DAN's 2004 Injury/Fatalities Report

[hvulin]

statistics = exact science about not so exact numbers

all this numbers don't mean anything and should not be used for anything but drawing graphs...

what jerk actually calculated the "median depth" - when I go diving next time, I'll be very nervous at 92ft, but when I hit 100 it will be ok

The report is always pretty interesting. Here are some highlights i found in this years report (2002 data)



-reported dive injuries are down, but reported dive fatalities are up, but still very few at less than 100

From PDE data (voluntary survey of 17000 dives by 1500 divers)

-nitrox usage is up, and a higher % of women use nitrox than men by almost twice as much, though women still make up less than 30% of divers

-computers remain the most widely used method of planning a dive, and a larger amount of divers use guides

-most divers wait 22-30hrs before flying after diving

-of about 9000 dives, equipment problems were reported less than 1% of the time, with the weight belt and fins being most commonly reported at 44 times each

-there were 7 cases of DCS in the 17k dives, with an overall tendancy of 5.5 cases per 10k dives in the last 5 years

Injuries

-163 chambers reported about 1100 cases of DCS

-54% of injured had 5 or more years of diving since cert and 50% had less than 20 dives in the past 12 months

-injured divers were mostly using air, with 10% on nitrox, and 5% on heliox or trimix

-median depth for injured was 92ft

-most of the time symptoms of DCS appeard within 3-6hrs of diving, with 14% reporting symptoms before another dive!

Fatalities

-89 reported

-68% of male deaths were aged 40+

-men with 6yrs or more since cert were most frequent fatalities

-half of fatalities had reported equipment problems, with BC being most common, and computer in 1 case

Great report if you can get it. Might try Kazaa

 

[simbrooks]

-most of the time symptoms of DCS appeard within 3-6hrs of diving, with 14% reporting symptoms before another dive!

The rest of it doesnt sound all that high percentage wise, but this does appear a bit worrying, "i have symptoms, lets do that second dive!!" - i think this is quite wise.

Thankfully i havent seen the kind of stuff Mike Ferrera talks about (i also havent been diving anywhere near as long to see it) - but i try not to look at many other divers whilst diving, only those i consider good divers - who i try to study, emulate and work/talk with. I have seen a few poorer divers, but no near misses yet.

 

[Phaethon]

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[mania]

The report can be found on DAN's website but you need to be a member.

Changing a subject for a second. That's something I don't understand. I'm a member of DAN Europe but it doesn't allow me to enter the US website. And DAN US publishes reports much earlier than Europe.
Can somebody explain this to me?
Mania

 

[FreeFloat]

I look after my buddy as if they were uninsured family.

Spouses with a large life insurance policies are asking for trouble... ;^)

K.

Some people joke that if they buy it on a dive their buddy can keep their gear. Personally I also think that's asking for trouble...

 

[rcain1]

When I started the thread I was just trying to make the point that after reading the report it opened my eyes a bit.

I am sure if I read a report about 3000 lb cars I might re-think my driving habits. But seeing how I drive a 8500 lb truck others need to watch out! (JOKE)

 

[dc4bs]

Some people joke that if they buy it on a dive their buddy can keep their gear. Personally I also think that's asking for trouble...

Especially if you have way better gear than said buddy...
(Look out behind you!)

 

[pipedope]

If you dig into most accidents and incidents they have a chain of problems/mistakes that add up to a big problem.

From my own experience and observation it usually takes a string of 5 things in a row to make a major accident, rarely less than 4.

I get concerned when 2 things happen right together, if the third bad thing follows I am implimenting the terminate the dive plan. Four things in a row and it is a declared emergency and I am "outa there!"
After one of these situations I review and determine the cause and fix it before the next dive

 

[String]

Most incidents in most fields tend to be a chain of events over one failiure. In most areas where life support and other equipment is needed (diving,aviation etc) critical units are redundant and therefore a single failiure is unlikely to cause fatal problems. However a series of small failiures or a persons reaction after a failiure can do everything.

Aviation is the same, most incidents are 3 or more separate problems leading to an incident pit and very rarely does 1 single point of failiure cause disaster.

The only real diving exception i can thinkof is perhaps heart attack.

Its the so called "incident pit" that people are taught in training to recognise and avoid sliding into.

 

[jviehe]

My cave instructor called it pieces of pie. Small thing goes wrong, you take a piece, bigger thing goes wrong, you take a bigger piece. At some point theres not much left, and its time to call it.