Surface Plant and Equipment is a core module for commercial diving learners operating in inshore surface-supplied diving environments to a maximum depth of 30 metres using air or nitrox. It develops the knowledge and practical understanding required to operate, monitor, and maintain surface equipment safely, ensuring continuous and reliable breathing gas supply and operational support throughout diving activities.
Surface plant and equipment forms the foundation of safe diving operations, particularly in surface-supplied systems where the diver’s life support depends on correct equipment setup, safe operation, and strict compliance with legal requirements and operational standards. This module explains South African regulatory requirements and introduces key principles of compressor safety, air quality, filling systems, storage banks, and air purity testing to prevent contamination and ensure safe breathing air delivery.
Learners explore compressor systems and layouts, low-pressure and high-pressure compressor operations, pre-start checks, safe filling procedures for cylinders and storage banks, performance calculations, field testing methods, and troubleshooting common faults. The module also includes operational documentation, service and maintenance requirements, and hearing protection awareness due to noise exposure risks in compressor environments.
Key areas covered include:
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Legal requirements and South African diving regulations
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Surface plant systems and compressor layouts
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LP and HP compressor components and operation
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Pre-start checks, safe filling, and shutdown procedures
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High-pressure storage banks and cylinder filling procedures
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Noise exposure risks and hearing loss prevention
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Air quality, impurities, contamination prevention, and air purity testing
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Performance testing, calculations, troubleshooting, and maintenance logs
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Operational documentation, checklists, and recordkeeping for compliance
By the end of this module, learners will be able to identify and apply legal safety requirements, operate and monitor surface plant and compressor systems safely, perform correct pre-start checks and filling procedures, conduct air purity and performance testing, document operations accurately, troubleshoot faults, and maintain surface equipment in accordance with operational and safety standards.
Course Features
- Lectures 22
- Quizzes 4
- Duration Lifetime access
- Skill level All levels
- Language English
- Students 365
- Certificate Yes
- Assessments Self
- 14 Sections
- 22 Lessons
- Lifetime
- Introduction1
- Legal RequirementsObjective: Develop an understanding of South African legal and regulatory requirements governing surface plant and compressor operations.
Knowledge: Explain relevant South African regulations and compliance expectations for compressor safety, air supply systems, and operational documentation.
Skills: Demonstrate compliance awareness by identifying required legal checks and explaining how regulations influence safe operational procedures.1 - CompressorsObjective: Develop the knowledge and practical understanding required to explain compressor layout, pre-start checks, safe operation, and cylinder filling procedures.
Knowledge: Explain compressor layout and components, pre-start checks, HP compressor operation, filling procedures for HP cylinders, and filling of storage banks.
Skills: Demonstrate operational readiness by applying checklist logic, explaining safe filling sequences, and identifying critical safety risks in compressor operations.4 - General OperationsObjective: Reinforce key operational safety requirements for compressor pre-start checks and daily operational readiness.
Knowledge: Explain general compressor safety principles and the purpose of consistent pre-start checking before operations begin.
Skills: Demonstrate safe work readiness by identifying critical pre-start safety actions and explaining the consequences of incorrect operation.1 - Noise-Induced Hearing LossObjective: Develop awareness of noise exposure hazards and hearing protection requirements when working with compressors and surface plant systems.
Knowledge: Explain noise exposure risks, the impact of prolonged exposure, and hearing loss prevention practices in compressor environments.
Skills: Demonstrate safety awareness by identifying required hearing protection practices and applying safe behaviour in noisy work environments.1 - Low-Pressure CompressorsObjective: Develop the knowledge required to explain low-pressure compressor components and operational functions in surface supply systems.
Knowledge: Describe LP compressor components and explain how LP compressors support breathing air supply for surface operations.
Skills: Demonstrate system understanding by identifying LP compressor components and explaining their purpose within surface plant systems.1 - High-Pressure CompressorsObjective: Develop the knowledge and operational understanding required to operate high-pressure compressors safely and complete required documentation.
Knowledge: Explain HP compressor operation procedures, safety precautions, documentation requirements, and the purpose of checklists.
Skills: Demonstrate operational competence by explaining safe HP compressor procedures and applying checklist/documentation requirements correctly.3 - High-Pressure Storage BanksObjective: Develop the knowledge required to explain HP storage cylinder systems and safe filling of storage banks and SCUBA cylinders.
Knowledge: Explain HP storage cylinders, filling procedures, pressure management, and safe handling practices for storage bank operations.
Skills: Demonstrate safe filling awareness by applying correct filling principles and identifying risks linked to incorrect storage bank operation.2 - Service and MaintenanceObjective: Develop the knowledge and operational understanding required to maintain surface plant equipment safely and ensure breathing air quality.
Knowledge: Explain basic service routines, compressor logbook requirements, air impurities, contamination risks, and air purity importance.
Skills: Demonstrate readiness by identifying maintenance needs, completing logbook entries, and applying contamination prevention practices.2 - TroubleshootingObjective: Develop the knowledge required to identify causes of compressor malfunction and apply basic troubleshooting principles.
Knowledge: Explain common compressor malfunctions and contributing factors that affect compressor reliability and performance.
Skills: Demonstrate troubleshooting awareness by identifying likely fault causes and selecting appropriate corrective steps in operational scenarios.1 - Performance TestingObjective: Develop the knowledge and practical understanding required to perform compressor performance calculations and apply field test methods.
Knowledge: Explain performance calculations, airflow/output testing, and field methods used to confirm compressor efficiency and safe operational output.
Skills: Demonstrate technical application by calculating performance values and interpreting field test results to confirm safe operation.2 - Air Purity TestingObjective: Develop the knowledge and operational understanding required to apply air purity testing methods and prevent breathing air contamination.
Knowledge: Explain prevention of contamination, detector tubes, and site testing methods used to confirm breathing air quality.
Skills: Demonstrate testing awareness by selecting correct test methods and interpreting test outcomes to confirm compliance and safety.3 - AssessmentsObjective: Reinforce learning and prepare learners for formal assessment through structured practice testing.
Knowledge: Review key concepts and procedures covered throughout the module, including safety, equipment operation, and compliance requirements.
Skills: Demonstrate assessment readiness by applying knowledge to practice questions and identifying areas needing revision.3 - Final ExamObjective: Confirm learner competence through a formal assessment aligned to module outcomes and training standards.
Knowledge: Demonstrate understanding of the full module content, including operational procedures, safety requirements, and documentation standards.
Skills: Demonstrate competence by applying knowledge to exam-based scenarios and achieving the required pass standard.1
