QUESTION 3.5.1

Role-based familiarisation for crew, visitors and contractors

Oil, Chemical, LPG, LNGDocumentation, Anywhere

What is being checked

The inspector is checking whether each person receives timely familiarisation proportionate to role and access, with critical duties completed before assignment and understanding verified rather than recorded only by signature.

Ready onboard

0/8 complete

BEFORE DUTYSafety-critical familiarisation is completed before the person assumes assigned duties.ROLE SPECIFICCrew checklists cover actual equipment, procedures, alarms, permits and emergency responsibilities.RELIEF HANDOVERJoining officers receive meaningful handover of open defects, operations, standing orders and risks.VISITORSVisitors receive emergency, access, PPE and prohibited-area instructions.CONTRACTORSContractors receive task hazards, permits, isolations, alarms, communications and emergency action.VERIFICATIONA competent person checks understanding through demonstration or questioning.RECORDSDates, subjects, trainer and trainee are recorded without pre-signing.GAPSLanguage, experience and equipment differences trigger additional time or supervision.

Practice questions

Answer aloud, then open the preparation point.

1What had to be completed before you took over your watch?

Identify critical equipment, procedures, alarms, emergency duties and formal handover completed before assignment.

2How is a contractor brief different from a visitor brief?

Add task risk, permit, isolation, tools, communications, stop-work and area-specific emergency controls.

3Does signing the checklist complete familiarisation?

No. The responsible officer must verify actual understanding and practical ability.

4What if operational pressure prevents full familiarisation?

Do not assign unsupervised critical duties; prioritise mandatory items and record supervised completion plan.

5Show one item added because this vessel differs from the person's last ship.

Identify the equipment or arrangement difference and the extra demonstration or supervision provided.

Where an observation may arise

LATE FAMILIARISATION

Critical familiarisation occurred after the person assumed duty.

GENERIC CHECKLIST

The form does not reflect rank, equipment or task.

SIGNATURE ONLY

Interviews show no understanding despite completed records.

CONTRACTOR GAP

Task hazards, isolation or emergency actions were not briefed.

NO HANDOVER

A joining officer lacks knowledge of live defects or operations.

LANGUAGE

Instructions were not understood.

Past observations for practice

Human

OP was not able to locate and demonstrate the galley fixed fire fighting system. He was observed engaged in cooking while he had not completed operator required safety and job familiarization upon joining.

Human

During the lifeboat safety belt demonstration, the OP demonstrated the use of the lifeboat safety belt by fastening two waist belt release buckles instead of securing only the belt assigned to his seating position. One of the buckles used belonged to the adjacent seating position. The OP confirmed that he considered this to be the correct method of securing the safety belt. When asked why two buckles had been used, he stated that this is how he normally secured the belt and further explained that he was sometimes confused about the correct use of the lifeboat safety belt buckles.

Master's practical note

Ask a newly joined person to demonstrate one critical action. The age of the signature matters less than whether the person can operate safely without being coached through the answer.

Equipment boundary and references

Equipment boundary: Visitors need proportionate information, while contractors and crew need task or role-specific controls. Security-sensitive information should be limited to need-to-know.

References

OCIMF SIRE 2.0 Question Library Part 1, Version 1.0, Question 3.5.1
STCW Convention regulation I/14
ISM Code section 6.3
SOLAS Chapter IX

Last reviewed: 2026-09-10