Counter-Errorism in Diving: Applying Human Factors to Diving

Exploring the flaws in Murphy's Law, the discussion emphasizes that success often stems from more than just luck. It highlights the importance of structured debriefs to reflect on both good and bad outcomes in diving. The podcast delves into near-misses, like the chlorine gas leak in Aqaba, showing how systemic issues can lead to individual errors. By addressing these deeper factors influencing behavior, divers can improve safety management and prevent serious incidents, rather than merely adhering to rules or blaming failures.

In this episode, we discuss a controversial Facebook post about a novice diver being taken beyond their certification limits to 45 meters by an instructor, sparking a heated debate on blame, punishment, and safety in the diving community. We explore key issues like authority gradients, risk-reward perceptions, and the normalization of deviant behaviors that lead to unsafe practices. Instead of focusing solely on punitive actions, we delve into how changing the environment and promoting a culture of learning and accountability can better address systemic issues. Tune in to understand why context, education, and proactive management are crucial for improving diving safety and culture. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/surely-if-we-blame-and-punish-things-will-be-safer   Links: Building psychological safety blog series, Part 1: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-1 Crew Resource Management: https://skybrary.aero/articles/crew-resource-management-crm Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons: https://www.rcsed.ac.uk/events-courses/course-details-non-technical-skills-for-surgeons-notss Anaesthetists Non-Technical Skills: https://academic.oup.com/bja/article/105/1/38/307710 Well Operations Crew Resource Management: https://www.iogp.org/bookstore/product/guidelines-for-implementing-well-operations-crew-resource-management-training/ The Human Diver courses: https://www.thehumandiver.com/hfid-training-2025  Normalisation of Deviance blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/being-a-deviant-is-normal Experience or Expertise blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-importance-of-experience Sharing mistakes you make blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/my-biggest-mistake Bad Apples blog: https://gue.com/blog/do-bad-apples-actually-exist/ High Reliability Organisations: https://www.aihs.org.au/sites/default/files/A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20becoming%20a%20High%20Reliability%20Organisation%20-%20Andrew%20Hopkins.pdf   Tags:  English, Gareth Lock, Just Culture, Leadership, Psychological Safety

This blog explores the challenges of integrating Human Factors into diving, starting with the very nature of human factors themselves. Diving incidents often get oversimplified as “diver error,” ignoring the broader system and context influencing decisions. From cognitive shortcuts to commercial pressures, Gareth Lock unpacks how biases, complacency, and industry practices affect safety. The blog emphasizes the value of non-technical skills—such as decision-making, teamwork, and situational awareness—not just for critical incidents but for enhancing the overall diving experience. It also invites divers to start small, such as with an Essentials class, to gain insights into performance and safety. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the_problem_with_human_factors_is   Links: Types of Human Factors: https://humanisticsystems.com/2017/08/11/four-kinds-of-human-factors-1-the-human-factor/ How the langauge we use matters: https://gue.com/blog/the-role-of-agency-when-discussing-diving-incidents-an-adverse-event-occurs-an-instructor-makes-a-mistake/ Biases and Heuristics: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/i-am-biased-you-are-biased-we-are-all-biased Drawing video: https://youtu.be/x9wn633vl_c Efficiency vs complacency: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/complacency-the-silent-killer-but-it-s-not-that-simple Outcome and severity bias: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/joining-dots-is-easy-if-you-know-the-outcome Status-quo bias: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/status-quo The Essentials Class: https://www.thehumandiver.com/HFiD-Essentials If Only… documentary: https://www.thehumandiver.com/ifonly   Tags:  English, Decision-Making, Gareth Lock, Human Factors, Non-Technical Skills

In this episode, we dive into the complex nature of safety in diving and explore why it’s not as simple as just following rules or avoiding accidents. Safety is shaped by people, technology, processes, and culture, creating a socio-technical system where risks must be managed dynamically. We discuss how perceptions of safety differ among individuals and organisations, the influence of rewards and biases on decision-making, and the balance between taking risks and achieving goals. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own approach to diving safety, develop skills to manage uncertainties, and embrace a mindset of continuous learning to build resilience and mitigate failures. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/quarks-and-meows-the-state-of-diving-safety   Links: Rasmussen’s Drift: https://youtu.be/SPa9Th9Fwh4 Schrodinger's cat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger%27s_cat Hindsight bias: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/joining-dots-is-easy-if-you-know-the-outcome The importance of experience: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-importance-of-experience High-reliability teams and organisations: https://www.high-reliability.org/the-five-principles-of-weick-sutcliffe High reliability organisations are learning organisations too: https://gue.com/blog/improvement-requires-learning-learning-happens-at-the-organizational-level-too/   Tags:  English, Decision-Making, Gareth Lock, Leadership, Safety Culture

In this episode, we explore the unintended consequences of rewarding specific behaviors and metrics in both high-risk industries and diving. From the infamous Cobra Effect in colonial India to modern-day challenges in reporting safety metrics, we examine how well-intentioned systems can backfire when rewards drive undesirable behaviors. In the diving world, certifications, dive counts, and reporting systems can be gamed, undermining safety and learning. We discuss how fostering a culture of psychological safety, shared learning, and context-driven discussions can transform mistakes into opportunities for growth. The key takeaway? Be mindful of what you reward—learning and improvement should always take precedence over punitive measures or superficial metrics. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/are-there-cobras-in-diving   Links: Goodhart’s Law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law Scuba Accidents and Risk Management Techniques for Divers Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1612046102342961 The Human Diver: Human Factors in Diving Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/184882365201810 Weak signals: https://skybrary.aero/articles/weak-signals-approach-ansp-safety-performance BMW celebrating failure: https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/emerald-publishing/the-acclaim-of-failure-why-bmw-reward-employee-mistakes-qmDonsLAav   Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Just Culture, Leadership, Psychological Safety, Teamwork

In this episode, we explore the role of punishment in learning and accident investigations, challenging the idea that punishment fosters accountability or safety. Drawing from research by Heraghty, Dekker, and Rae, we discuss how punishment often stifles honesty, trust, and meaningful learning by creating a culture of fear. Using real-world examples, like a tragic drysuit diving accident and the grounding of a liveaboard vessel, we examine systemic issues that contribute to failures and how biases like hindsight and severity affect our responses. Instead of focusing on blame, we advocate for systemic, science-based approaches to foster psychological safety, support accountability, and promote learning to prevent future incidents. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/blame-or-learn   Links: Modifying an accident process and its justice system: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092575352100093X?via%3Dihub Punishment doesn’t change behaviours associated with errant behaviours: https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html Managing accidents using retributive justice mechanisms: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925753520300746?via%3Dihub Linnea Mills case: https://divernet.com/scuba-news/12m-lawsuit-follows-suit-squeeze-death/ Mission Improbable: Using Fantasy Documents to Tame Disaster: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3791858?seq=1 The likelihood of drift: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/being-a-deviant-is-normal Modifying an accident process and its justice system: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092575352100093X?via%3Dihub CIEHF Guide to Learning from Adverse Events: https://ergonomics.org.uk/resource/learning-from-adverse-events.html Socorro Vortex grounding: https://www.deeperblue.com/socorro-vortex-liveaboard-runs-aground/ Report from the Danish MAritime Accident Investigation Board: https://dmaib.com/reports/2021/beaumaiden-grounding-on-18-october-2021/ Cognitive biases that limit learning: https://gue.com/blog/drift-is-normal-being-a-deviant-is-normal-heres-why/ Identifying error prone or error producing conditions: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/human-error-in-diving-is-it-really-that-simple Stoney Cove “Safety Stop” case: https://divernet.com/scuba-diving/diving-instructor-cleared-in-safety-stop-death-case/ Sidney Dekker’s Restorative Just Culture Checklist: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vkg0o4Fc8XWsAul-mkXNqD5lwokQ0ntP/view?usp=sharing   Tags:  English, Gareth Lock, Incident Analysis, Incident Investigation, Incident Reporting, Just Culture, Leadership, Psychological Safety

In this episode, we explore how systems, not just individuals, shape safety outcomes in aviation, diving, and daily life. We discuss historical lessons, such as redesigning cockpit controls in WWII B-17 bombers to prevent pilot errors, and modern examples like changes to ATM processes to reduce card loss. Diving safety is also examined, highlighting the recurring nature of incidents and the limitations of focusing solely on human error without addressing systemic issues. Drawing on insights from safety science and Professor James Reason's work, we emphasize the importance of creating conditions that support human performance rather than blaming individuals for predictable mistakes. Tune in to learn how understanding and improving systems can lead to safer, more effective outcomes. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/fix-the-diver   Links: ‘Bad Apples’ blog: https://gue.com/blog/do-bad-apples-actually-exist/ Study from Denoble et al: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23955484_Common_causes_of_open-circuit_recreational_diving_fatalities BSAC annual diving incident report: https://www.bsac.com/safety/diving-incidents/annual-diving-incident-report/ Forcing functions to reduce catastrophic failures: https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer/human-factors-engineering Types of error: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/mistakes-errors-words-have-meaning Perception of risk paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271767726_Perception_of_Risk   Tags:  English, Decision-Making, Gareth Lock, Non-Technical Skills

Status Quo Bias is the tendency to stick with familiar choices, even when better options exist, and it impacts decisions in many areas, including diving. From Coca-Cola's "New Coke" failure to nitrox's initial resistance in the diving world, this bias highlights our preference for the familiar and reluctance to embrace change. It shows up in dive site routes we repeat, equipment setups we hesitate to adjust, and training paths we follow without exploring alternatives. Being aware of this bias can help us question our habits, seek new perspectives, and make more informed decisions in diving and beyond. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/status-quo   Links: Maintaining the Status Quo: https://www.academia.edu/8285384/The_Psychology_of_Preferences? …If there is choice overload: https://econweb.umd.edu/~masatlioglu/DKM.pdf …if there are costs to consider: https://philarchive.org/archive/NEBSQB   Tags:  English, Cognitive Biases, Decision-Making, Leadership, Mike Mason

This episode dives into the complexities of risk, decision-making, and resilience, blending personal experience with critical lessons for divers and beyond. Host Gareth Lock recounts his journey from peak physical fitness to surviving a near-fatal cardiac event, emphasizing the importance of recognizing weak signals, confronting cognitive biases, and understanding that safety isn’t just about training or equipment but also mindset and preparedness. Gareth challenges us to think critically about risk, share vulnerabilities, and prioritize health and safety—not just for ourselves, but for those around us. This episode is a powerful reminder that resilience and change start with awareness and action. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/risks-decisions-lessons   Links: Fitness for Rescues video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOiHkpvp2NU Willful blindness: https://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_the_dangers_of_willful_blindness?language=en UK-DMC Post COVID score: https://www.ukdmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/UKDMC_COVID-19_diver_scorecard_Rev_1_20220209.pdf   Tags:   English, Cognitive Biases, Decision-Making, Gareth Lock

This episode explores the Efficiency Thoroughness Trade-Off (ETTO), a concept by Erik Hollnagel that explains how we balance being thorough and efficient in everyday tasks, including diving. Using relatable examples like incomplete checks and forgotten tasks, we discuss how time pressures and biases often lead us to prioritize productivity over safety—usually with successful outcomes, but occasionally with costly mistakes. We examine how ETTO influences individual and organizational decisions, highlighting strategies like checklists and clear communication to counteract its risks. By understanding these trade-offs, we can learn from past incidents and create safer, more effective systems in diving and beyond. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/ETTO   Links: If Only documentary: https://www.thehumandiver.com/ifonly Behavioural economics: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-bend-is-uninteresting-the-related-decisions-are-much-more-so ETTO paper: https://erikhollnagel.com/onewebmedia/ETTO.pdf System 1 to System 2 thinking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfd8z3l3TYk   Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Incident Analysis, Non-technical Skills