In this episode, we dive into the complex nature of safety in diving and explore why it’s not as simple as just following rules or avoiding accidents. Safety is shaped by people, technology, processes, and culture, creating a socio-technical system where risks must be managed dynamically. We discuss how perceptions of safety differ among individuals and organisations, the influence of rewards and biases on decision-making, and the balance between taking risks and achieving goals. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own approach to diving safety, develop skills to manage uncertainties, and embrace a mindset of continuous learning to build resilience and mitigate failures.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/quarks-and-meows-the-state-of-diving-safety

Links: Rasmussen’s Drift: https://youtu.be/SPa9Th9Fwh4

Schrodinger's cat: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schr%C3%B6dinger%27s_cat

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

The importance of experience: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/the-importance-of-experience

High-reliability teams and organisations: https://www.high-reliability.org/the-five-principles-of-weick-sutcliffe

High reliability organisations are learning organisations too: https://gue.com/blog/improvement-requires-learning-learning-happens-at-the-organizational-level-too/

Tags:  English, Decision-Making, Gareth Lock, Leadership, Safety Culture