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 reporting safety metrics, we examine how well-intentioned systems can backfire when rewards drive undesirable behaviors. In the diving world, certifications, dive counts, and reporting systems can be gamed, undermining safety and learning. We discuss how fostering a culture of psychological safety, shared learning, and context-driven discussions can transform mistakes into opportunities for growth. The key takeaway? Be mindful of what you reward—learning and improvement should always take precedence over punitive measures or superficial metrics.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/are-there-cobras-in-diving

Links: Goodhart’s Law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodhart%27s_law

Scuba Accidents and Risk Management Techniques for Divers Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1612046102342961

The Human Diver: Human Factors in Diving Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/184882365201810

Weak signals: https://skybrary.aero/articles/weak-signals-approach-ansp-safety-performance

BMW celebrating failure: https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/emerald-publishing/the-acclaim-of-failure-why-bmw-reward-employee-mistakes-qmDonsLAav

Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Just Culture, Leadership, Psychological Safety, Teamwork

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 discuss how punishment often stifles honesty, trust, and meaningful learning by creating a culture of fear. Using real-world examples, like a tragic drysuit diving accident and the grounding of a liveaboard vessel, we examine systemic issues that contribute to failures and how biases like hindsight and severity affect our responses. Instead of focusing on blame, we advocate for systemic, science-based approaches to foster psychological safety, support accountability, and promote learning to prevent future incidents.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/blame-or-learn

Links: Modifying an accident process and its justice system: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092575352100093X?via%3Dihub

Punishment doesn’t change behaviours associated with errant behaviours: https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html

Managing accidents using retributive justice mechanisms: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925753520300746?via%3Dihub

Linnea Mills case: https://divernet.com/scuba-news/12m-lawsuit-follows-suit-squeeze-death/

Mission Improbable: Using Fantasy Documents to Tame Disaster: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3791858?seq=1

The likelihood of drift: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/being-a-deviant-is-normal

Modifying an accident process and its justice system: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S092575352100093X?via%3Dihub

CIEHF Guide to Learning from Adverse Events: https://ergonomics.org.uk/resource/learning-from-adverse-events.html

Socorro Vortex grounding: https://www.deeperblue.com/socorro-vortex-liveaboard-runs-aground/

Report from the Danish MAritime Accident Investigation Board: https://dmaib.com/reports/2021/beaumaiden-grounding-on-18-october-2021/

Cognitive biases that limit learning: https://gue.com/blog/drift-is-normal-being-a-deviant-is-normal-heres-why/

Identifying error prone or error producing conditions: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/human-error-in-diving-is-it-really-that-simple

Stoney Cove “Safety Stop” case: https://divernet.com/scuba-diving/diving-instructor-cleared-in-safety-stop-death-case/

Sidney Dekker’s Restorative Just Culture Checklist: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vkg0o4Fc8XWsAul-mkXNqD5lwokQ0ntP/view?usp=sharing

Tags:  English, Gareth Lock, Incident Analysis, Incident Investigation, Incident Reporting, Just Culture, Leadership, Psychological Safety

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 prevent pilot errors, and modern examples like changes to ATM processes to reduce card loss. Diving safety is also examined, highlighting the recurring nature of incidents and the limitations of focusing solely on human error without addressing systemic issues. Drawing on insights from safety science and Professor James Reason's work, we emphasize the importance of creating conditions that support human performance rather than blaming individuals for predictable mistakes. Tune in to learn how understanding and improving systems can lead to safer, more effective outcomes.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/fix-the-diver

Links: ‘Bad Apples’ blog: https://gue.com/blog/do-bad-apples-actually-exist/

Study from Denoble et al: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23955484_Common_causes_of_open-circuit_recreational_diving_fatalities

BSAC annual diving incident report: https://www.bsac.com/safety/diving-incidents/annual-diving-incident-report/

Forcing functions to reduce catastrophic failures: https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer/human-factors-engineering

Types of error: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/mistakes-errors-words-have-meaning

Perception of risk paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271767726_Perception_of_Risk

Tags:  English, Decision-Making, Gareth Lock, Non-Technical Skills

Status Quo Bias is the tendency to stick with familiar choices, even when better options exist, and it impacts decisions in many areas, including diving. From Coca-Cola's "New Coke" failure to nitrox's initial resistance in the diving world, this bias highlights our preference for the familiar and reluctance to embrace change. It shows up in dive site routes we repeat, equipment setups we hesitate to adjust, and training paths we follow without exploring alternatives. Being aware of this bias can help us question our habits, seek new perspectives, and make more informed decisions in diving and beyond.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/status-quo

Links: Maintaining the Status Quo: https://www.academia.edu/8285384/The_Psychology_of_Preferences?

…If there is choice overload: https://econweb.umd.edu/~masatlioglu/DKM.pdf

…if there are costs to consider: https://philarchive.org/archive/NEBSQB

Tags:  English, Cognitive Biases, Decision-Making, Leadership, Mike Mason

This episode dives into the complexities of risk, decision-making, and resilience, blending personal experience with critical lessons for divers and beyond. Host Gareth Lock recounts his journey from peak physical fitness to surviving a near-fatal cardiac event, emphasizing the importance of recognizing weak signals, confronting cognitive biases, and understanding that safety isn’t just about training or equipment but also mindset and preparedness. Gareth challenges us to think critically about risk, share vulnerabilities, and prioritize health and safety—not just for ourselves, but for those around us. This episode is a powerful reminder that resilience and change start with awareness and action.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/risks-decisions-lessons

Links: Fitness for Rescues video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOiHkpvp2NU

Willful blindness: https://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_the_dangers_of_willful_blindness?language=en

UK-DMC Post COVID score: https://www.ukdmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/UKDMC_COVID-19_diver_scorecard_Rev_1_20220209.pdf

Tags:   English, Cognitive Biases, Decision-Making, Gareth Lock

This episode explores the Efficiency Thoroughness Trade-Off (ETTO), a concept by Erik Hollnagel that explains how we balance being thorough and efficient in everyday tasks, including diving. Using relatable examples like incomplete checks and forgotten tasks, we discuss how time pressures and biases often lead us to prioritize productivity over safety—usually with successful outcomes, but occasionally with costly mistakes. We examine how ETTO influences individual and organizational decisions, highlighting strategies like checklists and clear communication to counteract its risks. By understanding these trade-offs, we can learn from past incidents and create safer, more effective systems in diving and beyond.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/ETTO

Links: If Only documentary: https://www.thehumandiver.com/ifonly

Behavioural economics: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-bend-is-uninteresting-the-related-decisions-are-much-more-so

ETTO paper: https://erikhollnagel.com/onewebmedia/ETTO.pdf

System 1 to System 2 thinking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfd8z3l3TYk

Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Incident Analysis, Non-technical Skills

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 how a seemingly small misunderstanding about gas pressure spiraled into a stressful situation, showcasing the impact of doubt and unspoken concerns within a team. Lessons learned include the value of speaking up, taking responsibility, and building a culture of questioning and trust. The story serves as a reminder that even experienced divers can learn from mistakes, reinforcing the idea that addressing doubts early can prevent cascading problems and improve team dynamics.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/whenever-there-is-any-doubt-there-is-no-doubt

Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Leadership Psychological Safety, Teamwork

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 highlights how unexamined habits can persist long after their original purpose is gone. In diving, the same applies to the debate over teaching students on their knees versus neutrally buoyant. While the former method made sense in the past, equipment advancements and new techniques now show better results with neutral buoyancy. Change, though, is hard—habits, convenience, and social norms all play a role. But by questioning the status quo, we open doors to improvements, whether it’s in teaching techniques, post-dive debriefs, or even gas analysis. Change may require effort, but the rewards can make it worthwhile. So, ask yourself: why have we always done it that way?

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/why-change-is-hard-in-diving

Tags:  English, Decision Making, Jenny Lord, Leadership

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 how systemic pressures, biases like hindsight and confirmation bias, and the gap between "work as imagined" and "work as done" influence decisions. We highlight the importance of Just Culture in fostering open discussions and meaningful learning, emphasizing that improving safety means addressing systemic issues, not just individual actions. Join us to rethink how we approach errors and build resilience in high-pressure environments.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/joining-dots-is-easy-if-you-know-the-outcome

Links: Last week’s blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/my-biggest-mistake

HFiD Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/184882365201810

Some cognitive biases: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/from_blaming_to_learning

RaDonda Vaught verdict: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/03/25/1088902487/former-nurse-found-guilty-in-accidental-injection-death-of-75-year-old-patient

Learning from RaDonda Vaught case: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/reckless-homicide-vanderbilt-just-culture-analysis-david-marx/

The learning line (page 7, section 6): http://sunnyday.mit.edu/16.863/rasmussen-safetyscience.pdf

Learning organisation: https://gue.com/blog/improvement-requires-learning-learning-happens-at-the-organizational-level-too/

Tags:  English, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Hindsight Bias, Just Culture, Psychological Safety

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 barriers, and assumptions led to a dangerous error—and the lessons learned from it. Highlighting the importance of psychological safety and robust pre-dive checks, we discuss why understanding "how it made sense at the time" is key to improving safety and preventing future mistakes. Tune in to rethink how we approach errors and learn from unintended outcomes.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/my-biggest-mistake

Links: Gareth’s blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/from_blaming_to_learning

Tags:  English, Cognitive Biases, Communications, Decision Making, Jenny Lord, Just Culture, Psychological Safety