Motorman / Oiler interview questions

I work under the engineers, usually the Second Engineer, and my daily duties are:

• Rounds of the engine room with the engineer on watch: checking levels, temperatures, pressures and leaks.
• Lubrication of machinery according to the lubrication chart.
• Cleaning: purifiers, filters and strainers, and keeping the engine room clean and the bilges dry.
• Soundings of tanks and reporting them to the engineer.
• Assisting the engineers during maintenance and overhauls.
• Stores: helping to receive and stow spare parts and lube oil.

During bunkering and in emergencies I follow my duties on the muster list. I always tell the engineer when I finish a job or find a problem.

I clean the purifier only after the engineer has stopped it and given permission.

1. The purifier is stopped and isolated: feed and water valves closed, the motor isolated and tagged out at the starter.
2. I wait until the bowl has stopped completely, using the brake if fitted. A purifier bowl spins at very high speed and keeps turning for a long time after it is stopped.
3. I dismantle the bowl with the special tools, following the manual, and clean the discs and parts. Discs are handled carefully because they are sharp and can be damaged.
4. I check the seals and O-rings and tell the engineer if they need changing.
5. I assemble the bowl in the correct order with the right markings aligned.

I wear gloves and goggles because of hot oil and chemicals. The engineer checks the assembly before the purifier is started again.

I take soundings with the sounding tape or read the remote level gauges, depending on the tank, as the engineer instructs.

With a sounding tape, I lower it slowly until it touches the striking plate at the bottom, then read the level of the liquid on the tape. For tanks that may have water, I use water-finding paste. I always close the sounding pipe cap after sounding, because an open sounding pipe can cause pollution or flooding.

I write down the tank name, the sounding and the time, and give it to the engineer, who calculates the volume from the tank tables. If a level has changed unexpectedly compared with the last sounding, I report it immediately, because it can mean a leak or a valve left open.

1. Report it to the engineer on watch immediately, with the exact location and how fast it is leaking.
2. Check whether the oil is reaching a hot surface, such as the exhaust pipe or turbocharger. If yes, it is a fire risk and I warn the engineer that it is urgent.
3. Contain the leak with a drip tray or absorbent material if it is safe, without touching hot parts or moving parts.
4. Help the engineer stop and repair the leak as instructed.
5. Clean up the oil after the repair and put the rags into the oily waste container.

I do not try to tighten the flange of a running system myself unless the engineer tells me to, because it can make the leak worse.

Before lifting, I check with the engineer that the lifting plan is clear: the weight of the part, the lifting points and who gives the signals.

• Equipment: the chain block, slings and shackles must have a safe working load larger than the weight, be inspected and certified, and be in good condition.
• Lifting points: only approved lifting eyes or beams, never pipes or rails.
• People: no one stands under the load, and one person gives the signals.
• Movement: lift slowly, use guide ropes to control the load, and pay attention to the ship's motion at sea.
• Landing: put the load down on wood or a safe surface and secure it so it cannot move.

I wear a helmet, gloves and safety shoes, and I stop the lift if something looks wrong.