Comprehensive list of all accidents

AD_ward9

CE actually encourages the HUD and BOV (EN61508 implications). IMHO, both should be fitted as standard, and am glad to see at least one company does just that (CCR Ltd).

Adding a HUD and BOV certainly increases the safety, so long as the diver plumbs a breathable gas into the BOV (not an hypoxic dil for example), and the controller that drives the HUD has a greater safety level than the handset. However, a bad HUD controller can be almost as deadly as a badly designed handset.

These items in any case come into the category of a PPO2 monitor (HUD), or safety fix (BOV), so the manufacturer should not touch them if added to a unit in for servicing, unless they know something adverse about the performance of that item on that equipment, in which case they should inform you.

Just an update: the list is now edging towards a tally of 120. Please keep PMs coming on accidents. I will post a list of all the dates we have later today.

Alex

AD_ward9

We do capture incidents. When we see them on Rebreather World and on other boards, or they come out during HAZOP reviews, we add them to the FMECA list.

Our FMECA is publically available, and we use it both in checking new designs and in accident investigations by reviewing the known facts and assign a probability of each of the items on the list being involved in that accident.

We also have a presentation listing some of these incidents. I will post the link this morning.

Alex

AD_ward9

Here is an Excel file with all the SCUBA rebreather fatal accidents we have so far: it is in PDF as Rebreather World does not support xls files. To get it back into Excel use Cut and Paste, then you can sort the data into unit order if you wish.

1st Jan Year, means generally there is insufficient data to pin down the date any closer than the year the accident happened.

The Excel file has the source, names and details removed. These details are available to DAN, training agencies and manufacturers on a confidential basis (i.e. with an NDA, so we can use accurate data without feeding lawyers).

We are probably still missing 15 or so accidents.

This is an initial dump: a much more detailed document giving the circumstances of each accident and the cause concluded by an "expert" committee reviewing those circumstances will be issued in due course. That will have all the information except for the names, which will be removed out of respect for those involved. You can imagine the time involved in doing this: each accident takes on average one day to review the facts, compare with the FMECA list, run some initial computer models for each case where sufficient data is available. A full accident analysis takes 10 to 20 days.

One thing is clear: rebreathers divers are dying in larger numbers than any of us suspected.

Thanks for your help in assembling this data. I emphasise it is still preliminary.

Alex

Attached Images

Fatal Accident List Preliminary 071010.pdf (48.1 KB, 276 views)

gtzavelas

could the location (country) be added to the public view list?

AD_ward9

Yes. Next week.

Alex

gerstl_ossi

Hi Alex, thanks for sharing. There are no KISS Rebreather accidents in the list. Is that true? What about the 3 homebuild. Are there data how many rebreathers are diving on the globe? How many Kiss and homebuilds. There are several BI accidents, but how many units are out there. The same with the Meg.
Waiting for more details.

Thanks for Your work puting together all that data.

Save diving Ossi from Italy

AD_ward9

There are no Jetsam KISS accidents.

There is a homebuild KISS accident, using the hydrogom valve.

On units out there, this will be published on our web site with our version of the analysis document: the units sold and units in use spreadsheet was removed when last posted because of complaints to Rebreather World.

I emphasise again that the table is still preliminary. We have sorted it numerous times, and there is I am sure the odd error, but the overall picture has been verified by putting names to almost every accident and checking the circumstances so the user definitely died, and was not just injured.

After saying all that, I will answer your question on the analysis thread just started.

Alex

Sten

I have had a look at your figures, and my question is:
What changes in 2005? There is a marked increase in rate from 2005 onwards.

/sten

__________________
Visionary

AD_ward9

More Rebreather users. One earlish in its product life took more than its fair share, and the other company simply got more units out there.

Alex

AD_ward9

Here is the latest update, with a few duplicate accidents removed (report had the wrong year), some others added that we missed, the odd one misallocated that was corrected.

Also,with our first stab at adding the extra columns people asked for: we will finish populating that this week.
Sorry for the number of gaps while we do this: only so many hours in a day, and we have kit that we need to get ready for DEMA... Busy time.

I have also sorted the list by Unit Type, then date.

When it says depth, generally that is not the depth the accident occured at. It is the deepest part of the dive, or the depth the body was recovered from, whichever is deeper.

If you are aware of any accident that did not occur on the date and place described please PM me, also PM me any details where we show a "-": it means the data is scant and we need more for that accident.

Alex

Attached Images

Fatal Accident List 071014.pdf (61.5 KB, 202 views)