This unit applies to those working as specialised SCUBA diving instructors who conduct specialised SCUBA diving instructional sessions in a range of open water conditions. This may include those working for private dive schools or companies operating at coastal sites or through holiday resorts.

SISOSCB301A SCUBA dive in open water to a maximum depth of 18 metres

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Plan a specialised SCUBA diving session.

1.1. Establish participant's needs and characteristics.

1.2. Assess participant's current specialised SCUBA diving knowledge in order to determine the session'saims and objectives.

1.3. Determine an appropriate instructional plan according to participant's needs and characteristics.

1.4. Develop a specialised SCUBA diving plan according to participant's needs and characteristics, industry technical and safety criteria, relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures.

1.5. Identify potential hazards associated with specialised SCUBA diving and minimise risks according to organisational policies and procedures.

1.6. Access relevantsources to interpret detailed weather and environmental information and determine contingency plans.

1.7. Establish the need for a dive lookout and or above-water dive supervisor according to conditions, industry technical and safety criteria, relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures.

2. Select and organise equipment and resources.

2.1. Select and access specific equipment and resources for specialised SCUBA diving session according to contextual issues, industry technical and safety criteria and organisational policies and procedures, and check serviceability.

2.2. Check equipment for safety and suitability according to relevant legislation and manufacturer's recommendations and adjust and fit to ensure personal comfort.

2.3. Check contents of first aid and repair kits to ensure suitability to the location and activity.

3. Brief participants.

3.1. Communicate instructions and relevant information about the specialised SCUBA diving session in a manner appropriate to the participants.

3.2. Encourage participants to seek clarification, information and feedback as required during the session.

3.3. Establish a suitable communication system for participants to use during specialised SCUBA diving.

3.4. Inform participants of known and anticipated hazards, safety procedures and appropriate behaviour.

3.5. Check and confirm that all participant equipment is fitted and adjusted.

4. Instruct a specialised SCUBA diving session.

4.1. Conduct introductory specialised SCUBA diving activities to reduce risk.

4.2. Monitor individual participant's performance during specialised SCUBA diving session.

4.3. Apply instructional techniques to impart activity specific knowledge, specialised SCUBA diving techniques and safety and rescue procedures.

4.4. Demonstrate procedures for dealing with emergency and non-routine situations according to organisational policies and procedures.

5. Complete post-session responsibilities.

5.1. Inform participants of opportunities to further develop their specialised SCUBA diving skills and knowledge.

5.2. Retrieve, inspect, wash, and store equipment according to organisational policies and procedures.

5.3. Provide opportunities for participants to identify their personal progress and satisfaction with the session, and give feedback as required.

5.4. Evaluate relevant aspects of the specialised SCUBA diving session and determine the level of learning achieved.

5.5. Identify potential areas of improvement for future specialised SCUBA diving instructional sessions.

Required skills

communication skills to:

consult with participants to plan an appropriate specialised SCUBA diving session

convey information about the safety aspects of the session

interact with participants to create a safe and positive environment

problem-solving skills to:

plan specialised SCUBA diving sessions according to participant's needs and characteristics

address participant difficulties in developing techniques

anticipate and respond appropriately to non-routine situations

planning and organising skills to:

source, allocate and coordinate resources, equipment and a suitable diving site

monitor and evaluate progress

organise participants into manageable groups or buddy pairs for specialised diving

language and literacy skills to:

produce specialised SCUBA diving and instructional plans for the session

complete post-session participant and self evaluations

personal specialised SCUBA diving skills required for specific specialised dives to a high level of technical correctness to demonstrate and explain techniques to participants

first aid and emergency response skills appropriate to the location to enable initial response and or rescue in emergencies whilst instructing specialised SCUBA diving.

Required knowledge

legislation, organisational policies and procedures and industry technical and safety criteria to enable safe and legal conduct of SCUBA diving session

site specific information to assist in the planning process and enable management of potential specialised dive hazards and any special restrictions applying to the area

equipment types, characteristics and technology used for SCUBA diving, the advantages and disadvantages of the range of equipment and factors affecting appropriate selection

instructional techniques and theories applicable to a range of ages and learning abilities

specialised SCUBA diving techniques and underwater communication systems used between buddy and other divers to reduce risk

specialist diving knowledge required for specific areas, such as the types and features of underwater photography equipment used during a specialist photography dive

physics and physiology, such as the direct and indirect effects of pressure and signs, symptoms, prevention and treatment of common SCUBA diving risks such as decompression illness to enable safe performance

no-decompression dive tables and limits to determine air requirements

hazards and risks commonly associated with the specific open water specialised SCUBA diving activity

navigation techniques to avoid getting lost under water

emergency, first aid and rescue procedures appropriate to the location to ensure risk minimisation to self and group

minimal impact interactions and techniques to minimise negative impact on aquatic animal and plant life.

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:

plans and delivers information, explanations and demonstrations for specialised SCUBA diving sessions to ensure activities are conducted safely according to participant's needs and characteristics

observes and monitors the progress of participants and provides constructive feedback and intervention to improve specialised SCUBA diving technique and performance

uses and modifies instructional techniques and or activities to cater for a range of individual learning styles

evaluates and reflects on own instruction performance to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas that need improvement.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure instruction of e specialised SCUBA diving activities that reflect the needs and characteristics of a range of participants to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance

Assessment must also ensure access to:

a suitable open water SCUBA diving site and controlled location for the conduct of instructional dive sessions

groups of participants to take part in the specialised SCUBA diving sessions

a suitable diving boat, if required

specialised SCUBA diving, navigation, communication, safety, rescue, first aid and teaching equipment

resources and information regarding participants and location to plan, instruct and document specialised SCUBA diving sessions for a variety of participants.

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:

observation of planning processes, such as consulting with participants to determine their needs and characteristics

oral or written questioning to assess application of legislation, industry technical and safety criteria and organisational policies and procedures to ensure safe conduct of all specialised SCUBA diving activities

observation of safe specialised SCUBA diving instruction, monitoring and adjustment according to participant's needs and characteristics

portfolio of specialised SCUBA diving session plans

third-party reports from a supervisor detailing performance.

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.

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.

Characteristics may include:

age

cultural and situational factors

previous experience and knowledge

physical development.

Specialised SCUBA diving may include:

night diving

underwater navigation

altitude diving

boat diving

drift diving

dry suit diving

multi level diving

search and recovery diving

underwater photography

underwater videography

wreck diving

deep diving

underwater naturalist

peak performance buoyancy

computer aided dives

diving with enriched air nitrox (EANx).

Session's aims and objectives may include:

developing SCUBA diving skills

education

development

therapy

fitness targets

recreation.

Instructional plan may include:

specialised SCUBA diving activities and drills

duration of specialised activities and drills.

Specialise SCUBA diving plan may include:

aims and objectives

date, time and duration

location, equipment and resources

safety requirements.

Industry technical and safety criteria may include:

British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC)

Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI)

SCUBA Schools International (SSI).

Relevant legislation may include:

occupational health and safety

permits or permission for access

environmental regulations

marine regulations

working with children.

Organisational policies and procedures may include:

occupational health and safety

assessment procedures

time and budget constraints

communication protocols

confidentiality of participant information

environmental regulations

code of ethics.

Hazards may include:

temperature extremes

group management hazards.

specialised SCUBA hazards.

Risks may include:

hypothermia

heat exhaustion

injuries

lost party or party member

equipment failure

exhaustion

near drowning

barotrauma

nitrogen narcosis

contaminated SCUBA air

cramps

stings or bites from marine creatures

Decompression Illness (DCI).

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.

Contingency plans may include:

change in weather and water conditions

equipment failure.

Equipment may include:

SCUBA diving equipment

safety and rescue equipment

specialised equipment

navigation equipment

communication equipment.

Resources may include:

clothing

food and water

teaching aids.

Contextual issues may include:

weather conditions, including times

season

transport

location

trip distance and duration

group objectives

group size

participant characteristics

number of support staff

features of dive

other divers

Safety procedures may include:

suitable buddy

communication signs and signals

in-water supervision

safety and rescue equipment.

Instructional techniques may include:

simple to complex

part to whole

chronological

known to unknown

D.E.D.I.C.T.

E.D.I.C.T.

I.D.E.A.

orientate, enhance, synthesise

Required knowledge may include:

risk and hazard prevention and management

safety procedures

specialised SCUBA diving techniques

communication and buddy systems

responsible and safe behaviour.

Specialised SCUBA diving techniques may include:

videoing

photography

dry suit

computer aided

wreck dives.

Safety and rescue procedures may include:

emergency response procedures

group management in emergency situations

symptoms, treatment and prevention of common specialised SCUBA diving risks.

Relevant aspects may include:

objectives

planning process

activity site

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.