Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to work effectively as an occupational diver in the seafood industry. It includes the ability to recognise the various roles of divers in the seafood industry, comply with requirements for diving qualifications, and apply anatomic and physiological principles and laws of physics to meet and follow health and safety requirements and procedures in diving operations.

The unit applies to individuals who work in the seafood industry as occupational divers.

Occupational licensing, legislative and certification requirements apply to this unit but vary according to state/territory requirements. Occupational diving is regulated independently by each state and territory workplace health and safety authority. Users are advised to check with the relevant authority to confirm current requirements.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Unit Sector

Diving (DIV)

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.

Unit Mapping Information

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=e31d8c6b-1608-4d77-9f71-9ee749456273

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit.

There must be evidence that the individual has applied diving rules and principles and safety procedures to diving operations for the seafood industry on at least one occasion, including:

• complying with regulations and industry standards relating to occupational diving
• completing accurate calculations relating to depth, pressure, temperature, gases and buoyancy
• identifying the basic needs of a diving casualty as required
• identifying the requirements for assisting in the treatment of diving-related health conditions and illnesses.

Knowledge Evidence

An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

• industry and government bodies associated with diving
• regulations, Australian standards and industry standards related to diving, including:

• AS/NZS 2299.1:2015 Occupational diving operations – Standard operational practice
• AS 2815 series – Training and certification of occupational divers

• reciprocal/mutual recognition arrangements of dive standards and qualifications with other countries
• obligations, responsibilities and required health status for accreditation as an occupational diver
• recreational dive-industry qualifications relating to occupational diving
• statutory requirements for workplace health and safety in diving operations
• the laws and principles relating to depth, pressure, temperature, gases and buoyancy

• buoyancy (Archimedes' Principle)
• the partial pressure of gases (Dalton's Law)
• the relationship between pressure and temperature (Charles's Law)
• the relationship between pressure and volume (Boyle's Law)
• the solubility of gases (Henry's Law)

• the use, effect advantages and limitations of the use of various breathing gas mixtures
• the use and effect of nitrox in surface-orientated diving operations
• the use of decompression tables to calculate and manage safe diving profiles
• the effect on divers of pressure, volume and temperature changes procedures relating to maintaining the health and safety of the individual and others
• advantages and limitations of the use of one hundred per cent oxygen in managing diving illnesses
• atmospheric, hydrostatic, absolute, ambient and gauge pressures
• positive, negative and neutral buoyancy and effects of saltwater and freshwater
• equipment used to compensate for buoyancy changes
• equipment used to compensate for light and sound effects under water
• direct and indirect hazards associated with diving
• the behaviour of light and sound under water and their effect on divers
• the effect of partial pressure and solubility of gases on divers and the need for decompression
• first aid principles as they relate to diving-related conditions, illnesses and accidents.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of skills must take place under the following conditions:

• physical conditions:

• skills must be demonstrated in a dive site or an environment that accurately represents workplace conditions

• resources, equipment and materials:

• sources on industry, government bodies and diving qualifications
• relevant diving equipment
• current first aid manuals

• specifications:

• access to diving regulations and codes of practice as they apply to the seafood industry
• workplace procedures for diving operations that include advice on health and safety requirements.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=e31d8c6b-1608-4d77-9f71-9ee749456273