All Episodes
Episodes
SH185: “Whenever there is any doubt, there is no doubt.”
This episode dives into a powerful, real-life story of a cave diving incident that highlights the importance of psychological safety, trust, and clear communication in high-stakes environments. The narrative explores...
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SH184: Why change is hard in diving
Why do we do things the way we do? This question is at the heart of a story about a family’s tradition of cutting the ends off meat before cooking—a habit traced back to a Great Grandmother’s small tray. The tale...
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SH182: Joining Dots is Easy, Especially If You Know the Outcome
In this episode, we discuss the complexities of learning from mistakes and adverse events in diving and beyond. Using real-world examples, including a technical diving error and a high-profile medical case, we explore...
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SH182: My Biggest Mistake: Context Driving Behaviour
In this episode, we explore how context drives behavior and how mistakes can happen even to experienced professionals. Sharing a personal story about a diving oversight, we examine how time pressures, language...
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SH181: “Blame is the enemy of safety” - moving from blaming to learning
Mistakes, slips, and lapses are a natural part of human performance, influenced by factors like training, time pressures, and equipment design. While rule-breaking may seem deliberate, it's often shaped by context,...
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SH180: Challenger Safety: As an Instructor, don't I lose control?
In this episode, we explore how instructors can balance leadership with fostering psychological safety in diving education. Psychological safety, defined as a "rewarded vulnerability," is crucial for creating...
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SH179: How and Why Checklists Work
In this episode, we explore the importance of checklists in diving, inspired by lessons from aviation and medicine. After a tragic 1935 plane crash, pilots introduced simple checklists to reduce human error—an...
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SH178: The Importance of Experience: Expertise is different to Experience
Experience and practice are crucial for making better decisions, especially in uncertain situations, but they aren’t the same. Perfect practice builds expertise, while varied experiences across different environments...
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SH177: We see what we think we’re looking for
In this episode, we explore how human perception and assumptions can lead to critical errors, using real-world examples like the tragic 1994 friendly fire incident where two US helicopters were mistaken for enemy...
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SH176: How to Integrate Human Factors Education into a New Diving Class: A Real World Example
In this episode, we discuss integrating Human Factors training into technical diving courses, inspired by a new program blending eLearning, hands-on skills, and real-world exploration. The program emphasized teamwork,...
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SH175: You can't pay MORE attention: the myth of 'loss of situation awareness'
In this episode, we explore the complexities of situational awareness (SA) in diving and why it's often only recognized as missing after an event has occurred. SA involves interpreting sensory data and predicting...
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SH174: When The Rescuer Nearly Needs Rescuing! - Task Fixation
In this blog, a diver reflects on a simulated rescue scenario during a PADI Rescue Course, highlighting critical lessons about human factors in diving. The incident underscores the impact of high task focus, reduced...
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