AHCLPW307 — Perform restricted diving for scientific purposes

Elements & performance criteria

Performance evidence

• interpreted dive objectives and planned the equipment, resources, and consumables required to carry out a dive
• prepared resources, equipment and dive team for dive: including:
• inspected equipment for signs of deterioration, damage or corrosion and tested for proper operation
• selected equipment for dive and ensured correct storage during transport
• used decompression tables, including Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine tables (DCIEM) to calculate safe diving profiles, including: - depth increments - time increments - stop time - ascent rates - total decompression time - bottom time - total dive time - surface interval
• used decompression tables to calculate the following without error: - ‘No stop’ bottom time for a given depth - decompression depth/time increments - repetitive dive time increments
• prepared compressed air and enriched air nitrox cylinders (EAN) for diving operations according to legislative requirements, including: - inspected and maintained compressors - determined cylinder pressure for dive - charged air cylinders using high pressure air compressor according legislative requirements, and workplace health and safety procedures - charged air cylinders by decanting according legislative requirements, and workplace health and safety procedures - tested the quality of gas - analysed oxygen content of dive mix for EAN - used approved cylinder types for compressed air and EAN according to Industry standards and workplace health and safety procedures - maintained positive pressure in EAN cylinders to prevent ingress of atmospheric air
• carried out pre-dive checks and performed a safety risk assessments for dive site
• ensured availability of first aid equipment, and oxygen administration kit
• monitored dive conditions, responded to incidents and amended dive procedures according to identified issues
• one dive between 27 metres and 30 metres
• two dives with zero visibility in two to nine metres depth of water with a minimum of 20 minutes per dive
• one night dive
• four boat dives
• four dives at depths greater than 20 metres, simulating decompression stops during ascent
• at least three dives must be undertaken using EAN procedures including: - selected the blend and equipment to meet industry and safety criteria for EAN operations - conducted dive preparation for EAN dives according to industry standards, workplace health and safety policies and equipment manufacturer operating procedures - completed EAN dive according to dive plan and EAN procedures
• fitted and removed dive equipment and assisted other divers to fit and remove dive equipment in correct sequence
• selected water entry and exit methods appropriate to the situation and water conditions
• entered and exited water safely with no damage to equipment and assisted other divers to enter and exit water
• checked and reported dive equipment for leaks on entering water
• conducted dive in open water safety according to dive plan, including: - adapted operational techniques according to prevailing conditions - used buoyancy control techniques and equipment appropriate to diving conditions - demonstrated correct breathing techniques - demonstrated decent and ascent techniques appropriate to the dive conditions - demonstrated safety-critical underwater skills during dive, including: - monitored gas consumption and gas supply and ascended when predetermined level of gas remained to prevent exhaustion of gas supply - changed over to reserve gas supply and notified surface - managed life line to minimise entanglement and facilitate line signals - followed life line to surface - monitored depth and time throughout the dive - conducted dive practices for compressed air and EAN within diving maximum limits to meet industry technical standards and workplace health and safety policies and procedures - conducted specified dive operations according to objectives of operational dive plan - used basic non-powered hand tools to complete objectives according to planned dive operations - checked, cleaned maintained and stored hand tools according to workplace procedures
• communicated with others in the dive team underwater, diver to diver and diver to surface using each of the following: - hand signals - line signals - voice communications
• demonstrated decompression procedures according to dive profile using each of the following: - lazy shot rope - fixed shot rope - lazy shot rope during drift dives - lazy shot using a life line - float line - accent rate control and depth control at water stops
• performed at least two of the following search techniques during the dive: - circular - jackstay grid - snag line - grid mesh - semi-circular - parallel
• performed at least two of the following survey techniques during the dive: - line transect - quadrat search - photographic quadrat - video transect - timed swim - measured time swim
• used basic rope work and rigging techniques during dive operations using the following knots: - reef knot - bowline - clove hitch - rolling hitch - round turn and two half hitches - sheet bend - figure of eight - figure of eight on the bite
• established effective working relationships with dive team, including: - established communications under water - monitored dive team members for compliance with ‘no-decompression’ requirements - debriefed dive team after dive activity
• communicated and activated an emergency management plan and taken action in an emergency situation including: - used emergency drills, procedures and methods - acted as a surface standby diver - acted as an in-water standby diver when divers are near enough to communicate and act as standby diver for each other - performed an effective in-water rescue of an unconscious diver to boat or shore - acted in a self-rescue emergency situation
• performed first aid on diving casualty which must include: - recognised and assessed diver for adverse health conditions - determined if emergency services are required and obtain and provide support - administer first aid to diving casualty promptly according to workplace procedures - used an oxygen administration kit
• performed post dive personnel and equipment checks, including: - check and report supporting diver condition - read and record cylinder pressure - reviewed dive plans following debriefing and risk analysis
• disassembled, cleaned, inspected, maintained and stored compressed air and EAN diving equipment according to manufacturer instructions including: - ensured EAN compatible parts and processes for elevated oxygen mixture according to industry standards and workplace health and safety procedures - reported equipment faults according to workplace procedures following dive - maintained records according to industry standards and workplace requirements.

Knowledge evidence

• industries associated with underwater work and the type of work performed
• qualifications, legislative and regulatory requirements for occupational divers including restricted occupational SCUBA diving and occupational health and safety legislation as it relates to divers and their employers.
• dive planning processes, including risk assessment, hazard identification and control
• additional planning required for EAN diving, including: - requirements of EAN use and associated hazards - aspects of dive plan where EAN specific considerations are needed
• use of industry recognised decompression tables and dive computers to plan and carry out safe diving practices
• anatomy, physiology and physics of underwater diving, including: - anatomical and physiological systems of the human body including respiratory, circulatory and nervous systems, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, ears, sinuses, vestibular organs, gastrointestinal, endocrine and immune systems - common units of measurement and the relationship between pressure, volume and temperature in the context of diving - definitions of atmospheric pressure, hydrostatic pressure, absolute pressure, ambient pressure and gauge pressure - Boyles Law and relationship between pressure and volume and the calculations relevant to depth and pressure - barotrauma and typical barotrauma injuries - use of decompression tables to determine safe diving profiles - partial pressure and gas solubility and their effect on the human body including Daltons Law - basic relationship between pressure and temperature including Charles Law, and calculating pressure changes with temperature - effect of buoyancy and effect on divers and underwater objects including Archimedes Principle including, diffusion, saturation, desaturation, equilibrium - behaviour of light and sound underwater and impact on divers, including equipment used to compensate - impact of temperature on cylinder pressure - heat loss and impact on diver - decompression as it relates to partial pressure and solubility of gasses (Henry’s Law) - inert gas narcosis
• diving equipment, testing, operation and maintenance including: - selecting diving equipment for operational activities - assembly and disassembly of equipment used in dive operations - pre and post dive checks and maintenance - selection of appropriate diving equipment for required tasks such as masks, fins, cylinders, regulators, buoyancy compensation devices, harnesses, weights and safety devices - compressors for air and EAN cylinder charging - safety procedures - inspecting equipment and signs of disrepair - gas quality and gas testing standards used in Australia - record keeping practices for equipment - correct fitting and removal of dive equipment on divers including assisting others on fitting and removal
• types of ropes used in diving operations their purpose, application, including: - care and maintenance - basic rigging techniques
• knots and other rigging devices used in diving operations their purpose and application
• tools and equipment for scientific diving operations, their use and maintenance
• navigation, search and recovery techniques and their application in scientific diving
• survey techniques and their application in scientific diving
• health and safety risks associated with diving, including: - statutory health and safety requirements - standards and codes of practice - roles and responsibilities - risk assessment and developing control measures
• emergency procedures and their implementation, including: - dive rescue procedures - oxygen administration procedures - agency standing orders for notification - emergency service procedures - recognising the need for decompression chamber and support
• first aid for divers, including: - recognising signs and symptoms of diving related ill health including, decompression illness, mask and suit squeeze, ear and sinus problems, near drowning, vomiting under water, gas embolism and pulmonary barotrauma, breathing gas contamination, carbon monoxide poisoning, carbon dioxide poisoning, oxygen toxicity, anoxia and hypoxia, hypothermia and hyperthermia, injury/illness from marine organisms - assessing when first aid is required - administering first aid to divers - use of defibrillators in a wet environment - compression chamber theory
• specialised diving modes including but not limited to zero and low visibility diving, tethered, night and deep diving.
• effective teamwork and team communications, including - underwater communication procedures and equipment - statutory and workplace record keeping procedures.

Foundation skills

• Reading: Interpret dive plans and instructions and consolidates information to determine requirements for dive
• Writing: Accurately complete organisational records and programs using clear language and industry terminology
• Oral Communication: Effectively participate in verbal exchanges with dive team using collaborative and inclusive techniques including active listening and questioning and reading of verbal and non-verbal signals to convey and clarify information
• Numeracy: Interpret numeric information to determine pressures and to assess and calculate dive times based on depth, pressure and no-decompression tables

Unit content sourced from training.gov.au — © Commonwealth of Australia, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Auditori is not affiliated with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

Questions about assessing AHCLPW307