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 evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit

Assessment must confirm the ability to:

stow and maintain diving equipment, and identify and rectify basic faults

assist personnel conducting diving operations to perform work in the fishing, aquaculture or ornamental/display sectors of the seafood industry

devise and implement systems and procedures that reduce underwater hazards

maintain a surface supply of air to the diver

maintain a watch to identify hazards, assess the hazards and take appropriate action

record and access diving information

respond to emergency situations and access assistance as required

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:

content of the pre-dive plan that forms the basis of dive briefings

decompression procedures

hazards associated with the operation

physics as it relates to gas laws

symptoms and signs of diving medical conditions

Context of and specific resources for assessment

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

Resources may include:

a realistic but predictable diving environment with assistance at hand

diving equipment as listed in the range of variables

Method of assessment

The following assessment methods are suggested:

demonstration

practical exercises

project (work or scenario based)

written or oral short-answer testing

Guidance information for assessment

This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.

Required skills

Required skills include:

administering first aid

checking equipment to ensure operability

communicating with diver on pre-dive plan and procedures

conforming with dive procedures relevant to the role of diver's attendant

maintaining diving equipment and identifying and rectifying basic faults

using equipment required for the support of diving operations (note: diving using breathing equipment is not required in this unit)

watch keeping

literacy skills to:

interpret industry codes of practice and guidelines

keep records

read the diver's medical companion in case of emergency

complete 'dive accident medical information' forms

numeracy skills to:

perform basic calculations involving pressure-volume-temperature relationships

use dive decompression tables

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

diving procedures relating to surface activities specified by enterprise and industry guidelines

hazards which may be encountered by a diver

principles of diving physics relating to the practical application of the gas

procedures for using decompression tables

symptoms and signs of a diver's physical conditions as observed in a diver

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.

Operations may be for:

checking and removing tangles from vessel propeller

checking underwater equipment

collecting lost tools and equipment, dead animals and debris

collecting sea animals:

abalone

bivalve molluscs

beche-de-mer

corals, live rock or other invertebrates

crayfish and lobsters

sea urchin

seaweed or algae

collecting sediment or other environmental samples

eradicating or removing predators

installing, servicing and maintaining ponds, cages, longlines and associated equipment

tending aquacultured or held (display) animals

Relevant government regulations, licensing and other compliance requirements may include:

biodiversity and genetically modified organisms

biosecurity, translocation and quarantine

Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) and other import requirements

business or workplace operations, policies and practices

ESD principles, environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

fisheries or aquaculture regulations, permits and licences

food safety, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), hygiene and temperature control along chain of custody

health and welfare of aquatic animals

Indigenous land rights and cultural activities, including fishing by traditional methods

maritime and occupational diving operations, safety at sea and pollution control

OHS hazard identification, risk assessment and control

OHSguidelines may include:

appropriate workplace provision of first aid kits and fire extinguishers

clean, uncluttered, hygienic workplace

codes of practice, regulations and/or guidance notes which may apply in a jurisdiction or industry sector

enterprise-specific OHS procedures, policies or standards

hazard and risk assessment of workplace, maintenance activities and control measures

induction or training of staff, contractors and visitors in relevant OHS procedures and/or requirements to allow them to carry out their duties in a safe manner

OHS training register

safe lifting, carrying and handling techniques, including manual handling, and the handling and storage of hazardous substances

safe systems and procedures for outdoor work, including protection from solar radiation, fall protection, confined space entry and the protection of people in the workplace

systems and procedures for the safe maintenance of property, machinery and equipment, including hydraulics and exposed moving parts

the appropriate use, maintenance and storage of PPE

ESD principles may include:

applying animal welfare ethics and procedures

controlling effluents, chemical residues, contaminants, wastes and pollution

controlling weeds, pests, predators and diseases, and stock health maintenance

improving energy efficiency

increasing use of renewable, recyclable and recoverable resources

maintaining biodiversity by sustainable fisheries or broodstock/seedstock collection

minimising noise, dust, light or odour emissions

reducing emissions of greenhouse gases

reducing use of non-renewable resources

reducing energy use

reducing interactions with native and protected flora and fauna, marine or land parks or areas

reducing live cultured or held organisms from escaping into environment

undertaking environmental hazard identification, risk assessment and control

undertaking facility quarantine, biosecurity and translocation of livestock and genetic material

using and recycling of water, and maintaining water quality

PPE may include:

buoyancy vest or personal floatation device (PFD)

non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear

personal locator beacon or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)

protective eyewear, glasses and face mask

protective outdoor clothing for tropical conditions

respirator or face mask

safety harness

sun protection (e.g. sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses)

uniforms, overalls or protective clothing (e.g. mesh and waterproof aprons)

waterproof clothing (e.g. wet weather gear and waders)

Essentialequipment may include:

decompression equipment:

depth gauge

shot-line

spare air

watch

diving suits:

dry

warmed

wet

self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA)

surface-supplied breathing apparatus (SSBA)

safety and emergency:

first aid kit

oxygen

bail out bottle

weights, tools, fins, mask, buoyancy apparatus and catch bags

Major components of diving equipment are checked for:

presence, suitability and operability of:

vessel equipment

diving equipment

safety and emergency equipment

pre-dive conditions

diving conditions

post-dive conditions

Occupational hazards may include:

aquatic animals

entanglement

isolation of the dive site

other vessels

sharp objects

water character:

clarity

current

temperature

weather

underwater terrain

Occupational hazards can be assessed by:

identifying causes

listing hazards

predicting potential for and likelihood of hazards

Records may include:

air quality checks

catch, location and number of dives

diving equipment maintenance

manually recorded or dive computer data:

air use

clarity

current

dive duration

entry and exit times

injury

maximum depth

temperature

Procedures may relate to:

pre-dive

dive

post-dive

maintenance

shore diving

vessel diving

Physical condition may include:

burns

decompression sickness:

factors affecting predisposition

hypothermia

hyperventilation

lung or ear drum barotrauma

near drowning, drowning and saltwater aspiration

poisoning, toxicity and narcosis resulting from:

carbon monoxide

carbon dioxide

oxygen

stings and wounds inflicted by marine animals

shock from bleeding

squeezes

Assistance may be:

first aid

from external sources

routine

using radio or electronic communications equipment

Decompression procedures may include:

ascent rate

diving physics:

partial pressures in gas mixtures

pressure-depth relationship

pressure-volume-temperature relationship for gasses

flight time exclusion

pressure-solubility relationship for gases

repetitive group

safety stops

surface interval