Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 5:52 AM AWST

Whilst all efforts are made to provide accurate and timely information from the relevant source/documentation, please be aware that the information supplied may not be the most current version. The accuracy of the detail has not been confirmed by the Department and therefore should not be relied upon without first confirming the contents.

Demonstrate caving skills

Demonstrate caving skills

Unit of competency
National Code
SISOCVE201A
State Code
D6328
TGA Status
Replaced
DTWD Status
Transition (Replaced)
Current Release Number
2.00
Current Release Date
28/11/2011
View on TGA
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
14/02/2014
Field of Education
092101 - Sport And Recreation Activities
Original Release Date
14/02/2014
Nominal Hours
20
Description
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to participate in supervised, minimal impact caving activities. This unit focuses on the demonstration of simple caving skills, such as navigation and laddering, in caves with frequently travelled tracks and marked routes.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Plan for a caving activity.
  • 1.1. Identify food and water requirements according to contextual issues including suitability of food for the cave environment.
  • 1.2. Access relevant sources to interpret weather information.
  • 1.3. Identify an activity location and outline possible cave features, hazards and risks according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures.
  • 1.4. Establish and confirm an appropriate communication system to use in cave.
  • 1.5. Obtain suitable map or maps and plan a route according to map information.
  • 1.6. Identify emergency or contingency escape routes.
2. Select equipment.
  • 2.1. Select equipment and check working order according to organisational policies and procedures.
  • 2.2. Adjust and fit equipment to ensure comfort and safety.
  • 2.3. Select personal clothing and footwear according to design and construction features appropriate to the location.
3. Navigate in a cave.
  • 3.1. Follow a route in a cave, with and without a compass, demonstrating use of underground navigation aids.
  • 3.2. Apply techniques for estimating the distance travelled.
  • 3.3. Identify features in the cave using map and compass.
  • 3.4. Select an efficient route suitable to the group and conditions.
4. Move with minimal impact through a cave.
  • 4.1. Move efficiently through cave and negotiate hazards and features according to organisational policies and procedures and relevant legislation.
  • 4.2. Apply techniques and procedures to minimise cave impact according to organisational policies and procedures and relevant legislation.
  • 4.3. Identify appropriate techniques for newly discovered caves.
  • 4.4. Identify types of damage and foreign material which should be isolated from the cave environment.
5. Navigate cave hazards and obstacles.
  • 5.1. Negotiate cave hazards and obstacles according to caving techniques that minimise environmental damage.
6. Evaluate caving activity.
  • 6.1. Evaluate relevant aspects of the activity.
  • 6.2. Identify improvements for future caving experiences.
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Food and water requirements may include:
menu planning and preparation
range of foods
cooking methods
suitability of food for the cave environment.
Contextual issues may include:
type of cave or site
length of cave or site
soundness of rock
volume of water
ease of access
weather conditions at top and bottom
Relevant sources may include:
bureau of meteorology
media
national parks and wildlife centres
police.
Weather information may include:
satellite images
daily and weekly forecasts
maximum and minimum temperatures
weather warnings.
Features may include:
squeezes
rock piles
sumps
duckunders
streams
water pools
mud
crevasse
loose floors
false floors
vertical pitches
speleothems
fossil and bone remains
flowstone
rimpools
Dripholes
oolite deposits
palaeokarst
soil crusts
cones
Hazards may include:
rock piles
fauna and flora
sharp edges water
unstable floor or roof
darkness
elevated carbon dioxide levels.
vertical pitch.
Risks may include:
hypothermia
flooding
exhaustion
dehydration
phobias
lost party member
stings or bites.
Relevant legislation may include:
occupational health and safety
permits or permission for access
environmental regulations.
Organisational policies and procedures may include:
occupational health and safety
use and maintenance of equipment
communication protocols
emergency procedures
minimal impact caving codes
code of ethics
Australian Speleological Federation Codes and Guidelines.
Map or maps may include:
detailed cave maps
developed long sections
cave maps with only wall details and labels
guide books and diagrams.
Map information may include:
grid lines and numbers
magnetic declination
scale
map legend
significant cave features
topographic features
markers
distance estimations
grid bearings
slope
water depth
speleothems
cross sections.
Equipment may include:
caving equipment
navigation equipment
safety and first aid equipment.
Navigation aids may include:
survey markers
track markers
lines
signs
arrows
compass
maps
air flow
water direction
man made infrastructure
significant cave features
speloethems.
Techniques for estimating the distance may include:
time
observation of surroundings
pacing.
Techniques and procedures to minimise cave impact may include:
caving slowly
avoiding sensitive areas
keeping to marked tracks
not touching anything except as required for safety purposes
avoiding disturbance to cave fauna, including bats, birds, nests, reptiles and arthropods
leaving bones where found or moving them carefully to side of track
carrying containers for removal of waste material, including all toileting waste
avoiding unnecessarily eating in a cave
avoiding strong smelling or messy food
eating over a container.
Techniques inside caves may include:
bridging
squeezing
crawling
rock scrambling
swimming
climbing
chimneying
wading.
Obstacles may include:
narrow passages
water
speloethems
vertical squeeze.
Relevant aspects of the activity may include:
planning process
factors affecting selection of equipment
navigation and laddering skills.
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Evidence of the following is essential:
applies relevant process to plan equipment and supply requirements appropriate for the conditions and duration of the caving activity
navigates a route using a map and ensures movements are of minimal impact
seeks advice and feedback from leader and evaluates and reflects on own caving performance to identify strengths, weaknesses and improvements.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure participation in multiple caving activities that are of sufficient breadth and duration to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance.
Assessment must also ensure access to:
resources and information, such as maps and weather sources, to plan and prepare for the activity
a suitable cave, with frequently travelled routes, tracks, markers and obvious natural surroundings
a qualified leader or supervisor
caving, navigation and safety equipment.
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of strategies used to plan a minimal impact caving route
observation of safe participation and demonstration of simple caving skills, such as ascending and descending a ladder
third-party reports from a supervisor detailing performance.
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:
SISOOPS201A Minimise environmental impact.
Replaces
State Code National Code Title Type
C6133 SROCVE001A Move through a cave with minimal impact Unit of competency
Replaced By
State Code National Code Title Type
OBF59 SISOCVE001 Traverse caves Unit of competency