Swiss Cheese in Brazil: Disaster Culture and Safety Culture in Disasters

Abstract

This article discusses points related to “disaster culture” and “safety culture” in Brazil, and debates how societal-structural factors influence the management of low incidence and high consequence disasters, such as dam breaks, which appear to provide limited evidence for preventive decision making. Discussion of the occurrence of disasters considers the “Swiss Cheese Model” of risk analysis proposed by James Reason. The article uses this to indicate some potential paths forward.

Fire risk communication in the urban informal sector: Evidence from traditional marketplaces in Accra, Ghana

“…Overall, the findings from this study demonstrate that, akin to the extant disaster literature (Bankoff, 2003; Krüger et al, 2015; Mercer et al, 2012; Warner & Engel, 2014), fire risks are socially constructed and culturally specific and underscore the role that culture plays in the interpretation or perception of risk as well as risk communication. In contributing to the sociological turn on fire disasters, this study demonstrates how low‐risk perceptions and infrequent encounters with fire disaster events can cause people at risk to ignore fire risk communication messages (Karasneh et al, 2021; Morgan et al, 2002) while those with high‐risk perceptions and encounter fire risks frequently take precautionary actions (Siegrist & Gutscher, 2008; Walpole & Wilson, 2021).…”

“…Hence, it is crucial to understand the intersections between information capabilities and socio‐cultural environments before protective behavior can be promoted among specific population cohorts (Littlefield, 2015). This study thus affirms that inducing changes in the protective behavior of those at risk of disasters—such as traders in marketplaces—requires a close examination of the socio‐cultural factors that influence their perception of and response to risk (Krüger et al, 2015; Littlefield, 2015; Sellnow et al, 2017; Rohrmann, 1995; Sellnow & Seeger, 2021; Warner & Engel, 2014). In essence, a robust risk communication strategy is essential to fostering protective behaviors among specific people who are at risk of marketplace fires.…”

“…Risk, however, is socially constructed and culturally specific (Bankoff, 2003) and hence, underscores the role that cultural factors play in the interpretation or perception of risk. It has been argued that giving less recognition and priority to culture may lead to low‐risk perception, ineffective risk communication, and consequently, inhibit social resilience (Warner & Engel, 2014). Here, some scholars uphold the prioritization of culture within human‐environment interactions (Bankoff, 2003; Kapucu, 2008; Krüger et al, 2015; Mercer et al, 2012; Warner & Engel, 2014).…”

“…It has been argued that giving less recognition and priority to culture may lead to low‐risk perception, ineffective risk communication, and consequently, inhibit social resilience (Warner & Engel, 2014). Here, some scholars uphold the prioritization of culture within human‐environment interactions (Bankoff, 2003; Kapucu, 2008; Krüger et al, 2015; Mercer et al, 2012; Warner & Engel, 2014). From this view, culture refers to local knowledge of disaster, values, norms, language, beliefs, techniques, networks, and artefacts that help individuals and communities to mitigate, prepare and recover from disasters (Engel et al, 2014; Giddens & Sutton, 2021).…”

Challenges to maintaining disaster relief supply chains in island communities: disaster preparedness and response in Honolulu, Hawai’i

“…This routinely creates cultural challenges in coping with disasters. Those living in disaster-prone areas are more likely to develop memories and cultural knowledge of hazards, which may encourage them to prepare for, respond to, and manage disasters (Warner et al 2019). Prior experience, however, could serve as a double-edged sword (Dow and Cutter 1998;Plümper et al 2017).…”