Question 9 MODU03 - Ballast Control Operator

The Correct Answer is A. **Why option A ("in paint lockers") is correct:** Fixed carbon dioxide (CO2) or other approved smothering systems are specifically required by maritime regulations (such as those outlined by the US Coast Guard and international conventions like SOLAS, which apply to Mobile Offshore Drilling Units or MODUs) to be installed in spaces where highly flammable liquids or materials are stored and where manual firefighting would be immediately hazardous or ineffective. Paint lockers typically contain large quantities of volatile solvents, paints, and thinners, making them a high fire risk area that necessitates an automatic, fixed extinguishing system like CO2. **Why the other options are incorrect:** * **Option B ("in all battery storage locations"):** While large battery storage rooms (especially those housing lead-acid batteries) require specific ventilation and sometimes specialized firefighting agents, a fixed CO2 system is generally **not** installed in *all* battery storage locations. CO2 is hazardous in enclosed spaces, and the primary danger in battery rooms is often hydrogen buildup (requiring ventilation) and electrical fires (requiring specific agents, sometimes Halon alternatives or dry chemical, but not universally CO2). * **Option C ("where oil or chemical drums are stored"):** Areas where oil or standard non-volatile chemical drums are stored (such as general deck storage areas or certain types of workshops) are typically protected by local fire suppression (e.g., foam or water spray systems) and portable extinguishers. They do not universally require a dedicated fixed CO2 system unless the storage area constitutes a specialized, high-hazard machinery space or a specifically designated flammable liquid locker. * **Option D ("in all of the above locations"):** Since options B and C are generally not universal requirements for fixed CO2 systems, this option is incorrect. Fixed CO2 systems are reserved for very specific, high-risk, confined spaces like machinery spaces, pump rooms, and paint lockers.