Application
This unit applies to those working as abseiling guides or assistant guides in a range of controlled artificial conditions that have easy access to the top and bottom of the pitch. This unit may also apply to leaders working for outdoor education or adventure providers; volunteer groups; not-for-profit organisations or government agencies. |
Prerequisites
Nil | ||
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Plan abseiling activity. | 1.1. Conduct relevant assessments to determine the conditionofparticipants. 1.2. Develop an activity plan, according to relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures, to meet participant's needs. 1.3. Select an appropriate activity site or location that is suitable for participants and meets activity objectives, relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures. 1.4. Identify hazards associated with abseiling on artificial surfaces and minimise risks to ensure personal safety of participants. 1.5. Access relevantsources to interpret detailed weather and environmental information to determine activity plan, where applicable. 1.6. Determine food and water requirements according to contextual issues of the activity. 1.7. Determine most appropriate belay system according to participant's abilities and site conditions. 1.8. Inform appropriate authorities before commencing the abseiling activity. |
2. Select equipment for the group. | 2.1. Select equipment according to contextual issues and organisational policies and procedures, and check that it is in good working condition. 2.2. Assess equipment for safety and suitability, and adjust and fit to ensure personal comfort. 2.3. Select safety and rescue equipment to check suitability to the group and the abseil. |
3. Brief participants. | 3.1. Communicate instructions and relevant information about the abseiling activity in a manner suitable to the participants. 3.2. Demonstrate correct abseiling and belaying techniques. 3.3. Establish a suitable communication system for participants to use while abseiling and belaying. 3.4. Outline safety procedures and safe areas and or boundaries for the activity. 3.5. Confirm participants are properly equipped for the abseil and correct any omissions or deficiencies. |
4. Supervise abseiling activity. | 4.1. Conduct introductory activities for participants, to reduce the risk of injury. 4.2. Provide clear and concise direction and advice to group during the activity. 4.3. Monitor participant's performance of abseiling and belaying techniques and provide feedback as required. 4.4. Identify potential hazards as they occur and implement contingency actions according to organisational policies and procedures. 4.5. Implement appropriate modifications to activity in regard to all variable factors that are monitored. |
5. Complete post activity responsibilities. | 5.1. Retrieve, inspect, repair and store equipment according to organisational policies and procedures including manufacturers recommendations. 5.2. Evaluate relevant aspects of abseiling activity. 5.3. Identify potential areas of improvement for future abseiling activities. 5.4. Review performance and identify potential improvements. |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to: consult with participants to plan an appropriate abseiling activity convey information about the safety aspects of the activity interact with participants to create a safe and positive abseiling environment problem-solving skills to: plan a suitable abseiling activity according to participant's needs and abilities make decisions affecting the activity respond appropriately to non routine situations planning and organising skills to: source, allocate and coordinate resources, equipment and an artificial pitch suitable for the participants organise participants into manageable groups for abseiling and belaying language and literacy skills to: produce an activity plan for the abseiling activity, complete post-activity participant and self evaluations personal abseiling skills to a high level , rescue skills and be able to demonstrate and explain abseiling and belaying techniques to participants first aid and emergency response skills appropriate to the location to enable initial response to emergencies and personal health care. |
Required knowledge |
relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of abseiling activities site specific information to assist in the planning process and to enable management of potential abseiling hazards, and any special restrictions applying to the site equipment types, characteristics and technology used for abseiling on artificial surfaces, the advantages and disadvantages of the range of equipment, and factors affecting appropriate selection of equipment clothing and footwear requirements for abseiling activities to ensure comfort and safety care and maintenance of abseiling equipment to ensure prolonged life span and safety requirements are met abseiling techniques and common communication methods and calls used between abseilers and belayers to reduce risk during abseiling on artificial surfaces belay systems, devices and anchors appropriate for single pitch artificial surfaces technical abseiling knowledge, such as techniques and procedures to suit the features of the surface weather and environmental information to ascertain possible conditions and their affect on the activity hazards that may commonly be encountered in an artificial abseiling environment emergency procedures, potential hazards and obstacles relevant to the location to ensure safety of self and others. |
Evidence Required
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: Develop an activity plan and documentation which comply with relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures continually monitors the performance and progress of participants and identifies and corrects any performance issues applies effective contingency management techniques to deal with problems and issues that arise during the abseiling activity receive feedback evaluates and reflects on own guiding performance to identify strengths, weaknesses and areas that can be improved. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure the planning and guiding of abseiling activities for single pitch artificial surfaces that are of sufficient duration to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance. Assessment must also ensure access to: resources and information regarding participants and location to accurately plan, guide and document abseiling activities for a variety of participants an artificial abseiling site suitable to the abilities of participants a group of participants to take part in the abseiling activity equipment such as harnesses, helmets, belay devices, descending devices, ropes, gloves, karabiners, rescue equipment and safety and first aid 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: observation of interaction with a group of participants including conveying information for safe participation oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of relevant legislation and organisational policies and procedures to enable safe conduct of all abseiling activities observation of dealing with contingencies such as changing weather conditions, equipment misuse, abseiler entrapment review of abseiling activity plans third-party reports from a leader detailing performance. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: SISOABA303A Establish ropes for abseiling on artificial surfaces. |
Guidance information for assessment |
Range Statement
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. | |
Condition of participants may include: | skill level previous experience fitness level and physical capabilities age injuries and illnesses. |
Plan may include: | activity aims and objectives date, time and duration location or site guide and participant ratios resources and equipment food and water weather details risk management plan. |
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 participant confidentiality assessment procedures time constraints use and maintenance of equipment communication protocols guide and participant ratios emergency and safety procedures code of ethics. |
Activity objectives may include: | self improvement meeting people fitness targets adventure and recreation. |
Hazards may include: | temperature extremes on surfaces slippery surfaces dangerous animals and insects group management hazards. |
Risks may include: | Emotional risk injuries exhaustion equipment misuse |
Artificial surfaces may include: | portable or fixed wall fixed tower or bridge indoor or outdoor single pitch. |
Relevant sources may include: | Bureau of Meteorology media land managers or agencies local knowledge. |
Weather and environmental information may include: | satellite images daily and weekly forecasts maximum and minimum temperatures weather warnings event warnings synoptic charts |
Food and water requirements may include: | perishability packaging storage. |
Contextual issues may include: | weather conditions, including times season transport location trip distance and duration group objectives group size. |
Belay system may include: | top belay bottom brake. |
Appropriate authorities may include: | government departments or agents facility and land managers statutary bodies supervisors. |
Equipment may include: | ropes harnesses descending device karabiners helmet belay devices first aid kit rope protectors knife rescue pulley whistle |
Relevant information may include: | personal equipment requirements: safety procedures preventative measures for risks possible hazards abseiling and belaying techniques objectives rules and codes responsible and safe behaviour. |
Communication system may include: | calls radio hand signals whistles. |
Safety procedures may include: | A - anchors - secure and suitable to application B - buckles - locked as per manufacturers recommendations C- connector - locked, secured and orientated D - devices - threaded correctly and secured E - organisation specific procedures including; end or rope knots, friction hitches, belayer ready, helmet chin strap, clothing, jewellery and hair secured. F- friend - cross check. |
Participant's performance may include: | use of appropriate communication system abseiling technique attitude negotiation of hazards use of equipment. |
Variable factors may include: | change of weather equipment misuse participant's needs abseiling conditions. |
Relevant aspects may include: | objectives planning process activity site weather equipment selection clothing selection food selection instructional content instructional technique assessment technique group feedback directing techniques rescue techniques employed. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Outdoor Recreation |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor