Who is responsible for what?

[bowlofpetunias]

Well said Jim but I would like to point out that this is the right philosophy for everything we do! Mechanics save lives every day by the work they do for instance. Are we trying to do our best in all areas of our life to "do the right thing" by those we come in contact with?

Sometimes it is easier and safer to keep quiet... not create waves or be "the whistle blower". In the end we are all responsible to help where we can, to point out dangers and to "protect the vulnerable". Of course this doesn't mean we should be POV warriors, pushy or control freaks. If you see someone entering into a dangerous situation and you give a gentle warning that is ignored.. they have to take responsibility for the outcomes... if you say nothing... IMHO

and the legal position of workplace safety laws in Australia

you have to accept some of that responsibility ...putting away my

[Den7]

*cut short* ...The cave community has rule that any diver can end a dive at any time with no explanation given. Once the signal is given the dive is over. period. end of discussion. Too bad this is not passed on in many OW classes. Peer pressure, money, wishing to not look bad, all seem to take the place of intelligence and common sense... *cut short*

That's a great remark! (the one quoted above). I had come to it on my own first before I found it written in some diving manuals. I thought since I was the only one responsible for my life (in diving) therefore nobody will ever make me do anything that would jeopardize my safety and put my life at risk whether it is in accordance or not with the laws, rules, DMs', ops', captains', or just anybody else's at all instructions, wishes, preferences, commands, plans or any other stuff like that. This is my life and I will safe and protect it just in ANY way I possibly can! What can be more important than your life? Peer pressure, money, wishing not to look bad?.. Personally I'd prefer to look bad and stay alive than to look good but to be dead...

All in all it was a very nice attempt to define philosophy and psychology of diving. Good job! Well done! I am sure it will make people think twice and re-evaluate if this is the activity they would really want to get involved. You may also want to add some detailed medical descriptions on how barotrauma / pneumothorax and decompression illnesses are treated. How pleural puncture is done (they jab in all kinds of special pipes and tubes inside your chest that also very often leads to your chest veins ripped off making you heavily bleed on top), then thoracoscopy comes in (insertion of a special endoscope inside the holes of your chest for visual examination). Finally, for severe cases they could perform thoracotomy (cutting your chests' ribs [wall] wide open to access lungs, throat, aorta, etc. for surgery purposes). Up to now the thoracotomy has been the subject of intense debate as it has numerous side-effects that estimate only 60% of survival rate after surgeries... Plus if you add decompression to it (the description above was for barotrauma) then it all would have to be treated in a pressure chamber which would make things awfully complicated unless your decompression condition results in an immediate death... Therefore I believe that reading some more on how diving traumas are treated might help you define if this is the price you perhaps would be willing to pay for simply looking at fish or whatever other activity you are going to be up to under water if something (God forbid) goes wrong...

[n733lk]

I have not even had my Discovery Dive yet, but am trying to get as much info as I can. As a recreational pilot, we use the same philosophy you suggest; the Pilot in Command makes the FINAL go-no go decision. If the pilot doesn't feel comfortable with any aspect fo the planned flight, he has the responsibility to say, "no" this flight is not going to happen.

Of course flying has its risks, but if you are prepared, well trained, and don't fly above your skill level, you will be just fine.

I look forward to becoming Certified and enjoying the adventures ahead.

[Tide19]

I just want to add to the chorus of praise for this post, Jim.

I'm only at dive #9, and was just certified this spring, but reading this post has really influenced my overall approach and philosophy for diving. Because of timeframes, travel requirements, and a crappy dive operator I actually went through three different shops getting my OW cert.

I worked with a very good outfit close to home for my classroom work and my confined water dives, and then did my first two checkout dives with an operator on Grand Cayman. Our instructor saw my buddy and I as a nuisance and was reluctant to teach, and as a result we chucked him and moved to a different operator for checkouts #3 and #4. Our final instructor was great, but I still came away with a somewhat fragmented approach to diving.

Your post helped me bring everything together, and has influenced the way I'm approaching my continuing education as a diver; building up experience through very conservative local dives with a buddy and no DM, and looking for ways to gain new skills the right way by seeking out good instructors and dive masters for more challenging dives and/or classes.

Thanks for the post. Thanks also to the other experienced divers here that have the same apoproach and concern for people that are new to the sport.

[idivethesea]

Thank you for taking the time to make this post, it's extremely well said.

We are always" Pilot in Command" of everything we do in life, not only diving.

[alisonkcole]

I Love all the water sports and diving is one of my favorites . But , I know it can lead to dangerous accidents with few safety precaution we should avoid them to happen .

[Islandheart]

Good job Jim !

This should be required reading for all divers, not just the new ones.

Regards

[Jim Lapenta]

I just wanted to bump this thread as I have received a few more thanks for it. I'm glad to see that it has had some small effect on people. If it only gets them to think about what they are doing or about to do. Currently I'm working on a presentation dealing with communication. It falls right in line with this thread and the post that started it. In the last 3 years or so I have had the priviledge of meeting and communicating with some great people as a result of this thread. It started the route I have taken as an instructor and was the basis for all of the essays and talks I have done. It was the seed for my book. Which although sales have slowed there are still orders coming in from time to time.

Taking responsibility for your self and your diving has so many facets that can be worked on and practiced if you know what they are and where to start. Everything I do as an instructor is done in order to try and give the student a starting point for those efforts. As a speaker I work to develop talks that get the listeners involved and educate them in taking the lead in planning and conducting their dives safely.

I enjoy doing these talks and whenever possible do them at no charge. There are times when that is not possible. I'd love to have a dive club or show ask me to give one of my presentations in Hawaii! However they would need to pick up the tab for airfare. As that is not likely I have been kicking around the idea of video taping them for you tube and making them available for everyone. The only thing holding that up is time and not having a good video camera and experienced person to work it.

I'd appreciate some feedback on this and perhaps some suggestions as to what format you'd like to see, how to embed a power point, or film the talks and showing the powerpoints on a big screen. My only goal in this is to get the information to as wide an audience as possible. The next talk I will be doing will be at Scubafest in Columbus. That will be in March and it will be titled

Diver Communication - When, How, and Why

I'd love to see a bunch of you there. And if you have a video camera please feel free to bring it!

[garydemos]

This was a very sobering read - and I needed it. As a complete newbie I finished my OW cert. in October, 2011 and had my first ocean dive experience at Grand Cayman last week (February 12, 2012). I went on 3 2-tank dives on two different days with a friend and the dive masters (went with 2 different dive shops) were great people and very helpful, but after reading your posts Jim I am beginning to realize how much I don't know and how much of a nonchalant attitude I had.

My very first ocean dive was "little tunnels" off the west bank at Grand Cayman and we went right down to 110 ft. and I looked at my depth and thought "heck - this is nothing" so I had very little regard for the depth and thought it was pretty easy. On the third dive we also went to 100' and again I was thinking it was a piece of cake - but I did have the thought that if I needed to get to the surface quick I really could not - I was trapped. I quickly tried getting that thought out of my mind by concentrating on some fish and that did seem to work for me. I was pretty proud of myself for 6 wonderful dives and all the beauty that I took in but I now have more appreciation of the responsibility I took so lightly. Thanks for the head-on collision this article had on my overly confident attitude!

[Roadkingjim]

Thanks for the valuable information. I haven't been in the water for 30 years. I took a home study PADI Scuba Tune up course with a trip planed for the Cayman Islands. After passing it and no problem with the pool exercises I was getting excessive leg cramps. At that point my dive instructor felt my skills were above average and invited me on a two tank OW dive. After much heartache I had to refuse. I was afraid I would not be able to make a dive and take care of myself or be a good buddy for someone if I got another series of cramps out on a dive trip. So they offered me a shore dive to get my feet wet and see how it goes. I'll do the shore dive and hopefully get my recertification. It wasn't easy to refuse a dive in one of the nicest dive spots in the Caribbean but I want to be around for a while and not rely on a buddy I don't know for my safety. Also what kind of buddy would I be if I don't have the confidence for my partner.