Application
This unit applies to those required to establish ropes for abseiling activities. This may include those working as abseiling guides or assistant guides in a range of controlled artificial conditions.
This unit may also apply to leaders working for outdoor education or adventure providers; volunteer groups; not-for-profit organisations or government agencies.
Prerequisites
Nil
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide. |
1. Select suitable equipment for belay system. | 1.1. Select a belay system according to contextual issues of the activity. 1.2. Identify and select equipment after consideration of relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 1.3. Select anchors that meet the requirements of the abseil and abilities of the participants. 1.4. Assess condition of theanchors, including performance under likely load. 1.5. Choose a belay device that is suitable to the artificial surface conditions and belayer's ability. 1.6. Complete all necessary safety checks, according to organisational policies and procedures. |
2. Set up belay system. | 2.1. Rig multiple anchors, ensuring equalisation and minimal shock loading. 2.2. Tie knots and rig ropes suitable for the type of belay system established. 2.3. Establish a belay from which the belayer is able to escape and safely perform a rescue. 2.4. Avoid or remove belay hazards, to maintain safety of belayer. 2.5. Complete all necessary safety checks, according to organisational policies and procedures. |
3. Rig rope pitches. | 3.1. Identify safe access to and egress from the site according to relevant legislation. 3.2. Identify descent route appropriate to context. 3.3. Select and tie knots suitable for the type of system established and for potential retrieval or rescue situations. 3.4. Minimise the risk of cross loading and cyclical loading of karabiners. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
problem-solving skills to select appropriate anchors and belay systems for the context and conditions of the abseiling activity rope handling and knot tying skills to rig ropes and anchors adequately and safely first aid and emergency response skills appropriate to the location to enable initial response to emergencies and personal health care. |
Required knowledge |
relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of abseiling activities equipment types, characteristics and technology used to establish belays for abseiling on artificial surfaces care and maintenance of equipment to ensure prolonged life span and safety requirements, as advised by the manufacturer's specifications and recommendations for equipment use belay and anchor systems appropriate for single pitch artificial abseiling surfaces technical abseiling and equipment knowledge to establish top belay and bottom brake types of knots, their advantages and disadvantages and their impact on abseiling activities emergency procedures, potential hazards and obstacles relevant to the location to ensure safety of self and others. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: independently selects appropriate equipment and carries out safety checks to ensure effective working order differentiates between the different types of belay systems, anchors and knots and their suitability to different rigging situations determines the need for, and establishes, belay systems to ensure safety of self and other participants. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure participation in rigging of equipment that is of sufficient breadth to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance. Assessment must also ensure access to: resources and information regarding abseiling and belaying equipment suitable artificial single pitch abseiling sites with simple obstacles and features that allow participant to demonstrate rigging skills equipment such as anchors, harnesses, helmets, belay devices, descending devices, slings, ropes, karabiners and first aid equipment. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures to ensure safe and appropriate use of all abseiling equipment observation of safe participation and demonstration of setting up belay systems suitable to different contexts and participants observation of dealing with contingencies, such as equipment misuse third-party reports from a leader detailing performance. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: SISOABA302A Apply single pitch abseiling skills on artificial surfaces. SISOVTR301A Perform vertical rescues. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Belay system may include: | top belay self belay bottom brake. |
Contextual issues may include: | weather conditions, including times season transport location trip distance and duration group objectives group size. |
Equipment may include: | ropes tape slings rope protectors karabiners belay devices. rope protectors |
Relevant legislation may include: | occupational health and safety permits or permission for access environmental regulations. |
Organisational policies and procedures may include: | occupational health and safety use and maintenance of equipment emergency procedures code of ethics. |
Anchors may include: | bolts chains bollards eyelets U bolts beams poles wire cables. |
Participants may include: | experienced inexperienced adults children tourists, club members, clients, school or youth groups. |
Condition of the anchors may include: | age location wear decay corrosion environmental stress insect damage. |
Likely load may include: | group size set up type of abseil conducted abseiler ability technique possible forces generated during a fall. |
Belay device may include: | plate devices auto-locking devices tubular devices figure 8 inline device. |
Artificial surface conditions may include: | portable or fixed walls or towers fixed towers or bridges indoor or outdoor single pitch. |
Safety checks may include: | certification of anchor points angles at focal point no shock loading no single point at failure minimum of two failsafe anchor points. |
Knots may include: | knots that have at least 50% of the static strength of the rope end-of-rope knots mid-rope knots rope joining knots tape knot. |
Hazards may include: | temperature extremes of surfaces slippery surfaces dangerous animals and insects group management hazards. |
Safety of belayer may include: | attachment to anchor or alternate safety system positioning out of direct line of equipment fall minimising movement of the belayer in the event of a fall. |
Sectors
Outdoor Recreation
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills.
Licensing Information
No licensing, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.