

Counter-Errorism in Diving: Applying Human Factors to Diving
Gareth Lock at The Human Diver
Human factors is a critical topic within the world of SCUBA diving, scientific diving, military diving, and commercial diving. This podcast is a mixture of interviews and 'shorts' which are audio versions of the weekly blog from The Human Diver.
Each month we will look to have at least one interview and one case study discussion where we look at an event in detail and how human factors and non-technical skills contributed (or prevented) it from happening in the manner it did.
Each month we will look to have at least one interview and one case study discussion where we look at an event in detail and how human factors and non-technical skills contributed (or prevented) it from happening in the manner it did.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 8, 2025 • 5min
SH215: Situation Awareness and Mental Models: Making it easier to the do the right thing
In this episode, we explore why situational awareness (SA) is the most critical skill for divers, even more so than technical abilities like buoyancy control or propulsion. SA isn’t just about noticing and processing information—it’s about projecting it into the future to anticipate outcomes. Through real-world examples, we highlight how building mental models—scripts based on experience and “what if” thinking—helps divers make quicker, better decisions in complex scenarios. We also discuss the vital role of structured debriefs in turning experiences into actionable insights, ultimately creating divers who can handle challenges with confidence and skill.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/situation-awareness-and-mental-models-making-it-easier-to-the-do-the-right-thing
Links: Further reading from The Human Diver blog: Selective Attention Exists! 5 Tips to Increase Situational Awareness in Diving
Unleashing Your Sixth Sense: Building capacity and directing attention
Running out of gas- Why does this happen and how can we prevent it?
How do I improve my Situation Awareness?
You can't pay MORE attention: the myth of 'loss of situation awareness'
Tags: English, Debrief, Guy Shockey, Situation Awareness

Oct 4, 2025 • 10min
SH214: What if Just Culture and Psychological Safety is not enough?
In this episode, we explore the challenges and lessons from diving in the Baltic Sea, where high-pressure conditions tested both skill and decision-making. We delve into the concepts of just culture and psychological safety, emphasizing their importance in fostering open communication, learning from mistakes, and creating safer systems. Drawing parallels to regulated industries like aviation, we discuss how divers can benefit from sharing experiences without fear of judgment and how understanding the "why" behind errors leads to meaningful improvements. Through real-world examples, we highlight the value of trust, reflection, and teamwork in making diving safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/what-if-just-culture-and-psychological-safety-is-not-enough
Links: Discussing dives when things go wrong: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/why-is-it-so-hard-to-talk-about-failure
Sensitive System Syndrome: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11700375/
Tags: English, Andrzej Górnicki, Just Culture, Psychological Safety

Oct 1, 2025 • 5min
SH213: The Diving Professional: Leadership is not Optional
In this episode, we explore the critical role of leadership in diving, focusing on the responsibilities dive professionals take on as role models. From following standard operating procedures to fostering psychological safety, we discuss how every action, intentional or not, shapes the behavior of students and less experienced divers. We emphasize the importance of admitting mistakes to build trust and create a learning environment where open dialogue thrives. Additionally, we highlight the value of continued education to stay empathetic and relatable as instructors. Ultimately, great dive leadership extends beyond technical skills, shaping safer and more confident divers.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-diving-professional-leadership-is-not-optional
Links: Blogs about Leadership: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog?tag=leadership
Tags: English, Guy Shockey, Leadership, Psychological Safety

Sep 27, 2025 • 5min
SH212: Stress - A challenge we all face
The holiday season often highlights how stress can strain relationships and impact decision-making, both in everyday life and high-stakes activities like scuba diving. Stress narrows our focus, making it easy to miss critical information or react impulsively. Using tools like Viktor Frankl's concept of the space between stimulus and response, or the mantra "Stop, Think, Breathe, Act," we can pause and respond thoughtfully under pressure. Real-life diving scenarios—like an instructor managing a student emergency, a diver dealing with damaged gear, or a Dive Master handling group separation—illustrate how stress can shape outcomes. By identifying stressors using the HALT method (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired) and reflecting on events with curiosity rather than judgment, we can learn, grow, and make better decisions, both underwater and on land.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/stress-a-challenge-we-all-face
Tags: English, Mike Mason, Performance Shaping Factors, Stress

Sep 24, 2025 • 6min
SH211: Teams. Buddies. The Difference.
In this episode, we dive into what makes an effective team, both above and below the surface. Using insights from a dive centre in Egypt, we explore how teamwork goes beyond buddy pairs, emphasizing shared goals, mutual accountability, and trust. We discuss why planning, adaptability, and understanding each other's roles are key to working interdependently, especially in dynamic environments like diving. Whether you're guiding, learning, or just enjoying the dive, every diver is part of the team. Join us as we reflect on how small changes can strengthen teamwork and improve safety and enjoyment for everyone. How does your team measure up?
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/teams-buddies-the-difference
Tags: English, Jenny Lord, Team, Teamwork, Trust

Sep 20, 2025 • 6min
SH210: Communications - Ask better questions
In this episode, we explore how asking the right questions can transform communication, whether during a dive briefing or a post-dive debrief. We discuss the difference between closed questions, which provide quick answers, and open questions, which encourage deeper understanding and learning. Using techniques like TEDS (Tell, Explain, Describe, Show), we can foster better communication, ensure alignment within the team, and create an environment where everyone feels safe to speak up. We also cover how to frame debrief questions to focus on events rather than individuals, encouraging growth and collaboration. Effective communication is all about how you ask, not just what you ask.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/communications-ask-better-questions
Tags: English, Brief, Communication, Communications, Debrief, Mike Mason

Sep 17, 2025 • 6min
SH209: You're biased, I'm biased, We are all biased!
In this episode, we explore how cognitive biases like hindsight bias, severity bias, outcome bias, and confirmation bias impact our ability to learn from accidents and incidents, both in diving and beyond. Using recent Red Sea liveaboard tragedies as a backdrop, we discuss why some events seem “obvious” only in hindsight, how severe outcomes lead to harsher judgments, and the danger of stopping investigations once a single cause is found. By understanding how biases shape our reactions, we can shift from judgment to learning, asking better questions and uncovering the deeper factors behind decisions and actions.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/we-are-all-biased
Links: BBC articles: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp3z0k72yw3o
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87dxx41lvvo
Sea story sinking news report (in German): https://taucher.net/diveinside-safariboot_sea_story_im_roten_meer_gesunken-kaz9391
List of Red Sea dive boat sinkings: https://matthiasmunz.de/Sunken_Diving_Safari_Boats_Egypt/
Tags: English, Cognitive Biases, Decision Making, Decision-Making, Gareth Lock, Hindsight Bias, Jenny Lord

Sep 13, 2025 • 8min
SH208: The Lost Fin: A Lesson in Situation Awareness
In this episode, we dive into the story of a diver’s lost fin to explore the challenges of decision-making, task fixation, and situation awareness underwater. Through the lens of a training dive gone awry, we uncover how both students and instructors can fall into cognitive traps, focusing narrowly on immediate tasks while losing sight of broader risks. Highlighting the importance of structured debriefing, reflective discussions, and the DEBrIEF model, we discuss how understanding "how it made sense" in the moment can lead to better mental models and a culture of learning in diving. This tale is a reminder that diving isn’t just about technical skills—it’s about building awareness, fostering teamwork, and learning from every experience.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-lost-fin-a-lesson-in-situation-awarness
Tags: English, Andrzej Górnicki, Debrief, Decision-Making, Hindsight Bias, Situation Awareness

Sep 10, 2025 • 7min
SH207: Change your Language. Change the World
This podcast dives into the analysis of a cave diving fatality at Cenote Nariz in Mexico, based on a detailed report by the Creer Line and Safety Committee. The incident highlights critical lessons for divers in all environments, emphasizing the importance of understanding human factors, decision-making, and context in adverse events. While the exact cause of the diver's seizure remains uncertain, likely contributors include hypercapnia or hyperoxia, exacerbated by equipment and procedural factors. Broader lessons focus on fostering safety cultures, avoiding the normalization of risk, maintaining equipment rigor, and embracing systems that encourage learning without blame. Join us to explore how these insights can improve safety and awareness across diving disciplines.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/change-your-language-change-the-world
Links: Podcast ‘Hidden Brain’- are our memories real?: https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/are-your-memories-real/
Blog about Agency: https://indepthmag.com/the-role-of-agency-when-discussing-diving-incidents-an-adverse-event-occurs-an-instructor-makes-a-mistake/
Learning Reviews: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/learning-reviews-in-diving
Podcast ‘How did it make sense’: https://www.humaninthesystem.co.uk/hits-hdims
How language changes the way we think TED talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKK7wGAYP6k
The Power and Pitfalls of Language in Accident Investigation: https://nescacademy.nasa.gov/video/2c1ea826930946ff8659621ee83bec931d
The Power Of Language: https://mindsetleadership.co.uk/2023/09/01/the-power-of-language/
Tags: English, Cognitive Biases, Communication, Gareth Lock, Incident Analysis, Incident Reporting

Sep 6, 2025 • 22min
SH206: Single Diver Fatality in Cenote Nariz, 3 February 2024. CREER Report
This podcast dives into the analysis of a cave diving fatality at Cenote Nariz in Mexico, based on a detailed report by the CREER Line and Safety Committee. The incident highlights critical lessons for divers in all environments, emphasizing the importance of understanding human factors, decision-making, and context in adverse events. While the exact cause of the diver's seizure remains uncertain, likely contributors include hypercapnia or hyperoxia, exacerbated by equipment and procedural factors. Broader lessons focus on fostering safety cultures, avoiding the normalization of risk, maintaining equipment rigor, and embracing systems that encourage learning without blame. Join us to explore how these insights can improve safety and awareness across diving disciplines.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/mx-singlefatality-report
Links: CREER: https://creer-mx.com/
Accident report: https://creer-mx.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Single-Diver-Fatality-in-Cenote-Nariz-on-3-February-2024.pdf
A Just Culture is not a 'just do it' culture: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/a-just-culture-is-not-a-just-do-it-culture
Counterfactuals: I would have lined in: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/counterfactuals Why is it so hard to admit our mistakes?: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/why-is-it-so-hard-to-admit-to-our-mistakes
Tags: English, Cave Diving, Gareth Lock, Incident Analysis, Just Culture