routine deterioration?

[Skyper 0]

as the time pass the humans show a tendence to neglect the details of the learned routines. Some small details are forgotten and routine is gradually changed. This fenomenon is visible not only in skydiving but in all human activities.

In skydiving the routine deterioration may have significant impact on safety.

What would you propose to prevent this from happening?

[JohnRich 4]

Practice.

[matthewcline 0]

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Practice.

While being Observed and corrected if need be, with plenty of frequency.

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[airtwardo 7]

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as the time pass the humans show a tendency to neglect the details of the learned routines. Some small details are forgotten and routine is gradually changed. This phenomenon is visible not only in skydiving but in all human activities.

In skydiving the routine deterioration may have significant impact on safety.

What would you propose to prevent this from happening?

When learning a new procedure I like to write it out long hand on index cards, one step per numbered card.

While practicing the procedure I flip the cards and read them.

When I'm doing whatever it is without the cards I still see them and count the steps.

I always do the exact same thing in the exact same way in the same order...I use a packing mat even indoors, because a packing mat is part of my 'routine', right after I attach it I untwist the brake lines and set them, then uncollapsed the pilot chute...etc.

I utilize a lot of different things when doing demos, it can be hard to remember how some certain item gets packed, attached, deployed...so my index cards are always handy.


I'm old and killed a lotta braincells off in my youth, I use every bit of help I can get!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[riggerrob 643]

Agreed!
Every August, I find my hot, tired, thirsty self riding in the plane -with a tandem student in my lap - thinking "I haven't suffered a malfunction in many hundred jumps, so I don't need to pat all my handles."
Then I mentally slap myself upside the head and pat all my handles - in the correct sequence.

As an industry, we suffer the same complacency.
For example, no one has died in a jump plane crash in Canada for longer than anyone can remember, so too many Canadian skydivers ignore seat-belts.
The sad thing is that one of the survivors of the 2008 King Air crash suffered such serious brain injuries that he has ^%$#@! for short-term memory and will never by able to live a lone again!

[JohnRich 4]

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When learning a new procedure I like to write it out long hand on index cards, one step per numbered card. While practicing the procedure I flip the cards and read them...

How do you keep the cards from blowing away in freefall?
What happens if the "Pull!" card blows out of the deck?

[airtwardo 7]

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When learning a new procedure I like to write it out long hand on index cards, one step per numbered card. While practicing the procedure I flip the cards and read them...

How do you keep the cards from blowing away in freefall?
What happens if the "Pull!" card blows out of the deck?

Got that one tattooed to the inside of my eyelids...

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[DBCOOPER 5]

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What would you propose to prevent this from happening?

Safety meeting...

Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon

If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea.

[muz 1]

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Safety meeting...

+1

[Para5-0 0]

funny shit.

[buff 0]

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In skydiving the routine deterioration may have significant impact on safety.

What would you propose to prevent this from happening?

I've heard Twardo spray tans with Scotchguard-UV to prevent deterioration.

It's called the Hillbilly Hop N Pop dude.
If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough.
That's fucked up. Watermelons do not grow on trees! ~Skymama

[airtwardo 7]

Rustoleum

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[thomas.n.thomas 0]

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as the time pass the humans show a tendence to neglect the details of the learned routines. Some small details are forgotten and routine is gradually changed. This fenomenon is visible not only in skydiving but in all human activities.

In skydiving the routine deterioration may have significant impact on safety.

What would you propose to prevent this from happening?

I can't speak from a skydiving perspective, but my job for the last year and a half has been dealing with this very issue on production of many extremely high value things worth more than my life (seriously, my parents tell me I cost $50 from a hospital in CT).

You have 3 basics - supervision, procedure, and training. You need a sufficient amount of all 3 every single time to make sure things go right, and if any one of those is lacking, the other two need to increase proportionally to make up for it.

For all of you doing solo jumps, you aren't really supervised, so that means training and procedure are paramount. Training includes refresher training (i.e. practice, demonstration of proficiency, testing), which really gets at the routine deterioration. Put yourself on a schedule: if I have not jumped in x number of days...If I have not practiced ___ in x number of days...I will ____ prior to any jump.

Then, make sure you know your procedures and that they are correct, and DON'T deviate from your procedures (e.g. hard deck).

Again, I have no exp. jumping and only write this as someone with experience with it in the outside world.

The response about making flashcards and always following the same steps is right on the money. Routine can cause complacency if it's viewed the wrong way. It can also create consistency -> safety if treated properly.

[riggerrob 643]

Any even scarier part of routine is superstition.
"Safety procedures" turn into "superstition" when people forget the original reason for a procedure.

Does anyone remember why it is still fashionable to rotate 3-Rings before every jump?

[theplummeter 15]

I also believe that changes in scenery and/or equipment are helpful. At work we just changed planes after 9.5 years and all of the things I've gotten complacent about or taken for granted have changed, forcing me to pay attention and-god forbid-actually learn new things.

[JohnMitchell 16]

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What would you propose to prevent this from happening?

Conscious use of check lists and developing good routines for safety related tasks, such as packing and pinchecks.

[kallend 2,026]

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What would you propose to prevent this from happening?

Boobies?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[alberto1980 0]

In Aviation they call it the drift towards failure. It is well known in aircraft maintenance. Even the FAA knows about it

[Skyper 0]

Let me sum up the possible solutions for preventing routine deterioration, also called drift towards failure:

1) Repeat reserve procedures regularly. For example, while in the plane climbing to altitude.

2) Hold safety meetings. This can be interesting socializing event as well.

3) Supervision. This is interesting one. I wonder if experienced skydivers ask others to check their pins for them? Or even to check their packing work or gear?

4) Refreshing training. This is somewhat similar to safety meeting whereby all theoretical stuff can be repeated again as well as harnass test, packing tests, theory test, etc.

5) Don’t deviate from procedures (e.g. hard deck)

6) Have checklists.

7) Boobies? Whatever it might be.
It’s interesting that some of you pointed the environment change as a kind of natural trigger for repetition of reserve procedures… like changing the plane, or rig or DZ. In this way the actual increase of the risk forces ppl to repeat the procedures and become more aware of safety.

[riggerrob 643]

"... It’s interesting that some of you pointed the environment change as a kind of natural trigger for repetition of reserve procedures… like changing the plane, or rig or DZ. In this way the actual increase of the risk forces ppl to repeat the procedures and become more aware of safety.

[erdnarob 1]

An old say is that you are always victim of your habits. Unseen danger is the most dangerous. And routine is one of them.
For example:
I personally put myself in a suspended harness at the beginning of each season to refresh my actual cut away procedures by experiencing an actual fall in a mattress.

This very simple suspended harness is installed permanently in my basement. And better yet, I don't have to open my reserve or put a temporary pin. I even don't remove the main. I just disconnect the risers and fold them back under the riser cover. I use a dummy rip cord handle secured with several turns of masking tape.

I recommend that to everybody but there is few people people around me doing it.

That being said, routine is a potential killer and this killer takes it easy while you are unaware of it.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[Skyper 0]

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routine is a potential killer

In my opinion the most of the routine deterioration comes from incremental drifts from the good routines which during the time leads to problems. When small incremental drifts are followed by environment change, like new DZ, new gear, new plane... what seemed "small" in the previous setting and therefore abandoned, may become the killer in the new environment.


good routine is a life saviour.
bad routine is a killer.

[erdnarob 1]

I agree with you completely. Always show a beginner something without short cut. Be very conservative. But in the reality, buddies who are good willing people are not always aware or knowledgeable. If you are one of those you should be humble enough to refer your friend beginner to some recognized, current, competent and knowledgeable instructor concerning basic safety.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[kuai43 7]

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I personally put myself in a suspended harness at the beginning of each season to refresh my actual cut away procedures by experiencing an actual fall in a mattress.

This very simple suspended harness is installed permanently in my basement.

And to what use is that 'harness' put to the rest of the year?
Enquiring minds want to know...

Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal

Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess

[riggerrob 643]

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I personally put myself in a suspended harness at the beginning of each season to refresh my actual cut away procedures by experiencing an actual fall in a mattress.

This very simple suspended harness is installed permanently in my basement.

And to what use is that 'harness' put to the rest of the year?
PERVERTED minds want to know...

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... corrected your spelling ...