You will spend much of your time aboard ship as a watch stander. How you stand your watch is very important to the reliability of the engineering plant and the entire ship. To be a successful watch stander, you must do the following;111

l Have the skills to detect unusua1 noises, vibrations, or odors that may indicate faulty machinery operation.

l Take appropriate and prompt corrective measures.

l Be ready, in emergencies, to act quickly and independently.

l Know the ships piping systems and HOW, WHERE, and WHY they are controlled.

l Know each piece of machinery: how it is constucted, how it operates, how it fits into the engineering plant, and where related equipment is controlled.

l Be able to read and interpret measuring instruments.

l Understand how and why protective devices function (relief valves, speed limiting governors, overspeed trips, and cut-in and cutout devices).

l Recognize and remove fire hazards, stow gear that is adrift, and keep deck plates clean and dry. lNEVER try to operate a piece of equipment that is defective.

lReport all unsafe conditions to the space or plant supervisor.

l Know the status of every piece of machinery at your station.

l Promptly handle any necessary change in speed or setup, and record correctly all data concerning the operation and maintenance of the machinery.

lBe sure the log is up-to-date and the status boards are current.

lKnow what machinery is operating and what the night orders and standing orders are before you relieve the watch.

Above all, if you dont know-ASK!A noise, odor, or condition may seem abnormal to you, but you may not be certain whether it is a problem. When that happens, call your immediate watch supervisor. You can best gain the respect and confidence of your supervisors and shipmates if you stand a good watch. Relieve the watch on time or even a little early if possible to be sure you know the condition of the machinery and what you need to do. DONT TRY TO RELIEVE THE WATCH FIRST AND FIGURE OUT THE

SITUATION LATER. The same applies when you are being relieved; dont be in a big hurry to take off. Be sure your relief understands the situation completely. Before you are relieved, make sure your station is clean and squared away. These little considerations will get you a good reputation and improve the overall quality of watch standing within the department.