All Episodes
Episodes
SH165: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” Or can you..?
In this episode, we explore the critical role of leadership and decision-making in diving safety, using a real-life story about a young instructor, “Jack,” who made a risky dive on a rebreather he wasn’t certified to...
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SH164: Plan to fail safely – Part 2: Passing the test doesn’t say it all
In this episode, we explore how listening to your inner voice can be a lifesaver, both in diving and everyday life. Bart Den Ouden shares his personal journey of uncovering severe heart issues despite passing regular...
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SH163: Who owns the risk in diving when something goes wrong?
In this episode, we delve into risk management and decision-making in diving, exploring the difference between personal and professional responsibilities. Using a case of a divemaster tasked with guiding divers on a...
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SH162: Plan to fail safely - teaching students/candidates for the real world
In this episode, we explore the importance of preparing for failure in diving education, inspired by Hal Watts' quote: “The most dangerous thing about diving is divers themselves.” Using a real-life example from a...
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SH161: ‘One mistake and you are dead’ – isn’t how accidents normally happen
In this episode, we explore the dangers of "normalisation of deviance"—the gradual erosion of safety standards through repeated shortcuts—and its impact on rebreather diving and other high-risk activities. Drawing on...
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SH160: Outcomes are so sexy and attractive…
This episode dives into the critical role of human factors in safety, using a tragic aviation incident and its parallels in diving to illustrate how distractions, pressures, and systemic issues contribute to...
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SH159: The best is the enemy of the good
In this episode, a newly qualified Human Factors in Diving Instructor shares their journey of grappling with impostor syndrome and the challenges of teaching human factors to divers. Despite over a decade of diving...
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SH158: Predictive Profiling & diving: “what deviates, deserves attention!”
This episode dives into the critical importance of recognizing deviations from the norm in diving, a concept rooted in situational awareness. Inspired by the 1972 attack at Lod Airport, Bart den Ouden draws parallels...
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SH157: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!
In this episode, we explore the pitfalls of blindly trusting technology through two cautionary tales—one about a GPS mishap in snowy Quebec and another about divers relying solely on their computers. Automation offers...
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SH156: CCR pre-dive checks and checklists are not always enough to prevent an equipment-based accident!
In this episode, we explore how safety in diving is not just about avoiding accidents but about building systems that can fail safely. Drawing on a real-life incident shared by Phil Short, we examine how a small...
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SH155: How safe is your diving?
In this episode, we dive into the concept of psychological safety and its critical role in diving and team performance. Psychological safety, defined as a shared belief that it's safe to take interpersonal risks,...
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SH154: The Importance of Decision Making in Setting Goals: Ensuring “The Juice is worth the Squeeze”
In this episode, we explore the double-edged nature of goal setting—how it drives achievement but can also lead to risky decisions when pressure and commitment override safety and judgment. Using examples from...
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