Buddy Checks - do you do them?

[TSandM]

Trace, that's funny. I simply can't imagine having turned to David Rhea and told him I hadn't noticed him checking all his gear before our class dives

 

[orm]

R- releases. Don't have any.

Tank strap release?

 

[Diver0001]

Tank strap release?

Nope. bolted on.

 

[DaleC]

I won't argue that buddy checks aren't a good thing but to expand the discussion a bit and play devils advocate I will question motivations and wonder if they a tool to ensure diver safety or an accomodation that reenforces negative behaviors?

Because of the way I dive I have been forced to develop a method of pre dive checks that ensure my gear is present and functional before I hit the water. Whatever I do has to work reliably and repetitively because I don't have someone checking my homework (so to speak). It's nice if it's there but I'm not depending on it.
If one allows themselves the "out" of knowing that another diver will check over their rig in case they forgot something does that encourage them to be diligent in their own affairs or to become overtly buddy dependant?

Before you get the flamethrowers out I know of several husband and wife teams (for example) wherein the wife knows very little of the gear or dive plan and just relies on the husband to "figure that stuff out". And yes, husbands could be just as clueless as their wives, I just haven't seen it personally.

Buddy checks are definately a good "sane second thought" and a good way to build team awareness but they can also become a crutch that lazy divers depend upon instead of becoming more disciplined and educated themselves. If a diver jumps in without their air turned on they have somehow managed to a.) not check either reg function properly, b.) not checked their BCD inflator properly, c.) not checked their DS inflator properly, and d.) not checked their SPG properly. I would accept that behavior in a new diver and show them how to systemize their approach to correct it but in an experienced diver I would wonder when they were going to take the game seriously.

OK, I've stuffed my drysuit with asbestos so I am safe: Flame on!

 

[Sas]

Buddy checks are definately a good "sane second thought" and a good way to build team awareness but they can also become a crutch that lazy divers depend upon instead of becoming more disciplined and educated themselves. If a diver jumps in without their air turned on they have somehow managed to a.) not check either reg function properly, b.) not checked their BCD inflator properly, c.) not checked their DS inflator properly, and d.) not checked their SPG properly. I would accept that behavior in a new diver and show them how to systemize their approach to correct it but in an experienced diver I would wonder when they were going to take the game seriously.

Dale, going to have to disagree! (from my own experience). Basically most people don't seem to do buddy checks beyond their OW. The ones that do continue it tend to be conscientious enough to have checked themselves fairly well before buddy checks are done. So basically buddy checks are only catching mistakes (which everyone makes). It is not often I find a problem in my buddy's gear and vice versa. But anyway, perhaps your experience is different.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Trace, that's funny. I simply can't imagine having turned to David Rhea and told him I hadn't noticed him checking all his gear before our class dives

Since he was the cave instructor and perhaps would be creating failures, placing you in situations that might affect gear, or creating team stress his gear is just as important to the team if not more important.

You may have scored some points. Maybe not right away. But, I think that would have given David something to chew on besides a toothpick.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

I won't argue that buddy checks aren't a good thing but to expand the discussion a bit and play devils advocate I will question motivations and wonder if they a tool to ensure diver safety or an accomodation that reenforces negative behaviors?

While I agree that each diver should be capable of doing his or her own thorough check independently, when diving in a team, air/gas and equipment become a team resource and a team responsibility. The ultimate responsibility falls on the team leader to make sure that everyone knows the dive plan and has an inventory of functioning gear. I found myself donating a long hose on the Yukon to a capable, intelligent, and cautious buddy who happened to skip his air/gas check that day and descended with a near empty tank. We didn't do a buddy check so neither one of us caught it.

Because of the way I dive I have been forced to develop a method of pre dive checks that ensure my gear is present and functional before I hit the water. Whatever I do has to work reliably and repetitively because I don't have someone checking my homework (so to speak). It's nice if it's there but I'm not depending on it.
If one allows themselves the "out" of knowing that another diver will check over their rig in case they forgot something does that encourage them to be diligent in their own affairs or to become overtly buddy dependant?

This could go the other way too. If divers know that the team will be checking gear together, they may want to make sure all their stuff is in order to save face. I have a very systematic way of getting geared up. I take my time. I kit up slowly. I visualize the dive plan as I am doing so and I don't rush even if I'm behind my students or team. I have, however, forgotten things or made mistakes that have been caught when the team has done gear checks as Saspotato pointed out. Other times, I have descended to find I must correct an issue underwater. This has been everything from the SPG being trapped under the waist belt or argon system, to gas not turned on, to necklaced regulator not in place, and more. While these things weren't major and were easily fixed by me or the team, having equipment not working or not in place may become a link to an accident chain. If you forget your necklace and your buddy has an empty tank, you may donate a hose and find you can't locate the back-up. At that point, stress is heightened and we have 3 links in the chain developing. A thorough check prior to entering the water will help remove possible equipment links to accidents.

Before you get the flamethrowers out I know of several husband and wife teams (for example) wherein the wife knows very little of the gear or dive plan and just relies on the husband to "figure that stuff out". And yes, husbands could be just as clueless as their wives, I just haven't seen it personally.

Fortunately, my girlfriend is an excellent diver. She is skilled and very safety conscious. She usually keeps me honest.

Buddy checks are definately a good "sane second thought" and a good way to build team awareness but they can also become a crutch that lazy divers depend upon instead of becoming more disciplined and educated themselves. If a diver jumps in without their air turned on they have somehow managed to a.) not check either reg function properly, b.) not checked their BCD inflator properly, c.) not checked their DS inflator properly, and d.) not checked their SPG properly. I would accept that behavior in a new diver and show them how to systemize their approach to correct it but in an experienced diver I would wonder when they were going to take the game seriously.

OK, I've stuffed my drysuit with asbestos so I am safe: Flame on!

To keep experienced divers' heads in the game, you can do what I do and make sure people are paying attention. I do subtle things as leader like ask, "Wing working? Inflate? Deflate?" as I use the opposite buttons. I call my friends on stuff like that. "Dude, you sure? You'd better make sure I know which button is which!"

Friends and usual buddies are most likely to be the ones to not do a thorough check of one another because they assume the other guy or girl did his or her part. Busting one another's chops can be part of the fun and yet serve as a way of making sure all systems are working.

 

[DaleC]

Dale, going to have to disagree! (from my own experience). Basically most people don't seem to do buddy checks beyond their OW. The ones that do continue it tend to be conscientious enough to have checked themselves fairly well before buddy checks are done. So basically buddy checks are only catching mistakes (which everyone makes). It is not often I find a problem in my buddy's gear and vice versa. But anyway, perhaps your experience is different.

I don't know if we disagree. When two divers attempt to be as diligent as possible and use a buddy check to catch the odd mistake I think they are acting intelligently. When they fail to grow through experience and continue to use the other diver to catch their screw ups I think they are developing bad habits, even though externally they appear to be doing all the right things. I won't argue whether this occurs more in new divers or old divers as I have no sense of it either way.

An example of this evolution of pre dive checks due to lessons learned comes from my own experience:

I once closed an open valve I thought was closed and then cracked it back a quarter turn (as taught in OW) so that it was, in effect, a quarter turn open. The reg breathed on the surface but at depth it stopped giving air.
Oops.
After that I looked into what I was doing in regards to air because that was a pretty big screw up.
First, I stopped turning the valve back a quarter turn. It's either fully open or fully closed. Then I started looking at my SPG while checking the reg (this catches a cracked open reg and also shows me my pressure). It also ensures the SPG is attached where it belongs because I put it there afterwards. I also started doing this while my rig was on my back and once I know the air is on I don't let anyone else "check" the valve for me. Do I sometimes forget to turn my air on? Yes I do. When that occurs I reach back and turn it on. When I can no longer turn my own air on it will be time to stop BMing doubles.

The "air" portion of my pre dive check doesn't look anything like that which I learned in OW but it is far more effective for my needs.

Trace, all good stuff. I always appreciate your perspective. My role as devils advocate is just to bring some of these issues out into the open so that others can consider more than surface appearances.

 

[Sas]

Then I started looking at my SPG while checking the reg (this catches a cracked open reg and also shows me my pressure).

Hmm be careful with that, I used to do that but my SPG will act normal beyond about half a turn on.

 

[Gombessa]

I won't argue that buddy checks aren't a good thing but to expand the discussion a bit and play devils advocate I will question motivations and wonder if they a tool to ensure diver safety or an accomodation that reenforces negative behaviors?

It seems to be a common tendency for many to confuse buddy skills and procedures with dependence. I've seen comments such as, in response to discussing buddy verification when switching to a deco gas, "If you aren't capable of making a switch without a buddy, you're not welcome on my boat." The implication of course being that without the buddy procedure, the diver is completely paralyzed and unable to safely perform the task safely and for himself.

However, IME it is typically the people who take the effort to adhere to protocols such as buddy checks, who are most careful about their own setup and pre-dive procedures. A person who is complacent to the point of relying on a buddy to find any mistakes is not the type of person who will care to perform buddy checks, or even explicitly self-check their own gear. Further, at least for me, the "buddy check" is primarily a way to make sure my own gear is squared away, by having everyone quickly go through their setup together. While you're verifying, you provide an extra set of eyes to your buddy, and vice versa.

I have seen (and have before allowed myself to engage in) complacent pre-dive behavior, but none of that was related to, or would be exacerbated by the use of buddy checks.