Chac Mool - Diving Deeper into a Triple Fatality with Human Factors

Chac Mool - Diving Deeper into a Triple Fatality with Human Factors

Chac Mool - Diving Deeper into a Triple Fatality with Human FactorsLanny Vogel
Published on: 08/04/2026

Chac Mool's 2012 triple fatality wasn't caused by one bad decision. A LEODSI analysis reveals how organisational drift, depleted gas margins, and a system that punished safer choices combined to produce a preventable tragedy.

EnglishLearning, Incidents & Just Culture
The 'Obvious Thing' Nobody Noticed

The 'Obvious Thing' Nobody Noticed

The 'Obvious Thing' Nobody NoticedGareth Lock
Published on: 05/04/2026

We spend a lot of time asking (or telling others) what instructors should have done. We spend far less time asking what the conditions were that made it so hard to do the 'right thing'. The Linnea Mills case, viewed through systems thinking (COCOM and ECOM), changes the question, and points toward answers that actually prevent the next one.

EnglishSense-making, Decision-making, & Psychology
When the Picture Goes Dark

When the Picture Goes Dark

When the Picture Goes DarkGareth Lock
Published on: 04/04/2026

Most diving accidents aren't caused by a lack of knowledge. They're caused by a lack of cognitive capacity at exactly the wrong moment. Here's the framework that explains why — and what to do about it. James knew the conditions. He'd been briefed. He had the skills. But 25 minutes into a wreck dive, his buddy was gone, his gas was low, and he was fighting the current alone. Part 1 of our new series.

EnglishSense-making, Decision-making, & Psychology
The Shortcut That Gets You Home — and the One That Doesn't

The Shortcut That Gets You Home — and the One That Doesn't

The Shortcut That Gets You Home — and the One That Doesn'tGareth Lock
Published on: 01/04/2026

Heuristics help divers make fast, effective decisions under pressure. Cognitive biases are what happen when those shortcuts misfire. Learn the difference — and why it matters for your safety underwater.

EnglishSense-making, Decision-making, & Psychology

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