Counter-Errorism in Diving: Applying Human Factors to Diving

Cognitive biases and mental shortcuts significantly impact decision-making, especially in high-risk environments like diving, where errors can have critical or fatal consequences. Factors such as narcosis, reduced visibility, and altered sound perception exacerbate these biases, distorting reality and affecting safety. Common biases include anchoring, overconfidence, and confirmation bias, each influencing risk perception and decision-making in unique ways. Awareness and mitigation of these biases are vital, achieved through strategies like education, training, crew resource management, and system changes to reduce reliance on human behavior alone. Understanding these factors is essential to improving safety and preventing incidents often attributed to "human error." Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/17-cognitive-biases   Links: Types of cognitive bias: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/i-am-biased-you-are-biased-we-are-all-biased Normalisation of deviance blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/being-a-deviant-is-normal Dunning-Kruger effect blog:  ​​https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/incompetent-and-unaware-you-don-t-know-what-you-don-t-know   Tags: English, Gareth Lock ​​

This episode explores the complexities of human error in diving incidents, challenging the oversimplified blame often placed on individuals. Drawing on James Reason’s Swiss Cheese Model, we examine how both active failures (individual actions) and latent conditions (systemic weaknesses) contribute to accidents. We also discuss cognitive biases, such as hindsight and outcome bias, that hinder objective learning from incidents. By shifting focus from blame to systemic improvement, fostering accountability without shame, and continuously reforming processes, we can better manage errors and enhance safety. Tune in to rethink “human error” and embrace a systems approach to diving performance. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/human-error-in-diving-is-it-really-that-simple   Links: Shappell and Weigmann’s HFACS model: https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Human_Factors_Analysis_and_Classification_System_(HFACS) Animated Swiss cheese model: https://vimeo.com/249087556 James Reason, Managing Maintainence Error: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/ref=sr_adv_b/?field-title=Managing%20Maintenance%20Error&search-alias=stripbooks&unfiltered=1   Tags:  English, Gareth Lock, Human Error, Human Factors

This episode dives into the importance of investing in skills and experience to prepare for unexpected challenges in diving and life. Using an analogy of red and white blood cells, we explore the balance between productivity and response readiness, emphasizing why both are essential. Drawing lessons from Captain Sullenberger’s emergency landing on the Hudson River, we highlight the value of deliberate practice, teamwork, and situational awareness. By learning from our own experiences and others’ stories, we can improve decision-making and be better equipped to handle ambiguity, uncertainty, and complexity. Are you ready to invest in your “bank of experience”? Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/blood-banks-diving   Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Human Factors, Risk

This episode explores the critical role of leadership in diving, drawing on a challenging night dive on the Abu Nuhas reef and lessons from military aviation. The dive highlighted the importance of accountability, planning, and adapting leadership styles to the situation. Diving lacks formal leadership training, yet all divers—from instructors to dive center managers—play leadership roles. Drawing inspiration from a Marine Corps officer’s letter, we discuss core leadership values such as professional hunger, focus, attitude, moral courage, and dedication. These values, combined with structured debriefs and continuous learning, are essential for fostering safety, excellence, and teamwork in diving. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/leadershipindiving   Links: Blog about deviation:  ​​”Leaders in learning mode develop stronger skills than their peers”: https://hbr.org/2017/08/good-leaders-are-good-learners   Tags:  English, Gareth Lock, Human Factors, Leadership, Teamwork

This episode dives into the lessons the diving community can learn from aviation safety practices, using the near-disaster of Air Canada Flight AC759 at San Francisco Airport as a starting point. In aviation, near-misses are thoroughly investigated to uncover systemic issues rather than just individual mistakes, fostering a culture of learning and improvement. By contrast, the diving industry often discourages open discussions about close calls due to fear of criticism or legal consequences, hindering collective growth. We explore how a shift toward non-judgmental analysis and systemic thinking could enhance safety in diving, encouraging shared learning from mistakes and near-misses to prevent future incidents. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/aviation-diving-errors   Links: Mercury News report: http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/02/ntsb-finds-blind-spot-in-sfo-radar-following-air-canada-near-disaster/   Tags: English, Gareth Lock, Human Factors

In this episode, we explore how authority gradients—the imbalance of power or experience between individuals—can lead to critical mistakes in diving and other high-stakes environments. Drawing lessons from aviation, medicine, and real-world diving incidents, we discuss how the fear of questioning a more experienced person can prevent vital safety concerns from being raised. Whether it's a student diver hesitant to challenge their instructor or a junior crew member in aviation unable to assert their concerns, the consequences can be life-threatening. We highlight the importance of fostering open communication, psychological safety, and mutual accountability to prevent errors and improve safety across all levels of experience. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-power-of-one   Links: Wrong site surgery: http://www.newstatesman.com/2014/05/how-mistakes-can-save-lives Pan Am/KLM accident: https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/B742_/_B741,_Los_Rodeos_Tenerife,_1977_(RI_AGC_WX) Landing gear light problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_173 Crew Resource Management: https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP720.PDF Non-Technical Skills: https://www.rcsed.ac.uk/professional-support-development-resources/learning-resources/non-technical-skills-for-surgeons-notss Human Factors skills in Diving: https://www.thehumandiver.com/   Tags: English, Gareth Lock

In this episode, we dive into the role of social conformity, biases, and decision-making in diving safety. Humans naturally seek group belonging, but this can lead to harsh judgments when incidents occur, particularly on social media. We explore how biases like hindsight and outcome bias affect our perceptions of accidents, often focusing on blame rather than understanding the decision-making processes behind them. To improve diving safety, it’s essential to create a "Just Culture"—a psychologically safe environment where mistakes can be shared without fear of humiliation or judgment. By examining flawed systems rather than individual outcomes and teaching the "why" behind protocols, we can foster better decision-making and prevent future incidents. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/we-judge-based-on-outcomes-not-on-process   Links: Learning teams blog: https://www.thehumandiver/blog/can-divers-learn-from-the-us-forest-service Hindsight bias: https://www.thehumandiver/blog/incompetent-and-unaware-you-don-t-know-what-you-don-t-know More about Just Culture: https://humanisticsystems.com/2016/11/24/just-culture-who-are-we-really-afraid-of%EF%BB%BF/   Tags: English, Gareth Lock

In this episode, we explore how cognitive biases—mental shortcuts that influence our decisions—affect our actions in complex and dynamic situations. Whether things go right or wrong, biases like overconfidence, expectation bias, and hindsight bias shape our thinking, often without us realizing it. We discuss practical ways to identify and reflect on these biases to improve decision-making, drawing from Buster Benson’s framework that simplifies 175 cognitive biases into four key challenges: filtering too much information, finding meaning in a confusing world, acting quickly under uncertainty, and deciding what to remember. Tune in to learn how understanding biases can enhance awareness and resilience. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/i-am-biased-you-are-biased-we-are-all-biased   Links: Wikipedia page of cognitive biases: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cognitive_biases Cognitive bias cheat sheet blog: https://betterhumans.coach.me/cognitive-bias-cheat-sheet-55a472476b18   Links: English, Gareth Lock

This podcast episode explores how the U.S. Forest Service uses structured Learning Reviews to improve safety in high-risk environments by focusing on understanding the context, mindset, and systemic factors behind incidents rather than assigning blame. Highlighting parallels to the diving community, we discuss the importance of storytelling, identifying gaps between "normal" and "ideal" operations, and addressing systemic issues to enhance safety and learning. With insights from the USFS's approach and Todd Conklin’s Learning Teams, we consider how divers and training organizations can adopt these principles to prevent accidents, foster accountability, and improve decision-making under pressure. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/can-divers-learn-from-the-us-forest-service Links: USFS Learning review: http://wildfiretoday.com/2014/08/07/usfs-to-use-new-serious-accident-review-system/ Todd Conklin’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Pre-Accident-Investigations-Introduction-Organizational-Safety/dp/1409447820 Tags:  English, Gareth Lock, Human Factors, Incident Reporting, Safety  

In this episode, we dive into the complexities of decision-making in high-risk environments, focusing on why some choices that lead to accidents might seem baffling but are understandable in context. We discuss Todd Conklin's and Chris Perrow's ideas on "Normal Accidents," highlighting how unforeseen events can occur despite experience and training due to factors like hindsight and outcome biases. We’ll explore the three types of decision-making—skills-based, rules-based, and knowledge-based—explaining how each influences our actions, especially in unfamiliar situations. Lastly, we’ll address how understanding decision-making can lead to safer diving practices by analyzing actions and events before they turn into incidents.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/why-did-he-make-such-an-obvious-mistake   Links: Endsley’s SA model: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/blogs/817/images/sbYcrVK0QVe0CYJ2fYoC_ngcezfVOQw69fnrwH2BI_EndsleyModel.jpg Known unknowns blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/known-unknowns-are-they-considered-enough-in-diving   Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Human Factors, Rules