Press Release
Received from: NAUI

NAUI Launches Automated DAN Student Membership Program

NAUI

The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) is proud to announce a groundbreaking advancement in diver safety: the launch of the DAN Student Membership Program automation, an initiative that streamlines the process of protecting student divers through free, automatic access to DAN Student Dive Accident Insurance.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Ten Commandments of Tech Diving Ops, Part II

In part one of this series, which appeared in issue #103, I suggested a few commandments to consider in order to ensure, as far as possible, that your technical dives are safe and successful. These were: First commandment: Prepare paperwork; Second commandment: Nominate a supervisor; Third commandment: Deploy safety divers. In this sequel, I deliver a few more tablets of stone.

Words:
Simon Pridmore
Images:
Andrey Bizyukin
Cave diver. Photo by Andrey Bizyukin.
➥ Download the full article as pdf ⬅︎
Op'eds and commentaries

Fourth commandment: Use an ascent platform and a decompression station

Every dive plan should include a fixed ascent route—whether this is a shot line, an anchor line or a reef wall. An ascent using individual DSMBs (delayed surface marker buoys), or even just one DSMB deployed by a nominated team member, should never be the primary ascent plan. That should always just be an emergency measure, used in the event that the designated ascent route cannot be followed for some reason.

Press Release
Received from: DAN

DAN Introduces Continuing Education for Dive Professionals

DAN

This free program focuses on risk mitigation and is now available to all dive professionals via DAN E-Learning. DAN expects this program will not only enhance divers’ safety but will also help reduce dive operators’ liability risk.

To encourage participation, DAN is offering discounted premiums on individual professional liability and group professional liability insurance to all DAN members who complete the e-learning, which can be done in about an hour. 

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Ten Commandments of Tech Diving Ops, Part I

Today, technical diving is well into its fourth decade. We now have better tools, technology and systems than we did in the past and we know far more about which methods, decompression strategies and gear configurations work well and which do not.

Words:
Simon Pridmore
Images:
Andrey Bizyukin
➥ Download the full article as pdf ⬅︎
Op'eds and commentaries

There are more people doing technical dives than ever before and there are more professional dive operations catering to technical divers. Far from being an outlier, as it was in the early days, technical diving is now just another branch of the mainstream scuba diving world.

However, despite these developments, divers are still coming to harm on technical dives in the same way they did a generation ago.

As in so many other fields of human experience, familiarity breeds complacency and this leads to overconfidence, negligence and carelessness.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Diver Error Highlights the Lethality within the System

Diving is not without risk—there is always a chance of death. There is always a latent or potential lethality within the “system”—where system is defined as the equipment, people and the physical, social or cultural environment. We cannot make diving 100 percent safe despite what anyone tells you. We can make things safer, but we cannot make diving safe.

Words:
Gareth Lock
Images:
Gareth Lock
Download the full article as pdf ⬇︎
Tech and Training

Most of the time, it is the diver’s skills, knowledge and attitude that prevents those risks from being materialised and an injury or fatality from happening. However, when errors happen, the latent or hidden lethality within the system is exposed. Sometimes, there is some luck involved in preventing a fatality or serious injury. However, luck should never be considered part of the plan for anything other than those genuine expeditions that are really pushing the boundaries.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Defensive Diving, Part 2

In Part I of this two-part series (see issue 100), I made a correlation between scuba diving and driving a car, particularly in the context of learning how to anticipate and assess dangerous situations, make well-informed sensible decisions and stay safe—things that motorists tend to group together under the catch-all phrase of defensive driving.

Words:
Simon Pridmore
Images:
Download the full article as pdf ⬇︎
Tech and Training

I also outlined a defensive diving strategy involving how to use your dive computer. Here are a few more strategies that I see as intrinsic to the defensive scuba diving concept, where “defensive” carries the same meaning as in the motoring world, that is: safe, careful, conservative and thoughtful.

Avoid the “normalisation of deviance” pitfall

In a nutshell, normalisation of deviance is having a safe procedure, then cutting a corner on this procedure and continuing to cut the same corner until it becomes routine and you rationalise that the corner-cutting makes sense.

X-RAY MAGAZINE FEATURE

Defensive Diving, Part 1

When we learn to scuba dive, we are given a little knowledge and taught some basic skills. We take a theory test and demonstrate that we can perform the skills and that’s it, we get a licence.

Words:
Simon Pridmore
Images:
Download the full article as pdf ⬇︎
Tech and Training

Subsequently, as we do more diving, we gradually improve our skills and we experience various problems. By achieving mastery of the skills and dealing with the issues we encounter, we acquire the ability to anticipate problems and to avoid or manage dangerous situations.

As you might recognise, this is similar to the process of learning to drive a car. In diving as in driving, however, what guarantee is there that experience will teach you everything you need to know?

Press Release
Received from: Media Consultant Fiona Scott

Human Factors in Diving Conference Coming up

Gareth Lock

The first event of its kind, the conference provides a unique opportunity to share the knowledge and skills to make diving safer, more effective and more enjoyable, by allowing divers and instructors to take more informed risks and reduce uncertainty.

FIRST EVER HUMAN FACTORS IN DIVING CONFERENCE IS LAUNCHED AND PLACES ARE LIMITED 

DAN advocates a safe return to diving

Divers Alert Network has added its weight to the key message issued by the British Diving Safety Group and the British Sub Aqua Club in February 2021.

Kyarra 100, British wreck diving, two female scuba divers, Rosemary E Lunn, Roz Lunn, XRay Mag, X-Ray Magazine, scuba diving news, dive safety information
Dive Industry News and Matters
DAN

For the past 12 months most divers have not been able to dive as much as they would like, and many haven’t dived at all. Now that the rollout of the Coronavirus vaccine program has commenced, and the weather improving, it seems that various COVID-19 regional lockdowns are beginning to ease, and scuba diving activities should begin to resume in several Northern Hemisphere countries.

If you’ve been out of the water for a while, it’s essential to take time planning your safe return to diving. DAN

Stings & Scrapes - Part 1

The ocean’s flora and fauna are why many of us dive, but they’re also responsible for thousands of injuries every year. The good news is that while common, these injuries are rarely serious and can usually be avoided with a little planning and forethought. 

Medical & Fitness
DAN

While the most exotic of these potentially dangerous organisms are fairly well known, the more mundane sometimes cause uncertainty. Know what’s most likely to cause an injury on your next dive so you can relax and enjoy making bubbles.

In part one of this two-part series we’ll refresh your knowledge of wound care and treating common marine stings; next month we’ll cover injuries that involve scrapes, bites and penetrating wounds.

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