Does Accident Analysis Really Help?
Thirty years+ has passed by since Sheck Exley?s Blueprint to Survival was first published in 1977. Statistically, it has proven to be on target when evaluating the book?s foundation of information compared to the reality of the 250+ fatalities that have tragically occurred during that time. However, does this information really benefit the students who pursue participating in this high risk activity and for certified, qualified cave divers? Much has changed during the past three decades in regard with the evolution of equipment, the educational information process, the training certification programs and the cave diver population. Cave diving has dramatically progressed into a much more technical demanding activity. Mixed gases, sophisticated decompression procedures whether computer generated models or custom-made mathematical logarithms, closed-circuit rebreathers, long range diver propulsion vehicles, side-mount configurations, extended range/multiple cylinders with a variety of gases and so on has made cave diving and the cave diver into different classes of specialized diving.
Has enough information and data been collected and formulated to determine if our foundation of rules really contribute to the safety of the sport? That is a questionable challenge as little has been done to analyze the data and develop our cave diver training programs. Exley?s agenda was based around the non-cave trained diver entering a cave with no clue how to do it safely. The three basic reasons were:
?ot using a continuous guideline
?ailure to have two-thirds gas supply for the exit.
?iving too deep.
During the early 1980?s, the training and lights were added to the list of rules. This established the five rules taught in the following order:
?o cave diving training.
?ot using a continuous guideline.
?ailure to have two-thirds gas supply for the exit.
?iving too deep.
?ot using a minimum three lights.
For cave divers, the rules are narrowed and arranged highlighting the recommended risk issues:
?iving too deep.
?ot using a continuous guideline.
?ailure to have two-thirds gas supply for the exit.
The question to be asked; are the above risks really accurate to diagnose the statistical analysis of all the cave diver fatalities during the past fifteen years? Life is a constant evolution and the same is true with the continuing advances of cave and technical diving. During the early 1980?s, there was a vocal conception amongst many of the cave diving community that trained, certified cave divers do not die as there were very few cave diver accidents. The 1990?s and to the present day has completely erased that perception as cave diver fatalities statistically has increased because of a variety of reasons, many not related to the three risk factors.
Why is this happening? Is it because there are more divers participating in cave diving? The answer is absolutely No. The answer is the diving equipment industry and the numerous scuba prevalent training agencies balance to maintain a flow of people participating in the sport of scuba diving and maintain a sense of quality control that makes scuba diving attractive, accessible and still keep the edge of profitability. During the 1960?s and 1970?s, the scuba diving training courses were physically challenging and time demanding. It was a system that separated the strong to success and weeded out the weak. The end product was usually a competent scuba diver who could physically and comfortably handle most conditions presented by the variety of available diving environments whether it be boat, wrecks, beach, kelp, river, lake, quarry, springs, sinkholes, reefs, etc. During the 1980?s the growth and competitive structure of the scuba diving industry started changing the training environment. The urgency was making the training programs friendlier and better accessibility with time and opportunity. Basically, it is a numbers game as the more people participating, the more equipment to be sold. However, there is a price to be paid when you want to make an outdoor, equipment dependent activity more appealing to the mass public. And that is to make the open water training undemanding and simpler. For the majority of people who choose to participate in scuba diving their major interest is shallow, warm water reefs with pretty fishes, today?s open water training adequately works. However, the dilution of the open water training has weakened the system to allow Scuba Instructors with feeble skills teaching to poorly trained students to participate. This deterioration has been in a prevalent decline for the past twenty-five years.
During this same period of time the world of scuba diving has transformed into a more extensive and very advanced technological diving community. The opportunity for poorly skilled open water divers who are interested to successfully develop and grow into competent technical and/or cave divers is skewed not in their favor. If a scuba diver cannot perform satisfactorily basic skills with buoyancy control, trim and swimming kicks and is psychologically not comfortable with the higher levels of risk of cave & technical diving, how can one believe they will do well? It is an accident waiting to happen.
Deep diving presents its own set of hazards. Physiological problems such as narcosis management, oxygen poisoning, harmful levels of CO2 and decompression administration are one group of problems. Add time pressure, physical exertion, hasty gas consumption and stress and you have multiplied the risks. The statistical analysis of cave diving fatalities clearly shows depth as the greatest risk. However, most of these accidents involved air as the breathing medium. With gas mixtures readily available and technical training programs in place offering the information and structure to properly prepare and execute deeper dives with better dependability and a safer risk. Therefore, performing deep air dives makes no sense. Another question to ask is what is too deep? That is determined by each individual?s training, experience and comfort zone. When cave divers add deeper depths to the equation, it is moving from the minor leagues into the major league. The consequences of the risks must be clearly understood.
Another factor that is not measured statistically is the human body. It is generally understood that the majority of cave divers are in their late thirties and going strong into their forties as most individuals reach a certain point in their life to have the economic ability to afford this equipment intensive activity. There is a growing population of cave divers in their fifties and, remarkably, several cave divers in their sixties. Age is a concern dictated in how properly we take care ourselves. Your body is a temple. How well you take care your body is determined by your lifestyle and discipline. There have been five cave diver fatalities proven to be initiated by a heart attack and a few more suspected. A healthy diet, efficient exercise and eliminating bad habits such as smoking are strong points to increase your enjoyment of life and decrease the risk of health problems that could jeopardize your diving pleasure.
Statistically, there have been six cave diver fatalities where solo cave diving was part of the scenario. A competent dive buddy would have prevented five of these accidents. Should solo cave diving analyzed into our basic rules?
Two cave diver fatalities are attributed to contaminated air in their diving cylinders. Two cave diver fatalities have been attributed to poor management of their decompression gases. Two cave diver fatalities have occurred because of too rich of their Eanx mix. And the second leading cause of cave diving fatalities in the western hemispheres is confusion. There have been eight known fatalities where cave divers could not find their way of the cave system. Not paying attention to details being the main culprit.
As cave diving moves forward in the progress with technology and the continuing pursuit of exploring extreme environmental conditions, the cave diving community needs to make a continuing valid assessment of the risks associated with our sport. Our five rules of accident analysis gives us a solid foundation of information to abide by and works suitably in our training programs. However, there is more to the traditional principles that needs to be clearly identified and defined with the risks of cave diving.
Just Because You are Certified Does Not Mean You are Qualified.
We have established training as our number one rule and the foundation for safety and education. However, there are too many cave divers who value the certification card as a merit badge or an induction into the Hall of Ego fame. The certification card proves only one thing. You have successfully completed a formal course of instruction introducing you to a unique and beautiful environment that presents a much higher degree of risk.
It is your responsibility to make the commitment to excellence. It requires common sense and a personal assessment of honesty towards yourself and your diving partners. You must completely understand and appreciate the risk and be in command of any problems. You must be able to recognize and understand your personal limitations for any particular dive. That means being aware of your particular abilities and level of comfort. Experience is the best teacher. The only way to become a competent cave diver is diving the caves. The training you acquired gave you a license to recognize the value of the risks with diving the caves. It is your responsibility as a certified cave diver to use the learned information and properly prepare for each particular dive in the safest conduct to the best of your ability.