Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables defines the different contexts, work environments and parameters governing the performance of this competency standard. The variables chosen in training and assessment will need to reflect local industry and regional contexts.

Which diving operations are excluded from this unit?
Construction, repair, maintenance, survey or demolition of any building, structure, shaft, tunnel, boat, ship, slipway, mooring or breakwater, or dredging, or the placing, laying, inspection or recovery of any pipe or cable, or the placing of explosives and salvage.

Which diving objectives may be included?
Scientific investigation, monitoring of marine/coastal/freshwater environment, including ecosystems, communities, populations, and sea bed forms, and marine wrecks, search and rescue and ground truthing.

Which occupational health and safety procedures apply?
Hazard analysis, risk assessment and application of the hierarchy of control.

From whom may notification and consent be obtained?
Enterprise dive officer, local/enterprise occupational health and safety person, occupational health and safety authority, and enterprise principal risk manager.

What may be included in the dive plan?
Location and personnel, dive objective(s), operational procedure(s), emergency procedure(s), special requirements including night dives, towing of divers, diving in remote areas and diving under large vessels, conditions and approvals.

To what may consumables refer?
Oxygen, compressed air, 'O' rings and straps.

Which enterprise requirements are relevant to this standard?
Dive procedures and standards of practice, equipment and personnel requirements, approval to dive and records.

Which standards and codes of practice apply to this standard?
Standards Australia AS2299 and any occupational health and safety codes of practice applicable in the jurisdiction.

What equipment may be included?
Vessels, two and four wheel drive vehicles and trailers, camping equipment and supplies, communication equipment including two way radios and mobile telephones, personal protective equipment including life vests, diving teams and dive assistants, oxygen equipment, fire safety equipment, safe dive kit, first aid kit.

Which pre-dive checks may be necessary?
Environmental, diver competence, transport (vehicle and vessel) and specialist equipment.

Which legislation may be relevant?
State/Territory and Commonwealth legislation in the areas of occupational health and safety, parks/reserves (both land and marine), coastal protection, marine operations, and the Great Barrier Reef.

What safety and emergency procedures may be relevant?
Communication, hyperbaric chamber, and oxygen procedures.

Which dive procedures may be included?
Entry, safety check, descent, objective, safety stop and exit.

Which dive logs are required under legislation and enterprise procedures?
Procedures used, personnel involved, observations made, samples collected, and records of incidents.

What are the dive risks that may be relevant to this standard?
Environmental, mechanical failure of equipment, hazardous marine animals, pollution in marine environment and other vessels.

Which equipment checks may be included?
Tanks, valves, submersible pressure gauges, hoses and hose configurations, regulators, alternate air sources, equipment releases, BCD operation, weight belt, mask and snorkel.

Which equipment faults may be identified?
Corrosion and wear, contaminated air, valve, hose, regulator and equipment release problems, regulator freezing.

What maladies may be included in this standard?
Decompression illness, hypothermia, stress, panic, embolism, lung expansion, equipment failure and marine bites/stings.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in performing diving for scientific purposes requires evidence that a scientific dive has been safely carried out according to enterprise guidelines and industry best practice. The skills and knowledge required to perform diving for scientific purposes must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts. For example, this could include different environments, locations and purposes for the dive.
What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this unit are listed below:

Physics of diving.
No-decompression tables.
Dive equipment.
Dive planning
AS2299 Scientific Diving.
Rescue procedures.
Oxygen administration procedures.
Agency standing orders for notification.
Emergency service procedures.
Radio operation procedures.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, some complementary skills are required. These skills include the ability to:

Plan diving operations.
Prepare for diving operations conduct dive.
Debrief diving team.
Check and store equipment.
Review diving program.
Respond to diving maladies.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard could be assessed on its own or in combination with other competencies relevant to the job function.

Essential Assessment Information
For information about

What processes should be applied to this competency standard?
There are a number of processes that are learnt throughout work and life, which are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work functions. Some of these are covered by the key competencies, although others may be added. The questions below highlight how these processes are applied in this competency standard. Following each question a number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency needs to be demonstrated where 0 = not required, 1 = perform the process, 2 = perform and administer the process and 3 = perform, administer and design the process.
Communicating ideas and information
Debriefing and reviewing dives. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Diving conditions. (2)

Planning and organising activities
Equipment and safety requirements for dive. (2)

Working with others and in teams
During the dive. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Setting equipment. (1)

Solving problems
Dealing with maladies. (2)

Using technology
Dive equipment. (2)