Any persons (other than passengers) intending to travel on sea going vessels must undertake this training. This includes merchant seamen, yachtmasters with a commercial endorsement, boatmasters grade 1 and concessionaires (including stewards, shop staff, hairdressers & entertainers) if not going to undertake the approved familiarisation training outlined in A-V1/1 para 1.1-1.7 of the STCW code.

The course provides essential basic knowledge and experience of personal survival techniques.
The most immediate threat to life in the event of abandoning ships is cold exposure. Precautions to protect against it, together with knowledge of survival equipment and its use are essential.