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The Scuba Doctor is the leading source for equipment for advanced and technical divers. We have supplied thousands of experienced tech and rebreather divers worldwide with quality scuba diving equipment from the finest manufacturers.
Every year experienced divers die in diving related avoidable accidents that should not have happened because the victim was "always so careful". One of the more common examples is a failure to analyse gas before diving, but there are many different types of avoidable accidents. The usual explanation put forward is a lapse in following their training, typically as a result of complacency. The victim is blamed for becoming complacent, the dive community is again reminded to be vigilant against complacency, and then another avoidable accident occurs. Perhaps a different way of explaining the cause of these predictable accidents could help effect a change in this unfortunate cycle.
The concept of Normalisation of Deviance has been used to describe the cause of NASA's flawed decisions that led to the Challenger space shuttle disaster. Normalisation of deviance from dive safety begins when the diver has a lapse in one or more safety protocols (often as a result of time and/or financial pressures) and nothing bad happens. The lapse reoccurs without incident and slowly the diver grows more accustomed to the deviant behaviour. Eventually the diver becomes so accustomed to a deviation from dive safety standards that they consider their unsafe behaviour to be acceptably normal. Ultimately one or more safety protocols are permanently deleted from their routine; enabling the diver have a serious, perhaps fatal, accident. To other divers, the accident is bewildering because the behaviour seems obviously unsafe and the victim had enough training and certainly enough experience to "know better".
It's clearly not productive to keep blaming the victim for these avoidable accidents. We can't solve this complex problem in a Tech Tip but a step to addressing this dive safety issue is to begin a discussion within the dive training community. Do we need a different educational approach that formally recognises and addresses normalisation of deviance as an underlying cause of many avoidable accidents among experienced divers? If you are an experienced diver, or dive professional, The Scuba Doctor urges you to raise awareness of this issue among your peers.
Trusted Scuba Advice
Drysuits, wetsuits and undersuits
at The Scuba DoctorOwning diving equipment represents a long-term investment in fun and safety. A good set of dive gear can last through years of diving and travel, take you to unforgettable experiences in incredible underwater environments and bring you home safely. It is important to buy the right gear for the type of diving you will do, ensure that it fits and is comfortable, be trained in its use and keep it serviced at recommended intervals.
The Scuba Doctor offers free advice to divers of all levels of qualifications on the right diving equipment to use and purchase for their particular scuba gear requirements. Whether you are a recreational diver just starting out, or a technical diver looking to "Do It Right", we have the scuba gear and diving equipment configuration advice you need.
OMS in stock at The Scuba DoctorUnlike normal dive shops whose prime business is to sell you the gear they have in their store, The Scuba Doctor's interest lies in making sure you have the right gear to suit your diving, within your budget, and we will recommend the best place to buy it. Our recommendations are truly unbiased.
Scuba Buying Guides
Not sure what to choose. Well we have Scuba Buying Guides to help you how to buy and what to buy. These are extensive advice pages written by our diving professionals which offer the best advice short of contacting us by phone, email or in person at our dive shop.
- Top Recreational Scuba Gear
- Scuba Fins Buying Guide
- Buying the Best Dive Mask
- Valentines Day Gifts for Scuba Divers
- Scuba Doctor Holiday Gift Guide 2018
Dive Gear Features You Need to Know About Before You Buy
Not sure about the key features you need to know about, and what you can ignore when buying dive gear? Then we also have the following pages to help you get to know what matters and what doesn't about the key features of dive gear.
- Mask Features
- Fixing Underwater Vision Problems
- Snorkel Features
- Fin Features
- BCD Features
- Regulator Features
Other Trusted Advice
Some other diving tips, tricks and warnings from The Scuba Doctor.
- Avoiding Mask Squeeze
- Wetsuit Donning Guide
- Save a Dive Kit
- How to Deploy a SMB
- How to Thread a Weight Belt Buckle
- How to Thread a Tank Cam Band Buckle
- Perfect Scuba Diving Weighting
- Buoyancy Control
- Nitrox Fills and O2 Cleaning Cylinders
- Scuba Diving Gas Analysis
- Assembling Twin Cylinders
- Scorkl Dangers
Once you have decided what you need, Buy Online or come by and see us, or call us on 03 5985 1700, or send an e-mail to diveshop@scubadoctor.com.au.
![Halcyon Infinity 30lb System [SS Small Backplate]](/diveshop/images/halcyon/Halcyon-Evolve-Wing.jpg "Halcyon Infinity 30lb System [SS Small Backplate]")
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