“History Shows That Human-Made Disasters Have Consistently Been Caused, Not by Individuals, but by Errors, Misjudgments, Failures or Even Negligence by Senior Management Because They Have Failed to Instill a Culture of
“History shows that human-made disasters have consistently been caused, not by individuals, but by errors, misjudgments, failures or even negligence by senior management because they have failed to instill a culture of safety within an organization.”
Critically discuss this statement, giving examples where appropriate.
This essay question revolves around the one of the most pressing questions asked by media organizations at the scene or onset of a disaster, ‘what/who caused it?’ Was the disaster due to human error or a systems or a technological failure? This essay will attempt to identify some of the factors that are involved in anthropogenic error and give examples of occasions when the failure to react appropriately or make effective decisions has lead to a disaster. Specifically it will look at case studies where disastrous events have been attributed to human error when, in fact, they may well have later been proven to be caused by a much wider, deeper and systemic malaise that exists and affects the organizational culture and senior management at large.
It is necessary to first understand what is meant by the term ‘human made disaster’, a credible answer may hypothesis that these events are actually better defined as anthropogenic hazards that through errors, misjudgments, failures or negligence of one or more parties have lead to disasters. These anthropogenic hazards show a threat from both human intent, neglect and error that involves the collapse of an anthropogenic system. Anthropogenic disasters are human made, ‘anthropogenic’ in nature (caused by man), as opposed to natural disasters which result from natural hazards. Carter, defines human made disaster as, ‘A sudden or progressive event caused by a human, which impacts with such severity on a community that the emergency services or, in their absence, the affected community have to respond by taking exceptional measures’.[1] Examples might include; Sociological Hazards (Crime, Arson, Civil
Critically discuss this statement, giving examples where appropriate.
This essay question revolves around the one of the most pressing questions asked by media organizations at the scene or onset of a disaster, ‘what/who caused it?’ Was the disaster due to human error or a systems or a technological failure? This essay will attempt to identify some of the factors that are involved in anthropogenic error and give examples of occasions when the failure to react appropriately or make effective decisions has lead to a disaster. Specifically it will look at case studies where disastrous events have been attributed to human error when, in fact, they may well have later been proven to be caused by a much wider, deeper and systemic malaise that exists and affects the organizational culture and senior management at large.
It is necessary to first understand what is meant by the term ‘human made disaster’, a credible answer may hypothesis that these events are actually better defined as anthropogenic hazards that through errors, misjudgments, failures or negligence of one or more parties have lead to disasters. These anthropogenic hazards show a threat from both human intent, neglect and error that involves the collapse of an anthropogenic system. Anthropogenic disasters are human made, ‘anthropogenic’ in nature (caused by man), as opposed to natural disasters which result from natural hazards. Carter, defines human made disaster as, ‘A sudden or progressive event caused by a human, which impacts with such severity on a community that the emergency services or, in their absence, the affected community have to respond by taking exceptional measures’.[1] Examples might include; Sociological Hazards (Crime, Arson, Civil