Chapter  1—INTRODUCTION “Reports by the Engineering Officer of the Watch. The engineering officer of the  watch  shall  report  promptly  to  the officer  of  the  deck  and  the  engineer officer any actual or probable derange- ment of machinery, boilers, or auxiliaries which may affect the proper operation of the  ship.” “Reports to the Engineering Officer of the Watch. The engineering officer of the watch shall be promptly informed of any  engineering  work  or  change  in disposition   of   machinery   which   may affect the proper operation of the plant or  endanger  personnel,  or  which  is  re- quired  for  entry  in  the  record  of  his watch.” “Inspection   and   Operation   of Machinery.  The  engineering  officer  of  the watch  shall  cause  frequent  inspections  to be made of the engines, boilers, and their auxiliaries;  and  shall  ensure  that  pre- scribed tests, methods of operation, and instructions pertaining to the safety of per- sonnel and material are strictly observed.” “Records  and  Logs.  The  engineering officer of the watch shall ensure that the engineering log, engineer’s bell book, and prescribed  operating  records  are  properly kept. On being relieved, he shall sign the engineering log and the engineer’s bell book  for  that  watch.” Engineering Department Duty Officer In  ships  not  underway,  the  commanding officer  may  authorize  the  standing  of  a  day’s duty  in  lieu  of  the  continuous  watch  of  the engineering officer of the watch. When author- ized, the duties of the engineering officer, of the watch  are  assigned  in  port  to  the  engineering department duty officer. However, when not at the station of the engineering officer of the watch, the duty officer must always be ready for duty the  moment  he/she  is  summoned  or  notified  that his/her  presence  is  required.  The  engineering department duty officer, assigned by the engineer officer, must be a qualified engineering officer of the watch. On some ships, chief petty officers may be assigned as the engineering department duty officer. In  the  temporary  absence  of  the  engineer officer, the duties of the engineer officer may be performed by the engineering department duty officer. If the engineer officer is on board, the duty officer reports the condition of the depart- ment to him/her prior to the eight o’clock reports. In the absence of the engineer officer, the duty officer makes the eight o’clock reports for the department to the executive officer (or command duty officer). The engineering duty officer, in addition to such other duties as may be properly assigned to him/her, is responsible for: 1. The alertness and proper performance of all personnel of the engineering watches. 2. The safe and economical operation of all engineering machinery and systems in use. 3.  The  elimination  of  fire  and  flooding hazards and the prevention of sabotage. 4. The security of all engineering spaces. In order  to  determine  the  actual  conditions  that exist in the engineering space and to evaluate the performance of watch personnel, the duty officer must  make  frequent  inspections  of  the  engineer- ing  spaces. 5. The proper maintenance of all machinery operating logs, and for writing and signing the engineering log for the period he/she is on duty. The   engineering   department   duty   officer makes reports in the same manner as the engineer- ing officer of the watch, except that when acting in place of the engineer officer, he/she is respon- sible  for  making  the  reports  required  of  that officer. Engineering watch supervisors and the duty petty officers of the engineering divisions report to the duty officer during the performance of their duties. A  chief  petty  officer  who  is  a  qualified engineroom  watch  supervisor  underway  may  be assigned a watch as the engineering department duty chief petty officer to assist the engineering department  duty  officer.  The  duty  chief  petty officer is normally assigned duty for the same 1-5