This unit of competency requires application of skills and knowledge relating to the maintenance and fitment of immersion suits. Maintenance involves inspection, testing, fault diagnosis, replacement of parts and cleaning and may be performed individually or as part of a team.

Fitment involves adjusting the immersion suit to correctly fit an individual.

There are two types of immersion suits: quick don and constant wear. Quick don usually does not require fitting while constant wear is custom fitted to the individual.

This unit is part of the Aeroskills Life Support and Furnishing Certificate III and IV training pathways.

The unit is used in workplaces that operate under the airworthiness regulatory systems of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

Evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria under the specified conditions of assessment, and must include:

applying WHS practices relating to immersion suit maintenance processes, including the selection and correct use of PPE, where applicable

using MSDS

using applicable tools and maintenance documentation to:

test/inspect immersion suits for serviceability

replace unserviceable components in accordance with approved procedures, including the use of hazardous materials and adhesives

select and use appropriate immersion suit cleaning materials

correctly fit immersion suits to users

operating specialist equipment, including:

heat press

vacuum heat sealer

3 stage in-line breathing apparatus

filter extraction systems

spill kits

cleaning and maintenance of equipment and tools.

The underlying skills inherent in this unit should be transferable across a range of aircraft life support equipment maintenance activities. It is essential that immersion suit testing and inspection procedures, cleanliness requirements and safety precautions, including the correct use of PPE, are fully observed, understood and complied with. Ability to interpret maintenance and fitting procedures and apply them in practice is critical.

This is to be demonstrated through demonstration of the ability to recognise faults and damage and perform appropriate repairs that are within the bounds of the individual’s authority, and through the demonstration of correct fitting procedures.

Evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include knowledge of:

relevant regulations, standards, enterprise procedures and maintenance publications

WHS procedures relating to immersion suit maintenance, including the selection and use of PPE

how to obtain MSDS

emergency procedures in relation to chemical spills and emergency evacuation of personnel in distress

chemical disposal procedures

requirements for storage of adhesives

cold shock and hypothermia in relation to survival

priorities of survival and how they relate to immersion suits and associated ancillary equipment

physiological effects of flight

critical nature of maintaining and fitting immersion suits

materials used to manufacture immersion suits (i.e. neoprene and gortex)

operation of testing and measuring equipment and tools used to maintain immersion suits

components of an immersion suit and their function

types of corrosion and contamination that may affect immersion suits

modification requirements for immersion suits

immersion suit repair procedures and limitations

immersion suit cleaning methods and materials

handling, storage and transit procedures relating to life support equipment

handling and storage procedures relating to immersion suits (i.e. MACPAC highly susceptible to damage)

specialist equipment operation, including:

heat press

vacuum heat sealer

3 stage in-line breathing apparatus

filter extraction systems

spill kits.

Competency should be assessed in the workplace or simulated workplace using materials, tools and equipment specified in the maintenance manuals and applicable procedures. It is also expected that general and special-purpose tools and ground support equipment would be used where appropriate.

The work plan should take account of applicable safety and quality requirements in accordance with the industry and regulatory standards.

The following conditions of assessment represent the requirements of the Regulators (ADF and CASA) and maintenance stakeholders and must be rigorously observed.

A person cannot be assessed as competent until it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the workplace assessor that the relevant elements and performance criteria of the unit of competency are being achieved under routine supervision on a representative range of maintenance tasks and on the correct fitting of immersion suits.

This shall be established via the records in the Log of Industrial Experience and Achievement or, where appropriate, an equivalent Industry Evidence Guide.

Assessors must satisfy the requirements of the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Australian Skills Quality Authority, or its successors).

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Aircraft life support