SH280: This Could Happen to Any Dive Operator: What We Can Really Learn From The Perth Diving Academy Incident
Episode Description
This episode explores the serious incident in which two divers were accidentally left behind by a dive boat near Rottnest Island while diving with Perth Diving Academy. Rather than treating it as the failure of one operator, the discussion looks at how a simple error—such as a headcount mistake—can reveal deeper weaknesses in safety systems that may exist across the dive charter industry. It explains how many operations rely on habits, assumptions, and informal checks that usually work, but can fail when conditions change. The episode also looks at the limits of fines and punishment, which rarely help the wider industry learn unless there is transparency about what actually went wrong. Instead of blaming a “bad operator,” the focus is on understanding how safety systems drift over time, why single points of failure are dangerous, and how stronger safety comes from multiple checks, open feedback from staff and customers, and a culture of continuous improvement that looks for problems before they turn into accidents.
Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/post/this-could-happen-to-any-dive-operator
Links: Australian Maritime Safety Authority: https://www.amsa.gov.au/
How we measure safety in diving: https://www.thehumandiver.com/post/what-does-safe-mean
Systems in diving: https://www.thehumandiver.com/post/the-road-to-excellence-systems-and-structure-form-the-foundation-of-a-culture-of-improvement