28427 Instruct and Assess Clients SCUBA Dives at an Altitude Greater Than 300 Metres Above

Explanatory notes

1Industry technical and safety criteria refer to dive instruction, supervision and performance being carried out in accordance with the standards, procedures and training materials of the respective dive training agency. The agency must meet or exceed the World Recreational Scuba Training Council training standards.

2All dive operations must comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995, Accident Compensation Act 2001, AS/NZS 2299.3:2003 Occupational diving operations – Recreational industry diving and snorkelling operations and the Guidelines for Occupational Diving 2004.

3Sufficiency for this unit standard requires a minimum of two open water dives.

4Definitions

Altitude dive refers to dives made in an open water environment which is at an altitude greater than 300 metres above sea level.

Assessment refers to the candidate instructor’s assessment of a group of divers applying industry technical and safety criteria. A group is considered to be a minimum of two people.

Clients refer to individuals who are certified as open water divers.

Dive plan refers to the procedures by which the accredited dive provider’s divingoperations are implemented for all dives required to meet this standard.

Instruction refers to the candidate instructor’s act of imparting knowledge or skills as per industry technical and safety criteria.

Open water is any natural body of water realistic of local diving conditions in terms of water movement, temperature, visibility, depth and aquatic life.

PADI refers to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.

SCUBA refers to Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

SSI refers to Scuba Schools International.

5Assessment may be undertaken in simulated conditions.

Outcomes and evidence requirements

Outcome 1

Instruct and assess clients’ knowledge of altitude diving.

Evidence requirements

1.1Clients are instructed and assessed on altitude diving in accordance with industry technical and safety criteria.

Rangemay include but is not limited to – altitude diving decompression theory, altitude diving physiology, altitude diving techniques and procedures, altitude diving equipment;

a minimum of one is required.

Outcome 2

Plan and prepare for instruction and assessment of client altitude dives.

Evidence requirements

2.1Dive planning and preparation is conducted and parameters established for client altitude dives in accordance with industry technical and safety criteria.

Rangepre dive briefing, dive objective, assessment of dive site and environmental conditions, hazard identification, emergency procedures,maximum depth and bottom time, returning air pressure, entry and exit procedures, descent and ascent procedures, direction, communication, safety and specialist equipment setup, instructor and client dive equipment selection, assembly and checks, buddy team selection and checks, roles and responsibilities including that of topside personnel.

Outcome 3

Instruct and assess client altitude SCUBA dives in open water.

Evidence requirements

3.1Client altitude dive planning and preparation is assessed in accordance with the dive plan and industry technical and safety criteria.

3.2Clients are instructed and assessed to conduct altitude dives in accordance with a dive plan and industry technical and safety criteria.

Rangeentry, descent, buoyancy control, monitoring of time, depth, air supply, equipment, direction, proximity to buddy, underwater communication, ascent, exit.

3.3Post dive procedures are conducted in accordance with the dive plan and industry technical and safety criteria.

Rangedebriefing, client feedback regarding skill performance and adherence to the dive plan, logging dives.

Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions

This CMR can be accessed at

Please note

Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

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