Counter-Errorism in Diving: Applying Human Factors to Diving SH237: Decision Making: Normalisation of Deviance in Rebreather Cave Diving
In this episode, we explore how easy it is for divers to drift into unsafe habits when risky behaviour seems to have no consequences, especially in small or high-performing cave and technical diving teams. A real example from a cave rebreather class shows how a simple shortcut- only a few metres and seemingly low-risk- could have broken a key rule of always maintaining a continuous guideline. Even when a team is skilled and conditions look perfect, small deviations can become normalised and lead to bigger risks later. We talk about why psychological safety, honest communication, and clear team standards are essential for spotting drift, challenging unsafe ideas, and learning from each other.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/top-tips-blog-normalisation-of-deviance-in-rebreather-cave-diving
Links: Normalisation of deviance: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/normalisation-of-deviance-not-about-rule-breaking
Psychological safety: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/what-we-get-wrong-about-psychological-safety-in-diving
Tags: English, Cave Diving, CCR, Decision Making, Lanny Vogel, Normalisation of Deviance, Teamwork