Elements and Performance Criteria

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

Work is performed within broad operational requirements, with responsibility for own outputs in relation to specified quality standards and limited responsibility for others in achieving the specified quality and quantity of outcomes.

Work involves the control of access of passengers, crew and others to and on vessel and the application of solutions to a defined range of unpredictable access problems. Planning and administering the access of persons to and on the vessel is required.

Work requires limited responsibility for the control of the access of passengers, crew and others to and on vessel.

Worksite environment
Ship may include a commercial vessel up to 35m in length on international voyages or up to 80m in length on coastal voyages (or 100m in length where gross tonnage does not exceed 3,000 gross tonnage) to ACMW.

Access to and on ship may occur:
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.

Personnel and pilot access ways may include:
accommodation ladders
gangways
brows
man baskets
cargo ramps
helicopter access
pilot ladders
pilot hoists.

Safety equipment may include:
harness
bosun's chair
breathing apparatus
immersion suits
life jacket
snorkel equipment
goggles
face mask
head gear
gloves
boots
eye and ear protection.

Sources of information/documents
Applicable procedures and codes may include:
sections of the IMO STCW Code and Convention related to a vessel up to 35m in length on international voyages or up to 80m in length on coastal voyages (or 100m in length where gross tonnage does not exceed 3000 gross tonnage)
relevant sections of Australian USL Code
relevant sections of AMSA Marine Orders
procedures for operating aloft, over side or in confined spaces
procedures for rigging and de-rigging access equipment and facilities
instructions to persons accessing the vessel
relevant international, Australian and State/Territory OH&S legislation.

Workplace context
Workplace organisation may be defined by:
company work organisation procedures and practices
conditions of service, industrial legislation and agreements including:
workplace agreements and awards
Australian and State/Territory industrial legislation.

Applicable International, Australian and State/Territory regulations and legislation
Applicable procedures and codes may include:
sections of the IMO STCW 95 Code and Convention related to a vessel up to 35m in length on international voyages or up to 80m in length on coastal voyages (or 100m in length where gross tonnage does not exceed 3000 gross tonnage)
relevant sections of Australian USL Code
relevant sections of AMSA Marine Orders
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 typically found on a commercial vessel up to 35m in length on international voyages or up to 80m in length on coastal voyages (or 100m in length where gross tonnage does not exceed 3000 gross tonnage) in suitably simulated situations
Operate and use the various types of survival equipment typically found a vessel up to 35m in length on international voyages or up to 80m in length on coastal voyages (or 100m in length where gross tonnage does not exceed 3000 gross tonnage) in suitably simulated situations
Organise and conduct abandon ship 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 may be assessed in conjunction with other units that form part of a job role of an officer in charge of a navigational watch on a commercial vessel.

Required knowledge and skills
Knowledge of relevant maritime regulations
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 typically found on a ship of 500gross tonnage or more in a variety of sea and weather conditions
Construction, outfit and particular characteristics of various types of life boats, life rafts and rescue boats
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 ships 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 ship as summarised in maritime survival publications such as the AMSA publication 'Survival at Sea - a Training and Instruction Manual'
Emergency muster and abandon ship signals
Typical incidents that may result in an emergency on board ship and the appropriate response in each case
Threats to survival on abandonment of a ship and appropriate strategies for countering these threats
Procedures for emergency response on board ships including abandoning ship
Threats to survival on abandonment of a ship and appropriate strategies for countering these threats
Procedures for emergency response on board ships including abandoning ship
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 rig and de-rig access equipment and facilities typically used on board a commercial vessel up to 35m in length on international voyages or up to 80m in length on coastal voyages (or 100m in length where gross tonnage does not exceed 3,000 gross tonnage), and/or
rig and de-rig various types of access equipment and facilities in appropriately simulations of maritime conditions and/or
assist in the rigging and de-rigging of various types of access equipment and facilities on board an operational commercial or training ship and/or
control the working of persons aloft, over side or in confined spaces in appropriately simulations of maritime conditions and/or
control the working of persons aloft, over side or in confined spaces on board an operational commercial or training ships.
Note: Simulated situations and assessments may require access to appropriate access and safety equipment and facilities typically found on a vessel up to 35m in length on international voyages or up to 80m in length on coastal voyages (or 100m in length where gross tonnage does not exceed 3000 gross tonnage)
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 for training and assessment exercises.

Consistency in performance
Applies underpinning knowledge and skills when:
organising and conducting 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 maritime regulations
OHS regulations and hazard prevention policies and procedures
accepted survival procedures and maritime survival practice
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.