weight of the boat with full load
Answer: D — Total weight of the boat with full load
Dimensions, capacity, and ship name are painted, while weight details are on the builder's plate

3. Every lifeboat requires to be launched into the water and maneuvered at least once in every:

  • A. Three months
  • B. Six months
  • C. Month
  • D. Two months
Answer: A — Three months
SOLAS requirements state that every lifeboat shall be launched with its assigned operating crew aboard and maneuvered in the water at least once every three months as part of mandatory drills.

4. The mandatory distress pyrotechnics required to be kept inside a lifeboat container are:

  • A. Rocket parachutes + Line throwers
  • B. Sound signals + Strobe lights
  • C. Rocket parachutes + Hand flares + Buoyant smoke signals
  • D. Red flags and matches
Answer: C — Rocket parachutes + Hand flares + Buoyant smoke signals
The LSA Code specifies that a lifeboat must be equipped with rocket parachute flares, hand flares, and buoyant smoke signals to ensure survivors have various means of visual distress signaling for both day and night detection.

5. When a rescue vessel approaches a lifeboat in heavy seas, the person in charge of the lifeboat should:

  • A. Wait for calmer weather or specific instructions before transferring personnel
  • B. Immediately order everyone to jump into the sea
  • C. Tie the lifeboat directly to the rescue ship's propeller
  • D. Turn off the lifeboat engine and abandon helm controls
Answer: A — Wait for calmer weather or specific instructions before transferring personnel
Transferring personnel from a lifeboat to a rescue vessel in heavy seas is extremely dangerous; the person in charge must prioritize safety and await favorable conditions or specific instructions to prevent injury or loss of life.

6. Which of the following survival equipment items is considered consumable?

  • A. Anti-seasickness tablets
  • B. Drinking water
  • C. Food rations
  • D. All of the above
Answer: D — All of the above
Consumable items in survival equipment include food, water, and medication (such as anti-seasickness tablets), which are depleted during use and must be replenished or maintained for ongoing survival.

7. Which will be the worst of emergencies that you would face if it happens at sea?

  • A. Minor galley fire
  • B. Generator tripping
  • C. Foundering (Sinking completely)
  • D. Loss of Wi-Fi
Answer: C — Foundering (Sinking completely)
Foundering is the most severe maritime emergency as it involves the total loss of the vessel's buoyancy, requiring an immediate and total abandonment of the ship into survival craft.

8. A life jacket has which of the following mandatory safety attachments on it?

  • A. Compass + Knife
  • B. Flare gun + EPIRB
  • C. Line thrower + Mirror
  • D. Retro-reflective tape + Whistle + Light
Answer: D — Retro-reflective tape + Whistle + Light
SOLAS regulations require all life jackets to be fitted with a whistle for audible signaling, a light to assist in night-time location, and retro-reflective material to enhance visibility in search and rescue operations.

9. Which of these requirements regarding the launching and recovery arrangements for rescue boats corresponds to Solas regulations?

  • A. They must take at least 30 minutes to prepare
  • B. They must only be handled by the Captain
  • C. They can only be launched when the ship is completely stopped
  • D. Embarkation and launching arrangements shall be such that the rescue boat can be boarded and launched in less than 5 minutes
Answer: D — Embarkation and launching arrangements shall be such that the rescue boat can be boarded and launched in less than 5 minutes
To ensure rapid response in emergency recovery operations, SOLAS mandates that rescue boat embarkation and launching arrangements must be designed to be ready for boarding and deployment within 5 minutes.

10. When a person who has fallen overboard is being picked up by a rescue boat, how should the boat normally approach with the wind?

  • A. With wind directly on the beam and victim to windward
  • B. At full speed from windward side
  • C. Just off the bow and the victim to leeward
  • D. Directly from astern
Answer: C — Just off the bow and the victim to leeward
A rescue boat should approach a person in the water with the windward side providing a lee; the victim should be positioned to leeward to prevent the boat from drifting onto the casualty.

11. A person has fallen overboard and is being picked up with a rescue boat. If the person appears in immediate danger of drowning, how should the rescue boat maneuver?

  • A. Perform an elegant, slow Williamson turn
  • B. Make the most direct and safest immediate approach
  • C. Circle the person three times before stopping
  • D. Wait for sunrise
Answer: B — Make the most direct and safest immediate approach
In cases of immediate danger, the rescue boat must prioritize the most direct and safest approach to extract the victim from the water as quickly as possible to prevent drowning.

12. In moderate sea conditions, when loaded with its full complement of persons and equipment, the recovery time of a fast rescue boat (FRB) shall be not more than:

  • A. 10 minutes
  • B. 5 minutes
  • C. 3 minutes
  • D. 6 minutes
Answer: D — 6 minutes
SOLAS standards for Fast Rescue Boats (FRB) stipulate that they must be capable of being recovered in moderate sea conditions within 6 minutes when fully loaded with crew and equipment.

13. Inflatable rescue boats shall be marked externally with which information?

  • A. Serial number, the maker's name, and the date of manufacture
  • B. Total weight of rubber used
  • C. Names of all the crew members on board
  • D. Next port of call
Answer: A — Serial number, the maker's name, and the date of manufacture
Inflatable rescue boats must be clearly marked with manufacturing details, including the serial number, manufacturer's name, and date of manufacture, for maintenance tracking and safety certification.

14. The outboard engine of a Fast Rescue Boat (FRB) is approved to run using which fuel type?

  • A. Gasoline / Petrol
  • B. Marine Gas Oil (MGO) only
  • C. Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO)
  • D. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
Answer: A — Gasoline / Petrol
The outboard engines of Fast Rescue Boats are designed for high-performance operation and are approved to use gasoline, which provides the necessary power-to-weight ratio for rapid rescue deployment.

15. The Public Address (PA) system shall be a loudspeaker installation enabling the broadcast of emergency messages into:

  • A. Open decks only
  • B. All spaces where crew members or passengers, or both, are normally present, and to muster stations
  • C. Only the bridge and engine room
  • D. Only the cargo control room
Answer: B — All spaces where crew members or passengers, or both, are normally present, and to muster stations
The Public Address system is a crucial communication tool mandated by SOLAS to ensure emergency instructions are clearly broadcast to all muster stations and areas where crew or passengers are located.

16. The liquid inside a standard wet card magnetic compass is a specific mixture of:

  • A. Glycerin and heavy oil
  • B. Distilled water and pure ethylene alcohol
  • C. Seawater and kerosene
  • D. Pure acetone
Answer: B — Distilled water and pure ethylene alcohol
The compass card in a liquid-filled magnetic compass is suspended in a mixture of distilled water and pure ethylene alcohol, which prevents freezing at low temperatures and ensures smooth damping of the card.

17. What does the standard graphical IMO symbol showing a boat being lowered horizontally by two wires indicate?

  • A. Lower rescue boat
  • B. Launch life raft
  • C. Fast rescue boat recovery
  • D. Evacuation slide usage
Answer: A — Lower rescue boat
The IMO graphical symbol depicting a boat being lowered horizontally by two wires is the standard safety sign for a rescue boat, used to indicate the location and operation of the launch gear.

18. You are picking up a person who has fallen overboard. A rescue boat should normally approach the casualty with the:

  • A. Victim to windward
  • B. Engine completely turned off 50 meters away
  • C. Victim to leeward
  • D. Boat moving astern
Answer: C — Victim to leeward
Approaching a casualty to leeward is essential to create a sheltered area (a lee) and prevent the rescue boat from being pushed by the wind directly onto the person in the water.

19. All rescue boats shall be capable of being launched, utilizing painters where necessary, with the parent ship making headway at speeds up to:

  • A. 12 knots under any condition
  • B. 5 knots in calm water
  • C. 2 knots in heavy seas
  • D. 10 knots in calm water
Answer: B — 5 knots in calm water
To ensure rescue boats can be effectively deployed while the ship is moving, they must be capable of launching and maneuvering at speeds of at least 5 knots in calm water.

20. An inflatable life raft is stabilized against flipping and wind drift primarily by:

  • A. Rigging lines on top
  • B. The weight of its canopy
  • C. heavy iron keel
  • D. The water-filled stability pockets underneath it
Answer: D — The water-filled stability pockets underneath it
Water-filled stability pockets, also known as water pockets or bags, located under the life raft fill with seawater immediately upon inflation to add weight and lower the center of gravity, preventing capsizing.

21. After abandoning ship, survivors inside a survival craft must be given:

  • A. Water and food immediately on boarding
  • B. Seawater to preserve fresh water
  • C. No fresh water for the first 24 hours (unless injured)
  • D. Double water rations to handle panic
Answer: C — No fresh water for the first 24 hours (unless injured)
To prevent dehydration, initial rationing protocols often restrict fresh water intake during the first 24 hours unless the survivor is suffering from severe heat or injury, as the body's metabolic demand is lower.

22. Every inflatable life raft, inflatable life jacket, and Hydrostatic Release Unit (HRU) shall be professionally serviced at an approved station every:

  • A. 5 years
  • B. 12 months (every year)
  • C. 24 months
  • D. 6 months
Answer: B — 12 months (every year)
SOLAS requires mandatory annual servicing for all inflatable life-saving appliances, including life rafts, life jackets, and hydrostatic release units, to ensure they remain in operational condition.

23. How much fresh water is available per person in a standard Lifeboat container?

  • A. 5 Liters
  • B. 1.5 Liters
  • C. 2 Liters
  • D. 3 Liters
Answer: D — 3 Liters
In accordance with LSA Code requirements, every lifeboat must be provided with 3 liters of fresh water for every person the boat is permitted to accommodate.

24. If you have to abandon ship into cold water, what type of clothing preparation is best?

  • A. Put on extra layers of clothing, preferably with a waterproof layer on top
  • B. Wear wool clothing only without any footwear
  • C. Put on your heavy work boiler suit only
  • D. Strip down to minimal light clothing to swim faster
Answer: A — Put on extra layers of clothing, preferably with a waterproof layer on top
In cold water, survival depends on thermal insulation; wearing multiple layers of clothing, particularly a waterproof outer layer, helps trap heat and protects the skin from rapid cooling.

25. How much fresh water is provided per person inside an inflatable life raft equipment pack?

  • A. 0.5 Liter
  • B. 1 Liter
  • C. 1.5 Liters
  • D. 3 Liters
Answer: C — 1.5 Liters
The LSA Code mandates that an inflatable life raft equipment pack must contain 1.5 liters of fresh water per person, which is sufficient to sustain survival until rescue occurs.

26. What critical step should be done before throwing a throw-overboard life raft pack into the sea, after securing its painter to a strong point?

  • A. Cut the container bands with an axe
  • B. Check that there is nothing and no casualties in the sea directly below
  • C. Throw the oars first
  • D. Inflate it on deck first
Answer: B — Check that there is nothing and no casualties in the sea directly below
It is critical to ensure the area below the launching position is clear of persons or debris before throwing an inflatable life raft to prevent injury to those in the water.

27. How should the painter of a life raft fitted with a hydrostatic release unit (HRU) be secured to the ship structure?

  • A. Kept completely unattached until launching
  • B. Shackled directly onto the main steel deck without any links
  • C. Wrapped loosely around the railing tubes
  • D. Secured via a weak link to a secure part of the ship
Answer: D — Secured via a weak link to a secure part of the ship
The painter is secured to the ship via a weak link to ensure that if the ship sinks, the raft will automatically detach once the tension exceeds the weak link's breaking strength, preventing the raft from being pulled down by the ship.

28. Referring to the Solas convention, how often should every crew member on a cargo ship participate in at least one abandon ship drill and one fire drill?

  • A. Every six months
  • B. Weekly
  • C. Every two months
  • D. Monthly
Answer: D — Monthly
SOLAS regulation III/19 requires that every crew member participate in at least one abandon ship drill and one fire drill every month to maintain competency in emergency procedures.

29. What constitutes the formal abandon ship signal?

  • A. The chief engineer stopping the main engine
  • B. Any crew member shouting on the PA system
  • C. The sounding of the continuous fog horn automatically
  • D. verbal or alarms command given only by the Master or his deputy
Answer: D — verbal or alarms command given only by the Master or his deputy
The abandon ship signal is a formal emergency command issued only by the Master or their authorized deputy to ensure the decision is deliberate, documented, and fully coordinated.

30. What are the core physical/smothering characteristics of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) when used for firefighting?

  • A. It displaces oxygen
  • B. It is in itself not dangerous (not toxic/poisonous in low levels)
  • C. All of the above
  • D. It is heavier than oxygen
Answer: C — All of the above
Carbon Dioxide is an effective fire extinguishing agent because it is heavier than air, displaces oxygen, and is non-conductive, making it suitable for electrical fires; however, it is an asphyxiant requiring caution.

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