chapter 1 the nature and character of technological hazard

CHAPTER 1

THE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF

TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARD

Hazards In general sense, hazards fall into

three classes: Natural Man-accentuated Man-made

Man-made / Man-accentuated

We can all name a major environmental disaster/hazard making newsBhopal Love CanalThree-Mile Island Times BeachMinamata Bay ChernobylTirana

Man-made / Man-accentuated, contBut, how often does it make news:

- how Bob Sirk cleans up after spilling oil or anti-freeze on his driveway- herbicide or insecticide washing into our lakes; streams; rivers- pounds of hydrocarbons enter rivers or lakes each time you use your boat or jetski

Do we even recognize these as tech hazards?

Technological HazardsDr. Susan Cutter, expert in the

field of hazards and perception offers:- “… the interaction of technology, society and the environment”- “… arise from our individual and collective

use of technology”- “... are often more pervasive and less publicly recognized than natural hazards - “… do not provide visual or auditory clues to their on-set

Technological Hazards, cont

Tech hazards are geographic because they have both location and distribution… they have geophysical risk and social vulnerability--- may be variable with physical environment--- may be variable with culture and economic standing--- often pose unique management problems--- place greater emphasis on scientific community / environmental regulators for

response--- “Science as a demi-god”

Technological Hazards, cont

They are products of our society and cannot be studied outside the context in which they occur--- level of society / societal perceptions define conceptualization and response to hazard

--- “… the public’s response… is often ambiguous, resulting in over- reactions, under-reactions, or no reactions”

Technological Hazards, cont

Risk that an activity may be harmful is always present, but until a society determines an activity is negatively impacting – the activity is not a tech hazard

Technological Hazards, cont

“hazardousness” and “vulnerability” are not well understood

Interesting: for the most part, vulnerable populations, do not occupy the most hazardous locations

Technological Hazards, cont

For physical and geographical landscapes geography:(1) reducing risk(2) detecting threats(3) reducing vulnerability to

threat(4) improve response to threat

(adapted from Cutter, ed.)

RISK, HAZARD, TOXICITY

Though they may be related by definition, and applied interchangeably, these concepts are not interchangeable

We need to remind ourselves of the differences

Toxic / ToxicityToxic generally refers to a narrow

group of substances that are poisonous and cause death or serious injury to organisms by interfering with normal body physiology

Toxicity toxins of sufficient quantity to pose a threat to human or environmental health[defined a form of chemical hazard]

Hazard

Broad term, refers to all dangerous materials (including toxic ones) that present an immediate or long-term human or environmental threat

A danger throughout material “lifespan”

Production-Utilization-Waste ByProduct-Disposal

Hazard, cont

Classes:(1) cultural(2) physical * and ones we will be dealing with*(3) biological

--- blends natural and technological

--- closest to being man-manipulated

Hazard, cont

Currently generating the greatest concerns

(4) chemicalcharacterized by:

(a) ignitability(b) corrosiveness(c) reactivity

Risk

Measure of the likelihood of a hazardous event occurring

The probability of suffering harm from a hazard that can cause injury, disease, economic loss, or environmental damage

Risk, cont

freq. of event/total no. of possible events

Risk Assessment (risk-benefit analysis)… the Desirability Quotient (DQ)

Hazards management - employs strategies to reduce and mitigate the effects of hazards on society and the environment

Risk assessment – estimation and quantification of risk in order to establish acceptable levels of risk to society--- risk / social benefit may be viewed as a

decay curve--- decision making must balance many elements

Old vs New Hazards

I’m a little unclear about the point of this section *

Tech hazards are related to industrial development and the use of science

They are not particularly new phenomena

What are “new” are toxic torts