Counter-Errorism in Diving: Applying Human Factors to Diving

In this episode, we explore how context drives behavior and how mistakes can happen even to experienced professionals. Sharing a personal story about a diving oversight, we examine how time pressures, language barriers, and assumptions led to a dangerous error—and the lessons learned from it. Highlighting the importance of psychological safety and robust pre-dive checks, we discuss why understanding "how it made sense at the time" is key to improving safety and preventing future mistakes. Tune in to rethink how we approach errors and learn from unintended outcomes. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/my-biggest-mistake   Links: Gareth’s blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/from_blaming_to_learning   Tags:  English, Cognitive Biases, Communications, Decision Making, Jenny Lord, Just Culture, Psychological Safety

Mistakes, slips, and lapses are a natural part of human performance, influenced by factors like training, time pressures, and equipment design. While rule-breaking may seem deliberate, it's often shaped by context, social pressures, and the perceived benefits of deviation. Biases like hindsight, outcome, and severity distort how we interpret incidents, leading to blame rather than understanding. Effective learning requires exploring why decisions made sense at the time and avoiding counterfactual judgments like "should have" or "could have." By shifting from blame to understanding and investigating systemic factors, we can improve safety and performance in diving and beyond. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/from_blaming_to_learning   Links: Research about anaesthetists: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18941971/ Bad apples: https://gue.com/blog/do-bad-apples-actually-exist/ Attribution of agency: https://gue.com/blog/the-role-of-agency-when-discussing-diving-incidents-an-adverse-event-occurs-an-instructor-makes-a-mistake/ Further reading: To blame is human. To fix is to engineer. https://www.academia.edu/527985/People_or_Systems_To_blame_is_human_The_fix_is_to_engineer  The Field Guide to Understanding Human Error. S. Dekker.   Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors: Learning from Adverse Events https://ergonomics.org.uk/resource/learning-from-adverse-events.html  US Forest Service - Learning Review Guide. https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/coordinated-response-protocol-learning-review  "Blame is the Enemy of Safety" from Engineering a Safer World by Nancy Leveson. Tags:  English, Gareth Lock, Incident Analysis, Incident Investigation, Incident Reporting, Just Culture

In this episode, we explore how instructors can balance leadership with fostering psychological safety in diving education. Psychological safety, defined as a "rewarded vulnerability," is crucial for creating environments where mistakes, questions, and challenges to the status quo are welcomed without fear of ridicule or blame. By understanding and implementing the four stages of psychological safety—Inclusion, Learner, Contributor, and Challenger safety—diving leaders can create teams that thrive on collaboration, trust, and continuous learning. We discuss practical strategies, like sharing mistakes, setting ground rules, and encouraging constructive feedback, to nurture this safety and improve outcomes for both instructors and students. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/challenger-safety-control   Tags:  English, Gareth Lock, Just Culture, Leadership, Psychological Safety

In this episode, we explore the importance of checklists in diving, inspired by lessons from aviation and medicine. After a tragic 1935 plane crash, pilots introduced simple checklists to reduce human error—an approach now standard in high-risk industries. Checklists help compensate for our natural forgetfulness and distractions by providing quick prompts for essential tasks. For divers, effective checklists should be simple, fit for the environment, and backed by proper training. Teams benefit from shared checklists, improving safety through collaboration and consistency. Adopting checklists as a cultural norm, much like in surgery, can make diving safer and more efficient for everyone. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/why-checklists-work   Links: Atul Gawande’s Reith Lecture: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/6F2X8TpsxrJpnsq82hggHW/dr-atul-gawande-2014-reith-lectures Reduction in mortality due to checklists: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmsa0810119 How a checklist can be the difference between living and dying: https://www.thehumandiver.com/ifonly   Tags:  English, Checklists, Decision-Making, Mike Mason

Experience and practice are crucial for making better decisions, especially in uncertain situations, but they aren’t the same. Perfect practice builds expertise, while varied experiences across different environments enhance decision-making by expanding mental patterns. Decision-making relies on situational awareness, which involves sensing, understanding, and projecting future outcomes, all influenced by our training, memories, and expectations. Models like Gary Klein’s recognition-primed decision-making show how we use cues and past experiences to act efficiently, even under pressure. Feedback loops and a culture of learning are key to refining our actions. By diversifying your practice and learning, you can build the mental models needed to think and act like an expert. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-importance-of-experience   Links: DEBRIEF model: https://www.thehumandiver.com/debrief   Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Situation Awareness

In this episode, we explore how human perception and assumptions can lead to critical errors, using real-world examples like the tragic 1994 friendly fire incident where two US helicopters were mistaken for enemy aircraft. These events highlight the dangers of "believing is seeing" and how expectations can shape our decisions under pressure. We connect these lessons to diving, where incomplete information and mental shortcuts can result in serious incidents. Learn how to reduce errors by validating assumptions, improving communication, and fostering shared mental models, helping to enhance safety and teamwork in high-risk environments. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/believing-is-seeing   Links: What You Look For Is What You Find paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925753509000137 Language can shape expectations: https://gue.com/blog/the-role-of-agency-when-discussing-diving-incidents-an-adverse-event-occurs-an-instructor-makes-a-mistake/   Tags:  English, Cave Diving, Decision-Making, Gareth Lock, Rebreather, Situation Awareness

In this episode, we discuss integrating Human Factors training into technical diving courses, inspired by a new program blending eLearning, hands-on skills, and real-world exploration. The program emphasized teamwork, leadership, and psychological safety, with the DEBRIEF model becoming a standout tool for improving feedback and team efficiency. Students embraced these concepts, leading to more effective learning and collaboration. Lessons learned included refining teaching methods, incorporating Human Factors into all course modules, and fostering a just culture. The result? Better divers, better teammates, and a better instructor. Tune in for insights on enhancing diver education through Human Factors. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/HF_Into_Archaeology   Links: Underwater Archaeology Society of British Columbia: http://www.uasbc.com/ DEBRIEF model: https://www.thehumandiver.com/debrief The Essentials class: https://www.thehumandiver.com/HFiD-Essentials Guy Shockey: guy.shockey@thehumandiver.com   Tags:  English, Debrief, Decision-Making, Guy Shockey, Leadership, Teamwork

In this episode, we explore the complexities of situational awareness (SA) in diving and why it's often only recognized as missing after an event has occurred. SA involves interpreting sensory data and predicting future outcomes based on experience. Experienced divers may notice subtle signs of danger, like coral movements indicating currents or rust falling in a wreck, while novices lack the knowledge to anticipate or respond. Distractions, limited mental capacity, or unclear information can divert attention from critical issues. Rather than focusing on "loss of SA," we discuss how effective briefings, experience, and deliberate focus can help divers pay attention to what truly matters underwater. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/cant_pay_MORE_attention   Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Non-technical Skills, Situation Awareness

In this blog, a diver reflects on a simulated rescue scenario during a PADI Rescue Course, highlighting critical lessons about human factors in diving. The incident underscores the impact of high task focus, reduced situational awareness, and psychological stress, which led a student to run critically low on gas without asking for help. The writer explores contributing factors, including the challenges of operating in cold, low-visibility conditions, the pressures of performing under assessment, and the lack of a "just culture" where errors can be openly discussed and learned from. This real-life example emphasizes the importance of fostering psychological safety and vigilance in all roles during training dives. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/rescuer-and-rescued   Tags:  English, Communications, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Just Culture, Psychological Safety, Situation Awareness

Pre-dive checks are essential for diving safety, but they’re often rushed or overlooked, especially on busy dive boats. Factors like time pressure, peer pressure, distractions, and overconfidence can lead divers to skip thorough checks, relying instead on past outcomes. However, regardless of experience, using a familiar checklist with your buddy is key to ensuring equipment works and everyone knows how to assist in an emergency. While dive boats may not always allow for perfect checks, taking time beforehand—at the dive shop or during the journey—to understand your buddy’s gear can mitigate risks. Dive Masters play a vital role in setting the standard by demonstrating thorough checks. Ultimately, effective pre-dive checks improve safety, reduce errors, and prepare divers for unexpected situations. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/checks-on-a-dive-boat   Tags:  English, Checklists, Decision Making, Mike Mason, Teamwork