Counter-Errorism in Diving: Applying Human Factors to Diving

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

In this episode, we explore Donald Rumsfeld's "known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns" concept and how it applies to risk management in diving. Using the Johari window model of self-reflection, we discuss the importance of understanding risks that divers face, from routine (known knowns) to unpredictable (unknown unknowns). The episode highlights the role of experience, training, and non-technical skills in preventing accidents and managing emergencies. Listeners will gain insights on improving their decision-making and awareness, so they can better navigate both anticipated and unforeseen challenges in their diving journeys.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/known-unknowns-are-they-considered-enough-in-diving   Links: Johari Window: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johari_window Dunning Kruger effect: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/incompetent-and-unaware-you-don-t-know-what-you-don-t-know Experience blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/complacency-the-silent-killer-but-it-s-not-that-simple Charles Perrow, Normal Accidents: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_Accidents Parker Turner’s cave collapse: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/09/150901121005.htm Aqaurius Project fatality: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Smith   Tags: English, Gareth Lock

In this episode, we delve into the story of Eric, a wingsuit base jumper who nearly died during a jump, to explore the risks, attitudes, and decision-making in extreme sports. Eric’s candid interview highlights how rapid progression without mentorship, inferred peer pressure, and normalization of risky behavior nearly led to fatal consequences. His reflections underscore the need for awareness, honest self-assessment, and the courage to address safety concerns, both in wingsuit base jumping and diving. The episode discusses the role of social media in glamorizing risky sports, the sunk-cost fallacy, and the importance of learning from near-misses. By drawing parallels to diving, we hope to inspire listeners to be more mindful of safety, effective communication, and continuous learning in any high-risk pursuit. Warning: This podcast contains swearing.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/congratulations-on-surviving-dude-you-re-one-lucky-f-er   Links: Full blog: http://topgunbase.ws/i-flew-my-wingsuit-into-trees-and-woke-up-in-a-hospital/ Today is a good day to die article: https://issuu.com/divermedicandaquaticsafety/docs/divermedicmagazine_issue9 Incompetent and Unaware blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/incompetent-and-unaware-you-don-t-know-what-you-don-t-know DAN non-fatal incident reporting: http://www.danap.org/accident/nfdir.php British Sub Aqua Club incident reporting: http://www.bsac.com/page.asp?section=1038&sectionTitle=Annual+Diving+Incident+Report   Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Normalisation of Deviance, Situational Awareness

One of the key lessons in diving is that anyone can end a dive at any time for any reason, no questions asked, yet making that call can be tough due to unspoken pressures. This episode explores how inferred peer pressure, desire for group belonging, and risk-taking in “losing situations” all affect a diver’s willingness to thumb a dive. Through stories and research, we discuss how factors like fatigue, previous lost dive opportunities, and good visibility can cloud judgment, making it harder to call off a dive. Recognizing these influences and discussing them in debriefs can help divers build confidence in prioritizing safety over peer expectations.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/why-is-it-so-hard-to-thumb-a-dive-or-end-something-that-you-have-committed-to   Links: Paletz’s research about pilots in Alaska: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Socializing-the-Human-Factors-Analysis-and-Paletz-Bearman/58a0496739adb8778b3f95cf53e9016f15dcf8e6 Kahneman and Tversky’s research: http://psiexp.ss.uci.edu/research/teaching/Tversky_Kahneman_1974.pdf   Tags:  English, Gareth Lock, Human Factors

In this episode, we dive into the concept of human error, examining why labeling it as the sole cause of accidents often oversimplifies the issue and prevents meaningful improvement. Human error is natural, inevitable, and can range from minor to life-threatening in impact. Effective safety culture encourages open discussion of mistakes without blame, helping us understand the factors influencing these errors, like pressure, environment, and subconscious decision-making. This episode also covers how divers and instructors can reflect on and report errors, find systemic solutions, and avoid jumping to conclusions like "human error," which should be a starting point, not an endpoint, in any investigation.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/human-error-or-diver-error-are-they-just-an-easy-way-of-blaming-the-individual   Links: Situation awareness model: https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/blogs/817/images/sbYcrVK0QVe0CYJ2fYoC_ngcezfVOQw69fnrwH2BI_EndsleyModel.jpg Diving fatality causes from DAN: http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/files/DivingFatalityCauses.pdf Instructor who didn’t analyse their gas: https://www.divingincidents.org/reports/136 AOW diver continuing diving: https://issuu.com/divermedicandaquaticsafety/docs/divermedicmagazine_issue6 Diving Incident Safety Management System: http://www.divingincidents.org/ Second victim issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BsHmwAFPKs   Tags:  English, Gareth Lock, Human Error, Human Performance, Just Culture, Safety

In this episode, we explore the concept of a Just Culture in diving, where learning from mistakes and sharing incidents openly helps improve safety without fear of unfair criticism or blame. Inspired by Human Factors and Ergonomics, which emerged in WWII to address human error in fast-evolving systems, Just Culture highlights that mistakes often result from systemic issues, not individual faults. In diving, many errors go unreported due to fear of judgment, especially on social media, which prevents the community from learning valuable lessons. Just Culture fosters a fair, open environment where divers can learn from errors and incidents, understanding the difference between human error, risky behavior, and recklessness, helping all divers make safer decisions.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/we-all-make-errors-let-s-not-judge-those-involved-without-understanding-the-how-it-made-sense   Links: Blog about local rationality: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/local-rationality-why-an-old-lady-vandalised-art-and-how-to-improve-diving-safety   Tags: English, Gareth Lock