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Terry McCracken wrote:

> > Now, with that said, how many surface-supply teams have ever
> > handled a diver without screwing the pooch once at least once? Those
> > tenders aren't the guys that have to take the chamber ride.  Now,
> > I know that most of them would feel real bad about it, but, well,
> > enough said.
> 
> Considering the millions of hours that the comercial dive industry has logged
> at all depths in all conditions, I belive that the number of pooch-screwings
> is very-very small. These tenders are usually fully qualified (ie comercial
> qualifications not a couple of hours in a sport diving class) that are
> working to gain experience.(they log more time during their courses than most
> people log in a life time)

You're making assumptions about quality because you are on the outside.
I have seen this happen a lot. You're sig says you are a "Software
Support Engineer". I am also involved in software. Would you make the
same statement about professional s/w engineers?

I have also heard some amusing (scary) stories about flight comtrollers.
I used to work with someone who worked on the early s/w systems. Now
there's an industry where you'd think people wouldn't screw around. I'm
sure there are some brilliant flight controllers but ...  

I get the same impression from commercial divers. I have dived with a
number of commercial divers (North Sea oil industry) and from their
accounts that industry is much the same. There are good operators and
there are bad operators. Remember also that most of these guys are
contractors. Maybe your experience of contractors is better than mine,
but I generally find that permanent employees are more committed to
quality work than contractors. If you pay contractors by the hour then
you get "hours" from them. Not necessarily good quality work.

Another thing to be aware of is that commercial diving contract firms
tend not to want to employ commercial divers who have been bent. One
of my friends told me that if you get bent twice you will not be hired.
I don't know if this is always true but it is a great incentive for
divers not to report bends.

We have a few commercial divers on this list. How about comments from
insiders. How much "pooch-screwing" goes on?

Alan
awright@gs*.bt*.co*.uk*

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