PADI 2009 Member Forum Risk Management Scenario - What the Customer Heard

Kathy, a certified diver, walks into her local PADI Dive Center. While looking at the items on sale, she overhears a conversation between two store staff regarding the type of Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) that they rent to customers. One of the staff appears to complain about the equipment but in reality is just stating his personal opinion.

Kathy’s dive buddy, John, is using one of the rented BCDs, and during their equipment check before the dive, Kathy has difficulty operating it. John is able to use it without problems, so they begin their dive. During their underwater tour, Kathy turns to see John making an uncontrolled ascent to the surface. When she surfaces, she finds him unconscious and signals the boat for assistance. The boat crew perform CPR but are unable to revive John. Back at the boat dock, Kathy is questioned by a police officer. During her statement she mentions that John appeared to ascend really fast and may have had a problem with his BCD. She also draws attention to the conversation she overheard in the dive center when staff appeared to say that there was a problem with this type of equipment.

The purpose of this video is to highlight how a discussion conducted in front of customers may be misinterpreted. Though a malfunctioning BCD was not the cause of this accident, Kathy’s statement becomes part of the official police report and will be used as evidence should a lawsuit be initiated against the dive center.