Deck reference

Words to have ready

The course glossary, the phonetic alphabet and what to ask during your vessel induction. Your vessel's procedures and senior crew come first.

Glossary

Terms used in the course

Standing part: The part of a line leading away from the working end and knot.
Working end / tail: The end used to form the knot; the tail remains visible in the finished attachment.
Bight: A bend or loop in a line. Keep body parts clear; it can close when the line moves.
Fairlead: A fitting that guides a line along its intended lead.
Chafe: Wear caused by rubbing. Find the contact and report changes rather than hiding them under more protection.
Dressing a knot: Arranging and tightening its parts into the intended finished form for inspection.
OOW: Officer of the watch. A junior lookout supplies observations and follows the assigned watch duties.
Relative direction: A direction described from the vessel's heading, such as two o'clock. State the convention used.
SOP: Standard operating procedure. Learn the vessel's actual procedure for the fitted equipment and operation.
SDS / TDS: Safety data sheet / technical data sheet. Use the current documents for the exact product.
PPE: Personal protective equipment selected for the task and person under the vessel's procedure.
Teach-back: Ask the person to show or explain the important action back so you can resolve a misunderstanding before use.

Phonetic alphabet

The ITU phonetic alphabet. Note the spellings Alfa and Juliett.

Induction prompts

01
Emergency familiarisation
Find your muster station, alarm instructions, escape routes and reporting method through the vessel's induction. Locate equipment with the responsible crew. Do not test or activate it for the course.
02
PPE, access and permits
Ask which PPE the actual task requires and who authorises restricted work. This course does not authorise work aloft, overside, entry to enclosed spaces or machinery isolation. Do not enter an enclosed space or attempt an unplanned rescue because a colleague needs help; raise the alarm and follow the trained response.
03
Handling and moving equipment
Assess the route, shape and stability of the load with the supervisor. Ask for help or the correct handling equipment before committing to a lift you cannot control. No universal safe weight is supplied.
04
Chemicals, waste and spills
Locate current product labels, safety information and the vessel's storage and waste arrangements. Do not mix products, decant into an unlabelled container or wash a spill overboard. Report a spill and follow the trained response and applicable vessel procedure.