This unit applies to those working as rafting guides in a range of conditions on grade 3 rapids. This unit applies to leaders working for outdoor education or adventure providers; volunteer groups, not-for-profit organisations or government agencies. |
Nil | ||
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Plan for a rafting activity. | 1.1. Identify and plan food and water requirements according to principles of nutrition and contextual issues. 1.2. Assess the chosen location or section of fiver for the trip to ensure that it is suitable according to the participant's abilities, aims and objectives, relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 1.3. Implement the trip plan as designed by the trip leader according to the participant's needs, relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 1.4. Choose a route or course that minimises environmental damage. 1.5. Access relevant sources to interpret weather information and determine activity plan. 1.6. Identify hazards and obstacles associated with the rafting trip and minimise risks to ensure personal safety of participants. |
2. Select equipment. | 2.1. Select equipment according to contextual issues and organisational policies and procedures and check serviceability. 2.2. Fit and adjust equipment according to manufacturer's specifications to ensure comfort and safety. 2.3. Assess raft for safety and suitability and check that it is inflated to the required pressure. 2.4. Select safety and rescue equipment according to the activity location. 2.5. Waterproof, pack and fasten equipment that is not required on hand to ensure that it is not lost, damaged or a hindrance and prepare raft for transportation if required. |
3. Brief participants. | 3.1. Check and confirm participants are properly equipped for the trip. 3.2. Communicate instructions and relevant information about the trip in a manner suitable to the participants. 3.3. Outline safety procedures and safe areas or boundaries for the trip. 3.4. Arrange seating positions that are appropriate to the size and abilities of the paddlers. |
4. Control raft in grade 3 rapids. | 4.1. Conduct a crew drill, informing participants of guide commands and strokes that will be used, and practice participants in the use of these strokes. 4.2. Apply strokes and paddling manoeuvres effectively to control the raft. 4.3. Correctly carry out forward and reverse ferry glides to cross a current under control. 4.4. Effectively communicate with crew, other guides and trip leader. |
5. Plan and run a route through a rapid. | 5.1. Scout and assess sections of moving water to identify hydrological features, hazards and impediments. 5.2. Communicate the selected route to the crew. 5.3. Negotiate or avoid hazards using a combination of strokes, guide commands and manoeuvres. 5.4. Manoeuvre the raft using a range of strokes, guide commands and paddling techniques. 5.5. Apply navigation skills to determine location and follow planned route or course during the activity. |
6. Apply capsize procedures. | 6.1. Maintain appropriate body position to minimise injury or entrapment and apply defensive and aggressive swimming techniques as required. 6.2. Maintain a position upstream of the raft and recover paddles, where possible. 6.3. Manage capsize response of crew and equipment. |
7. Complete post trip responsibilities. | 7.1. Retrieve, inspect, repair and store equipment according to organisation policies and procedures. 7.2. Evaluate relevant aspects of the rafting trip and complete trip reports according to organisational policies and procedures. 7.3. Evaluate own performance and identify potential areas of improvement for future rafting trips. |
Required skills |
communication skills to: interact with other participants to negotiate hazards, paddling technique, route or course respond to instructions and directions from crew and other rafts planning and organising skills to select and allocate rafting equipment according to the trip plan teamwork skills to: paddle and maintain control of the raft assist each other in capsize and rescue procedures problem-solving skills to: read river direction and speed of flow, currents, eddies and other hydrological features paddle in different river conditions apply a range of strokes and paddling manoeuvres to control the raft and negotiate hazards apply defensive and aggressive swimming to remove self and or others from danger apply rescue and recovery techniques to minimise danger or injury to personnel and equipment first aid and emergency response skills appropriate to the location to enable initial response to emergencies and personal health care. |
Required knowledge |
legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of all rafting activities equipment and raft types, characteristics and safety features, advantages and disadvantages, and care and maintenance to enable appropriate selection and use selection and use of Personal Flotation Devices and rescue equipment, such as throw bags, to ensure safety of self and raft crew clothing requirements for rafting to protect and minimise injury from environmental conditions. Such as wet weather gear to maintain warmth and sun protection to minimise sunburn and heat stroke stroke, directing and signalling techniques to control and manoeuvre the raft on grade 3 rapids principles of nutrition to maintain health during the rafting activity weather and environmental information to identify forecast conditions and their effect on the activity hydrology and river features including currents, banks, change in gradient and volume, and how these might impact on the rafting experience international river grading system to understand conditions and appropriateness of the river to the level of participants knots used to secure rafts and perform rescues defensive and aggressive swimming techniques to maintain own safety emergency and rescue procedures appropriate for the raft and location to ensure risk minimisation to self and group. |
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: executes trip plan, including confident delivery of safety briefing and crew drill applies knowledge of rivers and hydrology monitors and maintains the safety of clients and rafting equipment by manoeuvring and controlling a raft effectively over multiple occasions and at multiple venues evaluates and reflects on own rafting performance to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas that need improvement monitors and maintains the safety of clients and raft equipment and applies effective contingency management to deal with problems and issues that arise during the activity. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure participation in rafting activities on grade 3 rapids that are of sufficient breadth and duration to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance. Assessment must also ensure access to: resources and information to plan and prepare for the rafting activity suitable inland rivers with Grade 3 rapids suitable crew rafting, navigation, safety, rescue and communication equipment a suitable and safe method of transport, if required to drive raft to and from activity location. |
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 stroke techniques used to control and manoeuvre the raft through grade 3 rapids observation of safe participation and demonstration of rafting skills to move in and out of eddies and travel in different directions third-party reports from a supervisor detailing performance. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: SISOWWR302A Perform white water rescues and recoveries. |
Guidance information for assessment | |
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. | |
Food and water requirements may include: | menu planning and preparation range of foods. |
Principles of nutrition may include: | food groups dietary guidelines individual food requirements and allergies. |
Contextual issues may include: | weather conditions, including times season transport location trip distance and duration group objectives group size. |
Aims and objectives may include: | self improvement social fitness targets adventure and recreation outdoor education wilderness therapy. |
Relevant legislation may include: | occupational health and safety permits or permission for access environmental regulations marine regulations |
Organisational policies and procedures may include: | occupational health and safety use and maintenance of equipment communication protocols code of ethics. |
Plan may include: | aims and objectives date, time and duration location, equipment and resources safety and emergency requirements river levels and section. |
Relevant sources may include: | Bureau of Meteorology media land managers or agencies coastal patrol or coastguard volunteer marine rescue local knowledge. |
Weather and environmental information may include: | satellite images daily and weekly forecasts maximum and minimum temperatures weather warnings event warnings river levels synoptic charts high and low tide predictions. |
Hazards may include: | temperature extremes slippery or unstable terrain dangerous animals and insects stinging trees and nettles dense vegetation group management hazards slippery or unstable shore poor posture, poor technique poor carrying techniques poor carrying techniques loose or insecure craft when being transported other craft. |
Obstacles may include: | rocks piers submerged items other crafts change in river conditions. |
Risks may include: | hypothermia heat exhaustion injuries exhaustion lost party or party member equipment and course failure. |
Equipment may include: | rafting equipment navigation equipment safety and rescue equipment communication equipment. |
Safety and rescue equipment may include: | pumps bailers repair kits rescue rope karabiners Prusik loops pulleys tape slings throw bags knife flip line whistle. |
Relevant information may include: | safety procedures logistical details aggressive and defensive swimming techniques (self rescue) responsible and safe behaviour signals and communication systems raft capsize procedures. |
Safety procedures may include: | what happens when participants fall out of the raft holding onto T grip information on throw bags instruction when told to "hold on" getting back into raft selecting safest line through rapids seating position to maximise raft stability managing safe portages and river running conducting raft repairs. |
Guide commands may include: | forward paddle back paddle left and right turn over left and right hold on high side on the job stop |
Strokes may include: | forward backwards draws sweeps prys turns. |
Paddling manoeuvres may include: | forward and reverse ferry glides breaking in and out of eddies eddy hopping weight shifting. |
Hydrological features may include: | rapid pool eddy eddy line current stoppers or holes (smiling and frowning) weir stoppers boils waves sieves undercuts strainers downstream V upstream V waterfalls pour overs. |
Defensive and aggressive swimming techniques may include: | defensive swimming: floating passively on back, looking downstream riding with the river current pointing feet downstream, toes out of the water using legs to fend off obstacles aggressive swimming: swimming freestyle on to stomach stroking hard to move across the current. |
Relevant aspects may include: | objectives planning process activity site weather equipment selection clothing selection food selection instructional content instructional technique assessment technique group feedback directing techniques rescue techniques employed. |
Unit sector | Outdoor Recreation |
This unit contains employability skills. |
Refer to Unit Descriptor