Swimming Assessment

This product is for personnel across the energy sectors who are required to be assessed on their ability to swim and stay afloat, with and without the use of a personal floatation device (PFD) and confirm understanding and implement basic in-water survival techniques.

This Product is to assess the learner’s ability enter and move through water both with and without a PFD. Learners will also gain an understanding of and practice basic in-water survival techniques.

The objectives of the Swimming Assessment Standard are that learners will be able to:

a) Understand the function and importance of PFDs.

b) Demonstrate safe water entry using a ladder without a PFD.

c) Demonstrate safe water entry by ‘stepping off’ with a PFD.

d) Demonstrate that they can remain afloat in a controlled manner and move through water with and without a PFD.

e) Demonstrate that they can be fully submerged and conduct an underwater breath hold.

f) Understand and perform basic in-water survival techniques.

There are no pre-requisites required for the Swimming Assessment standard.

Training activities contained within this Product may include physically demanding and potentially stressful elements. All personnel who participate in such activities must be capable of participating fully.

Therefore, OPITO-approved training centres are required, as a minimum, to ensure that prior to participating in practical exercises the learner is declared fit, in that they:

a) Possess a valid, current offshore medical certificate or

b) Possess an operator approved medical certificate or

c) Undergo medical screening by completing an appropriate medical screening form provided by the OPITO-approved Centre.

The OPITO-approved Centre shall keep a record of the learners’ declaration(s) of fitness in accordance with their document control policy(s) or procedures. This information, along with summary details of the type of physical activities the candidates/delegates will be asked to perform, will be given to learners by the OPITO approved Centre and, if applicable, to their sponsoring company as part of the joining instructions. The responsibility for declaring any current or pre-existing medical conditions that could have adverse effects to the individual’s state of health while undertaking the training and/or assessment activities lies with the learner and/or company sponsoring the learner. Where doubt exists regarding the fitness of any learner, the OPITO-approved Centre must direct the individual to consult a medical officer familiar with the nature and extent of the training.

Note: Practical exercises must be designed and delivered solely to meet this Product and must not place on the learners any demands other than those required to meet the Product.

To complete the Swimming Assessment the two mandatory units must be achieved.

1 hour

There is no expiry date for the OPITO Swimming Assessment

Note: Some individual companies may require re-validation. In these instances, it will be acceptable for training providers to include an expiry. However, the omission of a validity period will remain as set by OPITO regarding the central register and the industry as a whole. 

Please note: If the expiry date on the learners previous certificate is within 3 months prior of the course enrolment date then the date of the new certificate should correspond with the expiry date of the existing/previous certificate unless stated otherwise by the Duty Holder or Asset Owner or Operator.