Elements and Performance Criteria

General context
Work must be carried out in compliance with the relevant maritime regulations.

Work is performed within a defined range of operations and routine procedures, with responsibility for own outputs in relation to specified quality standards and some responsibility for others. It involves the conduct of routine monitoring of the condition and seaworthiness of a vessel and the specification of solutions to a defined range of typical problems concerning deterioration of a vessel's hull, structure and equipment. Some discretion and judgement may be required in initiating action to report and rectify identified problems with the condition and seaworthiness of the vessel.

Worksite environment
Vessel may include any small Australian commercial vessel.

Seaworthiness of a vessel must be maintained:
by day or night in both normal and emergency situations
under any possible conditions of sea, weather and loading
while underway
during berthing and unberthing operations
while anchoring or mooring.

Action taken to monitor the condition and seaworthiness of a small vessel will depend on the limits of responsibility of the person concerned and may include:
routine inspections
checks prior to departure
checks on completion of a voyage
checks on completion of maintenance activities
checks in anticipation of a change in sea and weather conditions
use of testing tanks to check watertight integrity
checks during an emergency which may have caused damage or changes to the seaworthiness of the vessel.

Repairs and maintenance procedures for a small vessel will depend on the limits of responsibility of the person concerned and may include:
repairs to equipment, components, hull and vessel's structure
surface preparation and painting
antifouling
lubrication
replacement of faulty equipment or components.

Sources of information/documents
Documentation/records may include:
relevant regulations
procedures for monitoring of the condition and seaworthiness of vessel
vessel and equipment manufacturer's instructions, specifications and recommended procedures
instructions of relevant Maritime Authorities related to the seaworthiness of vessels
maintenance schedules and records.

Applicable Australian and State/Territory regulations and legislation
Applicable procedures and codes may include:
sections of Australian USL Code related to the seaworthiness of vessels
relevant Australian and State/Territory OH&S legislation.

Critical aspects of evidence to be considered
Assessment must confirm appropriate knowledge and skills to:
Monitor and evaluate the condition and seaworthiness of a small vessel under normal and emergency situations
Identify any deterioration of the vessel's hull, structure or equipment
Take appropriate preventative and remedial action to maintain the security and watertight integrity of the vessel's hull
Initiate and coordinate maintenance, repair or replacement of faulty or damaged equipment or vessel's structure in accordance with company procedures and manufacturer's instructions
Exercise all required safety, environmental and hazard control precautions and procedures during inspection and maintenance operations
Communicate effectively with others when taking action to maintain the seaworthiness of the vessel.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit of competency must be assessed in conjunction with other mandatory units that form part of a job role of a coxswain or a master on a small commercial vessel.

Required knowledge and skills
Knowledge of relevant regulations
Relevant OH&S legislation and policies
Procedures for the checking and inspecting a vessel's seaworthiness
The principle stresses which act on the structure of a vessel
Principles and procedures to ensure the watertight integrity of a vessel's hull in both normal and emergency situations
Damage control measures that may be required to maintain the integrity of the hull in a range of typical emergency situations that could occur on a small vessel
Procedures for the initiation and coordination of repair and/or replacement on board small vessels
Corrosion control measures including surface preparation and painting and antifouling
Safety, environmental and hazard control precautions and procedures relevant to inspection and maintenance operations
A basic understanding of the properties and application of materials used in vessel construction
Construction, layout and subdivision requirements of various types of small vessels, including an understanding of freeboard and bulkhead deck, watertight compartments, weathertight compartments and the bulkhead of the vessel
Records that must be maintained concerning the seaworthiness of a vessel
The safe working limits of rigging and gear.

Resource implications
Access is required to opportunities to either:
participate in a range of exercises, case studies and other simulated practical and knowledge assessments that demonstrate the skills and knowledge to monitor the condition and the seaworthiness of a small vessel in a range of operational situations, and/or
assist in maintaining the seaworthiness of a vessel in a range of operational situations either:
using a suitable simulator over an appropriate range of simulated loading and operational situations
in appropriate practical situations on an operational commercial or training vessel possible operation of a vessel during training.

Consistency in performance
Applies underpinning knowledge and skills when:
carrying out routine and emergency monitoring of a vessel's seaworthiness
identifying and evaluating problems concerning the condition of a vessel and the integrity of its hull and determining an appropriate courses of action
initiating and coordinating any required repair or maintenance activities to ensure the seaworthiness of a vessel
applying safety precautions relevant to monitoring, repair and maintenance operations.

Shows evidence of application of relevant workplace procedures including:
relevant maritime regulations
OHS regulations and hazard prevention policies and procedures
job procedures and work instructions
relevant vessel manufacturer's guidelines relating to the seaworthiness the vessel
procedures to protect the integrity and security of the vessel's hull.

Action taken promptly to report and/or rectify problems with the seaworthiness of a vessel and the integrity of its hull.

Work is completed systematically with required attention to detail.

Context for assessment
Assessment of competence must comply with the assessment requirements of the relevant maritime regulations.

Assessment of this unit must be undertaken within relevant marine authority approved and audited arrangements by a registered training organisation:
As a minimum, assessment of knowledge must be conducted through appropriate written/oral examinations
Appropriate practical assessment must occur:
at the registered training organisation, and/or
on an appropriate working or training vessel.