A Taxonomical Framework of Socio-Cultural Hazards in Transport Hubs

A Taxonomical Framework of Socio-Cultural Hazards in Transport Hubs

Simone Rozzi Alessia Golfetti Michael Minkov Mark Robinson Ferhan Şengür Carlo Dambra 

Deep Blue s.r.l., Rome, Italy

Varna University of Management, Varna, Bulgaria

University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey

Proprs, Ltd, Oxford, UK

Page: 
406-418
|
DOI: 
https://doi.org/10.2495/SAFE-V7-N3-406-418
Received: 
N/A
| |
Accepted: 
N/A
| | Citation

OPEN ACCESS

Abstract: 

This article presents a taxonomical framework that supports the considerations of socio-cultural hazards that may affect crowd management in transport hubs, i.e. airports, ports, underground and train stations, both in normal and emergency situations. Such hazards include communication breakdowns with passengers due, for instance, to language barriers; increased potential for revolts, as in stranded passenger situations; misreporting of security threats; and uncooperative behaviour in case of emergencies. Such socio-cultural hazards are not normally considered from the integrated perspective of transport hub operators, e.g. security staff, first responders and service assistants as well as safety and security managers. The present study provides an integrated perspective of these hazards as a means to increase the performance of transport staff members that interact with the public and with passengers on a daily basis. The methodology used to develop the framework comprises: (i) a focus group with relevant experts, (ii) semi-structured interviews at operational facilities with front-end practitioners, and (iii) a review of academic literature and media reports. The framework has also been qualitatively corroborated with transport operators in dedicated interviews and a focus group session. The study identified 10 socio-cultural hazards that were combined into a single framework comprising three high-level sub-categories: (i) crowd–staff interactions, (ii) crowd–crowd interactions, and (iii) crowd–environment interactions. The framework of socio-cultural factors can increase staff’s awareness of relevant socio-cultural hazards, their potential consequences in both normal and emergency situations, and the associated mitigation strategies. In turn, this can increase the quality and continuity of service, safety and security in the management of members of the public and passengers in transport hubs.

Keywords: 

crowd management, disruptive passenger behaviour, emergency management, emergency preparedness and training, risk and security, socio-cultural hazards, transport hubs

  References

[1] Skybrary, ‘Unruly Passengers - SKYbrary Aviation Safety’, 2016, available at http:// www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Unruly_Passengers#The_Problem (accessed 30 January 2017).

[2] ICAO, Annex 17: Security. Safeguarding International Civil Aviation Against Acts of Unlawful Interference, 9th edn., International Civil Aviation Organisation, 2011.

[3] IATA, Guidance on unruly passenger behaviour and management. International Air Transport Association, 2012.

[4] Cheng-Hua, Y. & Hsin-Li, C., Exploring the perceived competence of airport ground staff in dealing with unruly passenger behaviors. Tourism Management, 33(3), pp. 611– 621, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2011.07.001

[5] Hella, J., Cabin violence: assessment and management. Cabin Safety Update, 7(9), pp. 28–31, 2001.

[6] ICAO, Doc 9811 Manual on the Implementation of the Security Provisions of Annex 6. International Civil Aviation Organisation, 2000.

[7] Kulatunga, U., Impact of culture towards disaster risk reduction. International Journal of Strategic Property Management, 4, pp. 304–313, 2010. https://doi.org/10.3846/ijspm.2010.23

[8] Arunotai, N., Saved by an old legend and a keen observation: The case of Moken sea nomads in Thailand. Indigenous Knowledge for Disaster Risk Reduction, 73, 2008.

[9] Lavigne, F., De Coster, B., Juvin, N., Flohic, F., Gaillard, J.C., Texier, P., Morin, J. & Sartohadi, J., People’s behaviour in the face of volcanic hazards: Perspectives from Javanese communities, Indonesia. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 172(3), pp. 273–287, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2007.12.013

[10] Schreier, M., Qualitative Content Analysis in Practice, Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, 2012.

[11] Ritchie, J. & Spencer, L., Qualitative data analysis for applied policy research. In The Qualitative Researcher’s Companion, eds A.M. Huberman & M.B. Miles, Thousand Oaks, California, USA: SAGE Publications, pp. 305–329, 2002.

[12] Smedley, B.D., Stith, A.Y. & Nelson, A.R., Unequal treatment: Confronting racial and ethnic disparities in health care (full printed version), National Academies Press, 2002.

[13] Devine, P.G., Stereotypes and prejudice: Their automatic and controlled components. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(1), pp. 5–18, 1989. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.56.1.5

[14] Van Ryn, M. & Fu, S.S., Paved with good intentions: do public health and human service providers contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in health?. American Journal of Public Health, 93(2), pp. 248–255, 2003. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.93.2.248

[15] Jones, A., Concept paper: Cultural competence: Solutions and strategies for emergency medical services, 2007.

[16] Sutherland, D., The role of homeland security and training. In The Arab-American Handbook: A Guide to the Arab, Arab-American, and Muslim Worlds, 2nd edn., ed. N. Shora, Cune Press, 2009.

[17] Hofstede, G.H., Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations, Sage, 2001.

[18] Welzel, C., How selfish are self-expression values? A civicness test. Journal of CrossCultural Psychology, 41(2), pp. 152–174, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022109354378

[19] Donald, I. & Canter, D., Intentionality and fatality during the King’s Cross underground fire. European Journal of Social Psychology, 22(3), pp. 203–218, 1992. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2420220302

[20] Charlton, S.G. & Starkey, N.J., Driving without awareness: The effects of practice and automaticity on attention and driving, 2011.

[21] Sherwood, H., Retired lawyer sues Israeli airline after she was asked to move seat. The Guardian, 01 April 2016.

[22] Paulson, M., When a plane seat next to a woman is against orthodox faith. The New York Times, 09-April-2015.

[23] Avruch, K., Cross-cultural conflict. Conflict Resolution, 1, pp. 45–57, 2009.

[24] Chertkoff, J.M. & Kushigian, R.H., Don’t Panic: The Psychology of Emergency Egress and Ingress, Praeger Publishers, 1999.

[25] Rogsch, C., Schreckenberg, M., Tribble, E., Klingsch, W. & Kretz, T., Was it panic? An overview about mass-emergencies and their origins all over the world for recent years. In Pedestrian and Evacuation Dynamics 2008, Springer, pp. 743–755, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-04504-2_72

[26] Sabin, L., Italy ferry fire: Rescued passengers describe violence and panic on board stricken vessel, available at http://www.independent.co.uk. [Online], available at http:// www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/norman-atlantic-ferry-fire-two-britishmen-still-not-rescued-from-burning-italian-ship-9947674.html (accessed 07 Febuary 2017).

[27] Rossington, B., Men HIT women in fight to rescue helicopters during Italy ferry fire. Mirror, 30 December 2014. Available at http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/ italy-ferry-fire-men-hit-4893979. (accessed 16 September 2016).

[28] Confused Spaniard to blame for alarm at Cologne airport. The Local, 30-May-2016. Available at: http://www.thelocal.de/20160530/breaking-flights-stopped-over-securityalert-at-cologne-airport. (accessed 31 August 2016).

[29] Withnall, A., Cologne airport Terminal 2 evacuated due to security breach | The Independent, available at http://www.independent.co.uk, 01-Mar-2016. [Online], available at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/cologne-airport-evacuated-dueto-security-breach-a6904766.html (accessed 07 Febuary 2017).

[30] Symonds, P., The Complexities of Human Wayfinding in Airports, 2014.

[31] Branigan, T., Chinese passenger opens plane door for fresh air. The Guardian, 18 Dec 2014, [Online], available at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/18/chinesepassenger-opens-plane-door-for-fresh-air (accessed 12 July 2016).

[32] Kitching, C., Flyer mistakes emergency exit for loo and triggers inflatable slide, Mail Online, 27 March 2016. Available at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/ article-3511283/China-Southern-Airlines-passenger-opens-emergency-exit.html (accessed 12 July 2016).

[33] Byrnes, J.P., Miller, D.C. & Schafer, W.D., Gender Differences in Risk Taking: A MetaAnalysis, American Psychological Association, 1999.

[34] Deakin, J., Aitken, M., Robbins, T. & Sahakian, B.J., Risk taking during decisionmaking in normal volunteers changes with age. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 10(4), pp. 590–598, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617704104104

[35] Willis, A., Gjersoe, N., Havard, C., Kerridge, J. & Kukla, R., Human movement behaviour in urban spaces: Implications for the design and modelling of effective pedestrian environments. Environment and Planning B: Planningand Design, 31(6), pp. 805–828, 2004 https://doi.org/10.1068/b3060

[36] Almejmaj, M., Meacham, B. & Skorinko, J., The effects of cultural differences between the west and Saudi Arabia on emergency evacuation—clothing effects on walking speed. Fire and Materials, 39(4), pp. 353–370, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1002/fam.2227

[37] Cichomska, K., et al., D1.3: Theoretical Framework of Cross-Cultural and PsychoSocial Crowd Behaviour and Management in Transport Terminals. IMPACT Deliverable D1.3, January 2016.