Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables places the competency in context and allows for differences between enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The range of variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The following variables may be present.

Operations:
· collecting sea animals:
· abalone
· molluscs
· beche-de-mer
· crayfish
· sea urchin
· tending aquacultured animals
· collecting lost tools and equipment, dead animals, debris
· checking underwater equipment
· installing, servicing and maintaining ponds, cages and associated equipment
· eradicating predators.

Equipment:
· self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA)
· surface-supplied breathing apparatus (SSBA)
· decompression equipment:
· watch
· depth gauge
· shotline
· spare air
· safety and emergency:
· first aid kit
· oxygen
· bail out bottle
· diving suits:
· wet
· dry
· warmed
· weights, tools, fins, mask, buoyancy apparatus, catch bags.

Industry guidelines:
· guidelines
· standards
· codes of practice
· Occupational Health and Safety codes of practice and regulations
· other regulations relevant to the type of diving operation and the area of activity.

Checked:
· presence, suitability and operability of:
· vessel equipment
· diving equipment
· safety and emergency equipment
· pre-dive
· diving conditions
· post-dive.

Hazards:
· aquatic animals
· sharp objects
· entanglement
· water character:
· temperature
· current
· clarity
· weather
· isolation of the dive site
· other vessels
· underwater terrain.

Assessed:
· listing hazards
· identifying causes
· predicting potential for and likelihood of hazards.

Records:
· diving equipment maintenance
· air quality checks
· catch, location and number of dives
· manually recorded or dive computer data:
· entry and exit times
· dive duration
· maximum depth
· injury
· air use
· temperature
· clarity
· current.

Procedures:
· pre-dive
· dive
· post-dive
· maintenance
· shore diving
· vessel diving.

Physical condition:
· lung or ear drum barotrauma
· decompression sickness:
· factors affecting predisposition
· squeezes
· near drowning, drowning, salt water aspiration
· poisoning, toxicity, narcosis resulting from:
· carbon monoxide
· carbon dioxide
· oxygen
· stings and wounds inflicted by marine animals
· shock from bleeding
· burns
· hypothermia
· hyperventilation.

Assistance:
· from external sources
· using radio or electronic communications equipment
· first aid
· routine.

Decompression procedures:
· diving physics:
· pressure-depth relationship
· pressure-volume-temperature relationship for gasses
· partial pressures in gas mixtures
· pressure-solubility relationship for gases
· ascent rate
· safety stops
· surface interval
· repetitive group
· flight time exclusion.

Each unit of competency has an evidence guide that relates directly to the performance criteria and the range of variables. Its purpose is to guide assessment of the unit in the workplace and/or training program. The following components provide information to assist this purpose.

Underpinning knowledge
The underpinning knowledge identified for this unit is comprehensive due to its likely inclusion in a group of units that may be used as the basis for the issue of licences by regulatory bodies.

The essential knowledge and understanding a person needs to perform work to the required standard include:
· principles of diving physics relating to the practical application of the gas laws as listed in the range of variables
· hazards which may be encountered by a diver
· symptoms and signs of a diver's physical conditions as observed in a diver
· diving procedures relating to surface activities specified by enterprise and industry guidelines
· procedures for using decompression tables.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· using equipment required for the support of diving operations (note: diving using breathing equipment is not required in this unit)
· checking equipment to ensure operability
· maintaining diving equipment and identifying and rectifying basic faults
· watch keeping
· administering first aid
· record keeping
· conforming with dive procedures as used by the diver's attendant.

Literacy skills used for:
· learning industry guidelines
· keeping records
· reading the diver's medical companion in case of emergency
· completing dive accident medical information forms.

Numeracy skills used for:
· performing basic calculations involving pressure-volume-temperature relationships
· using dive decompression tables.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· assist personnel conducting diving operations to perform work in the fishing or aquaculture sectors of the seafood industry
· maintain a surface supply of air to the diver
· ability to stow and maintain diving equipment and identify and rectify basic faults
· maintain a watch to identify hazards, assess the hazards and take appropriate action
· devise and implement systems and procedures that reduce underwater hazards
· respond to emergency situations
· record and access diving information
· access assistance in an emergency.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· decompression procedures
· physics as it relates to gas laws
· content of the pre-dive plan that forms the basis of dive briefings
· hazards associated with the operation
· symptoms and signs of diving medical conditions.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· SFISHIP207B - Operate and maintain outboard motors
· SFISHIP209B - Operate marine communications equipment.

Context of assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
· written or oral short answer testing
· practical exercises
· project work
· observation of practical demonstration.

Resources required for assessment
Resources may include:
· a realistic but predictable diving environment with assistance at hand
· diving equipment as listed in the range of variables.