Dysbaric osteonecrosis in technical divers: The new ‘at-risk’ group?

Introduction: Dysbaric osteonecrosis (DON) in people working under increased atmospheric pressure is well documented. It is generally less common in military and commercial divers than in caisson workers, except in some high-risk groups, such as in many indigenous diving industries where workers have little or no understanding of decompression principles. With the increasing popularity within the recreational diving community of deep air and mixed-gas decompression diving (‘technical diving’), it is likely that diving physicians may see an increase in the prevalence of DON in this group in the future. Methods: The case report is presented of a technical diving instructor, with a 30-year history of deep diving, who developed bilateral humeral head DON and required a right shoulder hemi-arthroplasty. A focused literature search was also undertaken to identify published cases of DON in recreational divers. Results: The frequency, duration and depth of exposure to pressure, inadequate decompression, the occurrence of DCS and increasing age have been common features associated with DON in both divers and caisson workers. Many of these features were present in this technical diver. Conclusions: Whilst DON is uncommon in recreational air scuba divers, all the above risk factors are present to a greater degree in technical diving. It is suggested that medical review for DON is merited from time to time in this potentially high-risk group of recreational divers.

Resilience development: learnings for organisations from technical diving

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to follow the general question, how technical rebreather divers ensure their survival during performing of highly demanding dives – and what organisations could learn from these practices. As one form of complex adaptive system, technical divers perform different routines before and during the dive. These practices are formally trained and also informally mediated and developed. After investigating theoretical concepts like high reliability organising, Safety-I and -II as well as organisational resilience management, the authors scope on the existing risk and resilience practices in technical rebreather diving. Finally, the insights of the empirical research are used to make the transfer to the field of management studies – and ask relevant questions regarding their applied resilience intelligence. Design/methodology/approach The empirical research is analysed by applying Hollnagel’s Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM) which leads to the reconstruction of an extended resilience management model for technical rebreather diving. The model development bases on a field study which comprised 300 hours of observations. Findings The findings are depicted in an FRAM model that exactly shows how technical divers perform high reliability operations and thus manages and increase the resilience of their socio-technical system. Research limitations/implications Research results show the depicted model and the potential learnings for organisations and organisational resilience. However, the research remains inductive and is qualitative. Deductive and quantitative research would enrich and complete the picture. Practical implications The research is informative and offers an interdisciplinary but comprehensive bridge between the specific high reliability organisations/resilience practice of technical divers and the potential learnings for organisations. Companies can take the identified categories and mechanisms to match them to their own resilience activities. Social implications Increasing organisational resilience means to increase societal resilience and thus sustainability. The research aims to support this interdisciplinary learning process. Originality/value The originality lies in the research object itself (technical diving practices), that never has been researched with an FRAM before. It is an interesting, comprehensive and interdisciplinary show case that is used to derive practical considerations for companies to strengthen their organisational resilience.

Peces registrados en ambientes mesofóticos de Bajo Frijol, la porción más somera del Parque Nacional Natural Corales de Profundidad, usando buceo técnico CCR

In order to contribute to the knowledge of the biodiversity of the Corales de Profundidad Natural National Park, an annotated list of 80 fish species recorded in mesophotic environments in the Bajo Frijol is presented. Observations were done through technical diving with O2ptima Rebreather closed circuit equipment and Trimix. The importance of the protected area as a marine biodiversity reservoir in the continental Caribbean of Colombia is remarked.