Duties related to the role of safety officer focus on responsibility for items such as firefighting equipment, lifeboats, and various other emergency systems.

Examples include the ability to read charts and nautical publications, understand weather and safety messages, communicate with other ships and coast stations, and to successfully interact with a multi-lingual crew.

[2] After a collision or grounding, the mate must be able to take initial action, perform damage assessment and control, and understand the procedures for rescuing persons from the sea, assisting ships in distress, and responding to any emergency which may arise in port.

[2] The officer must understand distress signals and know the IMO Merchant Ship Search and Rescue Manual.

[2] At sea, the mate on watch has three fundamental duties: to navigate the ship, to safely avoid traffic, and to respond to any emergencies that may arise.

A ship's draught, trim, speed and under-keel clearance all affect its turning radius and stopping distance.

[2] Accounting for effects of winds, tides, currents and estimated speed, the officer directs the helmsman to keep to track.

[2] The officer uses supplemental information from nautical publications, such as Sailing Directions, tide tables, Notices to Mariners, and radio navigational warnings to keep the ship clear of danger in transit.

[2] Safety demands the mate be able to quickly solve steering control problems and to calibrate the system for optimum performance.

[2] Weather's profound effect on ships requires the officer be able to interpret and apply meteorological information from all available sources.

[2] Finally, human errors such as inaccurate speed inputs and confusion between true and relative vectors add to the limitations of the radar/ARPA suite.

Although merchant mariners try to avoid severe storms while at sea, working in damp and cold conditions is inevitable.

They also risk injury or death from falling overboard and hazards associated with working with machinery, heavy loads, and dangerous cargo.

[9] Initial Officer of the Watch (OOW) Certification in the United Kingdom can be achieved through the various training programme options, these are; MNTB Deck Officer Cadet training programme (Degree Route), leading to the following qualifications: Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Marine Operations Direct pathway to BSc (Hons) Marine Operations Management MCA STCW’95 II/I OOW certification MNTB Deck Officer Cadet training programme (HND Route), leading to the following qualifications: Higher National Diploma (HND) in Nautical Science NVQ Level 3 in Merchant Vessel Operations MCA STCW’95 II/I OOW certification Alternative training programmes for Experienced Seafarers (Examination or NVQ Level 3 Routes), leading to the following qualifications: MCA STCW’95 II/I OOW certification HND Part I in Nautical Science All entry routes require the UK candidate to have successfully undertaken STCW'95 safety and certification training in the following; Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Prevention and Firefighting, Elementary First Aid, Personal Safety & Social Responsibilities, Proficiency in Medical First Aid Aboard Ship, Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats, Advanced Firefighting, Efficient Deck Hand, MCA Signals Examination, GMDSS General Operator's Certificate and Navigation Radar & ARPA Simulation Training (Operational Level) There are two methods to attain an unlimited third mate's license in the United States: to attend a specialized training institution, or to accumulate "sea time" and take a series of training classes and examinations.

A seafarer may start the process of attaining a license after three years of service in the deck department on ocean steam or motor vessels, at least six months of which as able seaman, boatswain, or quartermaster.

Hawsepiper is an informal term referring to an officer who did not attend a maritime college or academy and began his or her career as a seafarer.

[citation needed] Since the requirements of STCW '95 have been enacted, there have been complaints that the hawsepiper career path has been made too difficult.

[citation needed] Examples include the cost in time and money to meet formal classroom training requirements.

[citation needed] Critics assert that the newer requirements will eventually lead to a shortage of qualified mariners, especially in places like the United States.

[9] Hiring halls rank the candidates by the length of time the person has been out of work and fill open slots accordingly.