All Episodes
Episodes
SH153: Why āThey should haveā, ā...could haveā or āI would have..ā do not improve diving safety
In this episode, we explore the concept of counterfactual reasoningāour tendency to imagine how incidents could have been avoided by different actionsāand why it falls short in improving safety. While this type of...
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SH152: The Bend is Uninteresting...The Related Decisions Are Much More So
In this episode, we explore a personal account of a Garethās experience with decompression sickness (DCS) and the critical decision-making process that followed. The story dives into the internal monologue, biases,...
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SH151: When the holes line up...
In this episode, we explore Professor James Reason's Swiss Cheese Model, which helps explain how incidents occur when multiple safety barriers fail at different levels within a system. We discuss how organizational,...
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SH150: Are you a good enough diver?
In this episode, we dive into the concept of "good enough" in diving and how it relates to decision-making, risk, and safety. We explore why terms like "safe" and "good" are subjective and often influenced by context,...
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SH149: 'Choices': Guaranteed small loss or a probable larger loss, injury or fatality?
In this episode, we explore how decision-making under uncertainty plays a crucial role in scuba diving, drawing insights from Prospect Theory and real-life scenarios. We discuss how psychological factors, like loss...
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SH148: Risk of diving fatality is 1:200 000. However, you cannot be a fraction of deadā¦!
In this episode, we explore how risk is perceived and managed in diving, where emotions, biases, and mental shortcuts often outweigh logic and statistics. Diving fatalities are statistically rare, but those numbers...
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SH147: Dive safety leads to nothingness...and nothingness is unemotive!
How do you measure safety in diving? This episode dives into a real story of a dive team that adapted to an emerging safety risk when two divers, certified but inexperienced in drysuits and challenging conditions,...
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SH146: Why āeveryone is responsible for their own risk-based decisionsā isnāt the right approach to take to improve diving safety.
In this episode, we explore the decision-making challenges in diving, sharing a personal story of risky dives and lessons learned. A diver reflects on their early diving experiences, from breaking training depth...
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SH145: Cognitive Dissonance - Why you are right and I am wrong...Or are you?
In this episode, we dive into cognitive dissonanceāthe psychological discomfort of confronting facts that challenge our beliefsāand how it impacts decision-making and safety in diving. Drawing on insights from Black...
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SH144: Just another brick in (under) the wall...taking action
In this episode, we explore the gap between knowledge and action, focusing on how even small, intentional changes can lead to significant improvements in safety and performance. Drawing from examples like the WHO Safe...
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SH143: 'Entirely Predictable' vs 'Managing Uncertainty': How many rolls on the dice?
In this episode, we delve into the complexities of managing risk and uncertainty in diving, challenging the notion that accidents are "entirely predictable." Unlike measurable risks, diving involves countless...
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SH142: The standard you walk past is the standard you accept
The diving industry faces challenges in maintaining high safety standards due to a lack of effective feedback mechanisms and a fear of reprisal for reporting substandard practices. Feedback is essential for improving...
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