All Episodes
Episodes
SH200: Why we find it so hard to say no or change...the sunk cost fallacy
In this episode, we explore why calling a dive can be so difficult and why safety ultimately allows us to dive more. We discuss how small issues and stressors, combined with the sunk cost fallacy, can lead divers to...
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SH199: Safety is boring...
Why is safety often seen as boring in diving? In this episode, we discuss a story of high-current dives, questionable guiding practices, and the stigma of prioritizing safety over thrill. While safety briefings and...
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SH198: Were you lucky or were you good?
What can WWII bombers teach us about diving? The story of Abraham Waldâs counterintuitive armor placement on planes highlights the importance of analyzing whatâs not immediately visibleâa lesson diving can embrace....
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SH197: Weâve got an attitude problem!
Mistakes are an essential part of learning, but in the highly regulated world of diving, the fear of judgment often stifles open discussion. Unlike other extreme sports where mistakes are embraced as learning...
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SH196: They broke the rules! So...?
When diving accidents occur, the immediate response often blames rule-breaking, but reality is far more complex. Rules are designed to enhance safety, yet accidents can happen even when rules are followedâand...
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SH195: Murphy was wrong!
Murphyâs Law suggests that if something can go wrong, it will, but this oversimplifies reality. Most of the time, things go right, even when procedures are ignored or actions are flawed, which can create a false sense...
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SH194: Surely if we blame and punish, things will be safer?
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...
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SH193: The problem with bringing Human Factors into Diving is...
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 âdiver error,â ignoring the broader...
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SH192: Quarks and Meows - the state of diving safety!
In this episode, we dive into the complex nature of safety in diving and explore why itâs not as simple as just following rules or avoiding accidents. Safety is shaped by people, technology, processes, and culture,...
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SH191: Are there Cobras in diving?
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...
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SH190: You can't learn from adverse events if you are going to blame
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...
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SH189: âPilot errorâ. Don't 'fix' the Pilot. âDiver errorâ. 'Fix' the diver.
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...
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