Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables places the competency in context and allows for differences between enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The range of variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The following variables may be present.

Operations:
· manual handling of equipment
· communications and signalling
· rope work
· at sea and ashore
· varying weather conditions
· three, four or eight-strand rope
· wire rope
· powered winch, capstan and windlass
· hydraulic, electric and mechanical
· cable and rope winches
· net haulers
· pot or trap haulers
· anchor winches
· anchoring:
· routine
· emergency
· letting go and recovery
· mooring:
· mooring and unmooring to a single point
· berthing and unberthing to a wharf
· adjustment from both fore and aft mooring positions
· rigging and recovering means of access to the vessel
· monitoring:
· routine fire and security rounds and inspections
· display of signals, flags, lights and shapes
· mooring integrity during tidal movements
· safe access to and about the vessel
· visitors to the vessel
· environmental impact
· departure
· securing:
· prior to departure
· long or short voyages
· completion of operations and maintenance
· heavy weather
· routine situations.

Safety rules and regulations:
· codes of safe work practice:
· industry
· enterprise
· legislation.

Mooring:
· single point
· berthed alongside a wharf.

Corrective action:
· adjustment
· temporary line repair
· communication.

Carried out:
· by day
· by night
· adverse weather conditions.

Irregularities or abnormal conditions:
· affecting the safety and integrity of:
· vessel
· crew
· equipment
· materials, such as cargo.

Coverage:
· accommodation spaces
· personal facilities
· galley
· deck area
· storage spaces
· engine room
· wheelhouse
· processing area.

Secured:
· openings
· anchors
· lifting appliances and associated equipment
· galley, stores and equipment
· accommodation and storage spaces
· material on deck and below, such as cargo
· large objects likely to move in a sea way
· slack tanks pressed up.

Each unit of competency has an evidence guide that relates directly to the performance criteria and the range of variables. Its purpose is to guide assessment of the unit in the workplace and/or training program. The following components provide information to assist this purpose.

Underpinning knowledge
The essential knowledge and understanding a person needs to perform work to the required standard include:
· procedures relating to:
· splicing rope and tying common knots, bends and hitches
· maintenance of different types of rope
· routine and emergency operation of anchors
· use of winches, capstans and windlasses
· preparing deck machinery for use in ambient conditions
· securing all areas and equipment for sea prior to departure
· effect of the rise and fall of tide when berthed
· warping a vessel to various configurations at a wharf
· maintaining a deck watch in port
· displaying signals, flags, lights and shapes
· operating powered equipment in all modes, including emergency operation
· checking and inspecting the seaworthiness of the vessel
· principles relating to:
· the correct application of common knots, bends and hitches
· how a vessel is made fast to the wharf
· how vessel displacement or profile, and prevailing wind or current affect anchoring operations
· how a vessel normally lies to an anchor and cable
· mooring systems, including the specific functions of the mooring leads
· effects of unequal tension on mooring lines and the use of fixed mooring lines
· information relating to:
· codes of safe work practice and safety rules and regulations
· different configurations of mooring lines for various parts of a vessel
· knots, bends and hitches and their applications
· anchor cable markings
· different types of anchor
· anchor, cable and equipment on a specific vessel
· characteristics of different types of mooring ropes
· hazards that could occur if the operation is not controlled properly
· indications of, and hazards associated with, breaking mooring lines
· requirements for access equipment
· means of access
· securing the vessel for sea
· appropriate health and hygiene practices
· status of safety equipment
· construction of the vessel sufficient to understand which areas need to be made watertight
· the method of operation of cargo-lifting and securing equipment
· how to make the vessel watertight.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standard include:
· handling ropes and wires:
· identifying different rope material and construction
· using knots, bends and hitches and securing arrangements
· preparing and throwing a heaving line
· tying an overhand knot, figure-eight knot, reef knot, bowline and cod-end knot
· tying a half hitch, clove hitch, round turn and two half hitches, rolling hitch and timber hitch
· tying a sheet bend and a double-sheet bend
· performing an eye splice, back splice and a short splice
· performing common whipping on ropes and line
· coiling and stowing ropes
· using stoppers
· letting go and weighing anchor:
· single and twin anchor (such as running moor) operations
· recovering a foul hawse
· removing debris from an anchor
· handling anchor-securing arrangements
· displaying signals
· preparing an anchor buoy
· communicating with controller
· using and identifying synthetic rope and wire mooring lines:
· fore and aft springs
· back springs
· bow and stern ropes
· breast lines
· assisting in different types of mooring operations:
· making fast and letting go fore and aft to a wharf
· making fast and letting go to a single-point mooring
· preparing area for operation
· using springs that manoeuvre a vessel to and from a wharf
· adjusting mooring during a port stay
· rigging safe access to a vessel
· taking contingency actions when encountering a malfunction or problem caused by:
· failure of moorings and equipment
· damage to moorings
· insufficient mooring length or strength
· poor leads
· inability to maintain vessel in position
· adverse weather
· cargo or cargo-securing arrangements
· using different anchoring and mooring winches:
· tension winches operated in manual or self-tensioning modes
· stand-alone winches
· windlasses and capstans with drum ends
· using power-operated equipment:
· cranes and derricks
· capstans
· winches associated with fishing
· securing equipment and objects for sea passage, transit in port or ready for use, including:
· containers
· machinery spares
· large pieces of vessel equipment such as gangways, spare fishing gear and anchors
· cargo
· galley utensils and stores
· personal items
· drawers and cupboard doors in accommodation and storage spaces
· using securing arrangements such as:
· lashing
· impounding
· patent securing arrangements
· checking cargo condition such as catch temperature.

Literacy skills used for:
· reading safety rules and regulations.

Numeracy skills used for:
· reading levels of tanks and void spaces
· reading temperature-monitoring devices
· estimating safe working loads of ropes and wires.

Critical aspects of evidence
Assessment must confirm the ability to perform basic rope work during vessel operations, assist in using winches and windlasses and secure the vessel when at sea, at anchor, moored or berthed, and to contribute to ensuring continued security at all times.

Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· use, maintain and repair ropes and lines
· perform knots, bends, hitches, splicing and whipping
· prepare winches and capstans associated with fishing, for use and control during operation
· prepare anchor equipment, for use and control during operation
· secure anchoring equipment, winches and capstans on completion of operations
· progress mooring operations to completion
· secure mooring area on completion of operations
· identify malfunction or possible problems and implement contingency plans
· perform routine checks and inspections of vessel:
· watch-keeping duties
· security
· seaworthiness
· secure the vessel
· deal with security contingencies
· report on conditions
· monitor and control access.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· safety rules and regulations during operation
· procedures for entering dangerous and enclosed spaces.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· SFISHIP202B - Contribute to safe navigation.

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

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
· observation of practical demonstration
· written or oral short answer testing
· practical exercises
· project work.

Resources required for assessment
Resources may include:
· operational vessel with the range of equipment described above
· facilities for negotiating buoyage systems and traffic.