NZQA registered unit standard
28430 version 1
Page 1 of 4
Title
Instruct and assess clients to identify aquatic organism while SCUBA
diving in open water
Level
6
Credits
3
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: instruct and
assess clients’ knowledge of common aquatic organisms; plan
and prepare for instruction and assessment of client aquatic
organism identification dives; and instruct and assess clients to
identify aquatic organism while SCUBA diving in open water.
Classification
Diving > Diving - Instruction
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Critical health and
safety prerequisites
Hold a current fit to dive medical clearance signed by a
physician.
People seeking credit for this unit standard must hold either
PADI Divemaster certification and have completed an
Instructor Training Course, or SSI Dive Control Specialist
certification and have completed an Instructor Development
Course, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
Explanatory notes
1
Industry 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.
2
All dive operations must comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety in
Employment Act 1992, the Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995, the
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.
3
Sufficiency for this unit standard requires a minimum of two open water dives.
4
Definitions
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.
Skills Active Aotearoa Limited
SSB Code 101576
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
28430 version 1
Page 2 of 4
Clients refer to individuals who are certified as open water divers.
Dive plan refers to the procedures by which the accredited dive provider’s diving
operations 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.
Organism refers to living biological entities, animal, flowering plant or algae.
PADI refers to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.
SCUBA refers to Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.
SSI refers to Scuba Schools International.
5
Assessment may be undertaken in simulated conditions.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Instruct and assess clients’ knowledge of common aquatic organisms.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Clients are instructed and assessed on identifying the body plan and form, life
history, feeding, defence and habitat of animal species likely to be encountered
during a SCUBA dive at a local open water dive site in accordance with industry
technical and safety criteria.
Range
1.2
Clients are instructed and assessed on identifying the body structure and
habitat of species of algae or flowering plants likely to be encountered during a
SCUBA dive at a local open water dive site in accordance with industry
technical and safety criteria.
Range
1.3
may include but is not limited to – species of anemones, bony fish,
brittlestars, crabs, jellyfish, lobsters, marine mammals, octopus,
rays, sea cucumbers, sea lillies, sea squirts, sea stars, segmented
worms, sharks, shrimp, skates, slugs, snails, sponges, squid,
turtles, urchins;
a minimum of five bony fish and five other species of animals is
required.
may include but is not limited to – species of red, brown and green
algae, eel, surf and turtle grass;
a minimum of one algae and one flowering plant is required.
Clients are instructed and assessed on identifying relationships between
aquatic organisms common to a local open water dive site and which are likely
to be encountered during a SCUBA dive.
Range
may include but is not limited to – predator or prey, symbiotic
relationships, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism;
a minimum of one of each is required.
Skills Active Aotearoa Limited
SSB Code 101576
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
28430 version 1
Page 3 of 4
Outcome 2
Plan and prepare for instruction and assessment of client aquatic organism identification
dives.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Dive planning and preparation is conducted and parameters established for
client aquatic organism identification dives in accordance with industry technical
and safety criteria.
Range
pre 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 clients to identify aquatic organism while SCUBA diving in open water.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Client aquatic organism identification dive planning and preparation is assessed
in accordance with the dive plan and industry technical and safety criteria.
3.2
Clients are instructed and assessed to conduct aquatic organism identification
dives in accordance with a dive plan and industry technical and safety criteria.
Range
3.3
Clients are instructed and assessed to conduct aquatic organism identification
skills in open water in accordance with industry technical and safety criteria.
Range
3.4
entry, descent, buoyancy control, monitoring of time, depth, air
supply, equipment, direction, proximity to buddy, underwater
communication, ascent, exit.
passive interaction, minimal disturbance.
Post dive procedures are conducted in accordance with the dive plan and
industry technical and safety criteria.
Range
debriefing, client feedback regarding aquatic organism
identification, adherence to the dive plan, dive skills, logging dives
which identify aquatic organisms encountered on the dives.
Replacement information
Skills Active Aotearoa Limited
SSB Code 101576
This unit standard replaced unit standard 8290.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
Planned review date
28430 version 1
Page 4 of 4
31 December 2019
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
20 November 2014
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0099
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
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
Please contact Skills Active Aotearoa Limited info@skillsactive.org.nz if you wish to
suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Skills Active Aotearoa Limited
SSB Code 101576
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016