Introduction to the Theory of Human-Induced Disasters

Alfonso Niemand

oct 2023 · Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Acerca de este libro electrónico

Disasters do not always come in the form of earthquakes, tornadoes, spewing volcanoes, droughts, floods, and snowstorms. These are the known ones, the acts of nature, for which we can prepare. This book opens up a new field in disaster research, namely disasters directly caused by mankind, or human-induced disasters. The book covers a broad spectrum of man-made disasters, from hazardous establishments that can explode, burn, or release toxic gases, to political corruption and incompetent leaders, rampant crime, and mass shootings.

The book takes a closer look at risk exposure for humans, animals, vegetation species, and objects such as infrastructural assets and property. They are all vulnerable, in varying degrees, to the negative consequences of human-induced disasters. In addition to disaster vulnerability, related concepts such as resilience and coping capacity are explored. A new concept is also introduced, namely disaster sustainability, which is particularly applicable to human-induced disasters.

Acerca del autor

Alfonso Niemand is a business consultant, specialising in the assessment of health and safety risks and environmental legal compliance in industries. He spent more than 30 years in the petrochemical industry in various managerial positions. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Africa in chemistry and theoretical physis, and a Masters’ degree in business leadership from the same university. For his Doctoral degree at the Disaster Management Training and Education Centre of the University of the Free State in South Africa, he developed an optimised model for the regulatory management of human-induced health and safety risks associated with hazardous establishments.