Elements and Performance Criteria

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

Work is performed relatively independently under broad operational requirements, with limited accountability and responsibility for self and others in achieving the prescribed outcomes.

Work involves the application of established maritime survival principles and practices to the launching and operation of survival craft, the use of survival equipment and the regular involvement in 'abandon vessel drills' Implementation of established survival strategies and procedures is involved. Limited accountability and responsibility for self and others in achieving the outcomes is involved.

Worksite environment
Vessel may include any Australian or international commercial vessel.

Launching and operation of survival craft and equipment may take place:
by day or night in both normal and emergency situations
under normal and adverse conditions of sea and weather
while underway
while hove to
while anchored or moored
in appropriately simulated situations

Survival craft may include:
free-fall life boats
davit-launched life-boats
life rafts
rescue boats

Life-saving and survival equipment may include:
life jackets
life buoys
hard hats
immersion suits and other thermal protective aids
rocket line throwing appliances
pyrotechnic distress signals
GMDSS survival craft VHF radios
Satellite emergency position indicating radio beacons EPIRBs
SARTs
whistles

Consumable materials and items that may used in life saving equipment may include:
batteries for detectors, radios, beacons, etc.
flares
survival rations

In-water survival techniques may include:
swimming in a life-jacket
towing with a life jacket
remaining afloat without a life jacket
donning a life jacket in water
the group huddle
heat escape lessening posture

Threats to survival after abandoning vessel may include:
cold water shock
hypothermia
psychological response to disaster
loss of will to live
sea sickness
dehydration
injuries
starvation.

Sources of information/documents
Documentation/records may include:
relevant maritime regulations
ISM Code safety management system plans, procedures, checklists and instructions (where applicable
SOLAS regulations
AMSA publication 'Survival at Sea - a Training and Instruction Manual'
vessel's log
instructions from official search and rescue authorities
vessel's procedures for emergency response including abandoning vessel
manufacturer's instructions for the use of survival craft and equipment
instructions of relevant Maritime Authorities related to survival at sea
relevant OH&S legislation, codes of practice, policies and procedures
relevant Australian and international standards.

Applicable International, Australian and State/Territory regulations and legislation
Applicable procedures and codes may include
IMO STCW 95 Code and Convention dealing with survival at sea and use of survival craft and equipment
relevant sections of AMSA Marine Orders dealing with survival at sea and use of survival craft and equipment
relevant sections of the Australian USL Code dealing with survival at sea and use of survival craft and equipment
Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations
relevant international, Australian and State/Territory OH&S legislation.

Critical aspects of evidence to be considered
Assessment must confirm appropriate knowledge and skills to:
Launch and operate the various types of survival craft in suitably simulated situations
Operate and use the various types of survival equipment in suitably simulated situations
Participate in abandon vessel musters and drills
Communicate effectively with others as required when operating survival craft and ancillary survival equipment.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit of competency must be assessed in conjunction with other units that form part of a job role of an officer or integrated rating.

Required knowledge and skills
Knowledge of relevant maritime regulations
ISM Code safety management system plans, procedures, checklists and instructions (where applicable)
Relevant OH&S legislation and policies
SOLAS regulations
Procedures and sequences of action for (1) launching, (2) carrying out pre-start engine checks and (3) operating survival craft and rescue boats in a variety of sea and weather conditions
Construction, outfit and particular characteristics of various types of life boats, life rafts and rescue boats
Typical manoeuvring and engine characteristics for survival craft including handling strategies to overcome hazards caused by a head sea, a following sea and a beam sea
Ways of maximising detectability and location of survival craft using pyrotechnic distress signals, portable VHF radios, Satellite EPIRBs and SARTs
Procedures for correctly operating and using lifesaving appliances and personal safety equipment on board vessels and survival craft and specifically:
donning a life jacket and using a life jacket light and whistle
donning an immersions suit
deployment of a mob combination light and smoke float
use of hand-held pyrotechnics
Initial actions for survival on abandonment of vessel as summarised in maritime survival publications such as the AMSA publication 'Survival at Sea - a Training and Instruction Manual'
Emergency muster and abandon vessel signals
Incidents that may result in an emergency on board vessel and the appropriate response in each case
Threats to survival on abandonment of a vessel and appropriate strategies for countering these threats
Procedures for emergency response on board vessels including abandoning vessel
Threats to survival on abandonment of a vessel and appropriate strategies for countering these threats
Procedures for the rationing of food and water in survival craft
Symptoms of hypothermia, its prevention and treatment and the related use of protective covers and garments such as immersion suits and thermal protective aids
IMO safety symbols.

Resource implications
Access is required to opportunities to either:
carry out a range of suitably simulated practical and knowledge assessments that demonstrate the skills and knowledge to launch and operate survival craft and equipment, and/or
organise and conduct abandon vessel musters and drills in appropriately simulations of maritime conditions
assist in the launch and operate survival craft and equipment during emergency response simulations and drills on board an operational commercial or training vessel.
Note: Simulated first aid situations and assessments may require access to open and enclosed life boat fittings and equipment, on-load release gear training aid, open life boat and davit, life boat and rescue boat equipment, life jackets and hard hats, davit launched life raft and davit, inflatable throw over life raft, cradle and hydrostatic release, life boat/life raft boarding ladders, foul weather gear, training pool with jumping platform or equivalent, immersion suits, a selection of shipboard life saving, alerting and detection equipment typically found on vessels.
Assessments must be conducted in accordance with relevant OH&S requirements. Protective clothing must be worn in accordance with current maritime practices and Australian standards. At least one assessor must hold a current life saving qualification appropriate for in-water training and assessment exercises.

Consistency in performance
Applies underpinning knowledge and skills when:
participating in simulated emergency response musters and drills
launching and operating survival craft and ancillary survival equipment
applying safety precautions relevant to survival operations
assessing operational capability of survival craft and equipment

Shows evidence of application of relevant workplace procedures including:
relevant sections of IMO STCW 95 Code and Convention and AMSA Marine Orders
ISM Code and associated ship's Safety Management System and procedures
OHS regulations and hazard prevention policies and procedures
accepted survival procedures and maritime survival practice
relevant manufacturer's guidelines relating to the operation and use of survival craft and equipment, including instructions on equipment capability and limitations.

Action taken promptly to report and/or rectify problems in the launching and operation of survival craft and equipment in accordance with established procedures.

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.