FEU High School Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction STEM 2nd Semester Class

LESSON 2: EXPOSURE AND VULNERABILITY

Topic:

1. Exposure and Vulnerability

2. Concept of Hazard
3. Types and Classifications of Hazard
4. The Impacts of Various Hazard
5. Various Elements that may be exposed to hazards
6. Hazard Prone Area

SUBJECT MATTER
UNDERSTANDING VULNERABILITY

Vulnerability is the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system, or asset that

make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard.
There is common consensus among disaster risk scholars on the factors which
compound or alleviate vulnerability. These will be discussed below.

1. Political factors
The level of vulnerability in any community can be directly linked to the
political will and commitment to developmental concerns. Vulnerability is as much
about the exposure to a given hazard as the decision-making linked to development
which will address conditions of vulnerability. A set of deep-rooted socio-economic
elements which include aspects such as denial of human rights, denial of access to
power structures, access to quality education, employment opportunities, land
tenure, availability of and access to resources, access to infrastructure, basic services
and information, together have the ability to create and maintain extreme levels of
vulnerability.
Political will is fundamental to disaster risk reduction. This was demonstrated
in 1994 when South Africa’s new democratic government decided to adopt a new
approach to the management of disasters and risks. This led to a total reform of the
country’s disaster risk management policy and legislation. Similar examples exist in
countries such as Mozambique, Lesotho, Madagascar and the Seychelles, where
political will to change, drove the disaster risk reduction agenda and reform
processes. Political change is mostly accompanied by economic reforms which in turn
have a spill-over effect on how development is planned and how poverty and
vulnerability are reduced.

2. Economic factors
Whilst a wide range of factors combine to contribute to levels of vulnerability
to the impact of hazards in developing countries, poverty probably has the single
most important influence. The eradication of poverty therefore is crucial to
vulnerability reduction.

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The economic status of the population relates not only to the degree of losses
in terms of lives, property and infrastructure but also to the capacity to cope with and
recover from adverse effects. Virtually all disaster studies show that the wealthiest of
the population (women and men) either survive the impact of a hazard without
suffering any adverse effects or are able to recover quickly (due mostly to the
presence of insurance, savings, investments or some other financial instrument to fall
back on). Poverty and lack of access to land and basic services explains why people in
urban areas are forced to live on hills that are prone to landslides, or why people settle
near rivers that invariably flood their banks. Poverty explains why droughts claim
poor subsistence farmers as victims and rarely the wealthy, and why famine, more
often than not, is the result of a lack of purchasing power to buy food rather than the
absence of food.
Increasingly, poverty also explains why many women and men are forced to
move from rural areas to the cities in search of job opportunities or to other parts of
a country or even across borders to survive (e.g. Migration from Zimbabwe into South
Africa). Such crisis-induced migration and rapid urbanisation pose considerable
challenges to the authorities with unplanned settlements and longer-term
development, as well as immediate assistance in the case of displaced persons.
Poverty and lack of access to land force people to build temporary, unsafe dwellings
in crowded, dangerous locations (UNDP, 1992:6).

3. Physical factors
Physical vulnerability refers to the susceptibility of individuals, households
and communities to loss due to the physical environment in which they find
themselves (UNISDR 2002:47) (refer back to the question on: “Where do people
live?”). It relates to aspects such as access to suitable land, land use planning, housing
design, building standards, materials used for building houses, engineering,
accessibility to emergency services and other similar aspects. Physical vulnerability
may be determined by aspects such as population density levels, remoteness of a
settlement, the site, design and materials used for critical infrastructure and for
housing (UNISDR, 2002).
In many countries in Africa it relates particularly to the vulnerability of
communities living in densely populated informal settlements, which are poorly sited
and unplanned. Housing structures are built with improvised materials which are
flimsy and highly flammable. Structures have poor, if any, foundations and are built
in close proximity to each other. This poor physical environment exposes people to
hazards such as landslides, floods, fires, wind, disease and epidemics. In addition,
poor planning and the proximity of structures limit access by emergency services in
the event of an emergency or disaster.
Physical vulnerability also relates to remotely located settlements, their
location, the design of building structures, and their ability to withstand the elements
and hazards, as well as their lack of access to services, infrastructure and information.

4. Social factors
The level of social well-being of individuals, households and communities
directly impacts on their level of vulnerability to hazards. Levels of education, literacy
and training, safety and security, access to basic human rights, social equity,
information and awareness, strong cultural beliefs and traditional values, morality,
good governance and a well-organised cohesive civil society, all contribute to social
wellbeing with physical, mental and psychological health being critical aspects.
Vulnerability is not equally distributed. Minority groups, the aged, orphans, nursing
mothers and their offspring, and the disabled are more vulnerable than others. The

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issue of gender and in particular the role of women requires special consideration
(UNISDR 2002:47), and is taken up in a section below.
A lack of awareness and access to information can also result in increased
levels of vulnerability. Disasters can happen because people vulnerable to them
simply do not know how to heed early warnings and to get out of harm's way or to
take protective measures. Such ignorance may not necessarily be a function of
poverty, but a lack of awareness of the measures than need to be taken to build safe
structures in safe locations, or safe evacuation routes and procedures. Other
populations may not know where to turn for assistance in times of acute distress.
Nevertheless, this point should not be taken as a justification for ignoring the coping
mechanisms of the majority of people affected by disasters. In most disaster-prone
societies, there is a wealth of understanding about disaster.

Hazard
A hazard is defined as “a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or
condition that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss of
livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental damage”
(UNISDR, 2009).
Hazards can be single, sequential or combined in their origin and effects. Each hazard
is characterised by its location, intensity, probability and likely frequency. Typical examples
of hazards can be the absence of rain (leading to drought) or the abundance thereof (leading
to flooding). Chemical manufacturing plants near settlements can also be regarded as
hazardous; similarly, incorrect agricultural techniques will in the long run lead to possible
disasters. Hazards can either be a creation of humans (anthropogenic) or the environment
(natural). Although the former can more easily be planned for than the latter, in both cases
the management of the hazard will remain the same. Our development efforts and attention
should therefore be focused on the presence of various hazards and this must inform our
planning.
A distinction should also be made between normal natural occurrences and natural
hazards. Natural phenomena are extreme climatological (weather), hydrological (water), or
geological (earth) processes that do not pose any threat to persons or property. A massive
earthquake in an unpopulated area (e.g. the Sahara desert) is a natural phenomenon. Once
the consequences (a possible hazardous situation) of this natural phenomenon come into
contact with human beings it becomes a natural hazard. If this natural hazard (due to the
unplanned or poorly planned activities of the human beings), affects them so that they are
unable to cope, the situation becomes a disaster
Hazards are events or human activities that pose threats to life, property, economy and
environment (Makoka&Kaplan, 2005).

It has the potential to cause harm to:

1. People- death, injury, disease and stress 2.
Human activity- economic, educational etc.
3. Property- property damage, economic loss
4. Environment- loss fauna and flora, pollution, loss of amenities

Types of hazards
1. Natural Hazards are caused by the environment and thus cannot be prevented by human
intervention, but the effects and impact can be mitigated.
2. Man-made Hazards is the result of human activities

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Prevention is to ensure that human action or natural phenomena do not result in disaster
or emergency.

Mitigation means to reduce the severity of the human and material damage caused by the
disaster.

Modes of Hazards
1. Dormant - The situation presents a potential hazard, but no people, property, or
environment are currently affected. For instance, a hillside may be unstable, with the
potential of for a landslide, but there is nothing below or on the hillside that could be affected.
2. Armed – People, property, or environment are in potential harm’s way.
3. Active – A harmful incident involving the hazard has actually occurred. Often this is
referred to not as an “active hazard” but as an accident, emergency, incident, or disaster.

Classification of Hazards

1. Biological hazards known as biohazards, are agents that may cause potential harm
to human health and other organisms. They are comprised of microorganisms, pathogens,
and fungi and other substances that produce biological effects (Driscoll et al., 2005; OSHA,
2007).
The physical impact of biohazards concerns with the health of the people. Here
are some examples of Biohazards:

• Human blood and blood products. This

includes items that have been contaminated
with blood and other body fluids or tissues
that contain visible blood.
• Animal waste. Animal carcasses and body
parts, or any bedding material used animals
that are known to be infected
with pathogenic organisms.
• Human body fluids. Semen, cerebrospinal
fluid, pleural fluid, vaginal
secretions, pericardial fluid, amniotic
fluid, saliva, and peritoneal fluid.
• Microbiological wastes. Common in
laboratory settings, examples of

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FEU High School Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction STEM 2nd Semester Class

microbiological wastes include specimen cultures, disposable culture dishes,

discarded viruses, and devices used to transfer or mix cultures.
• Pathological waste. Unfixed human tissue (excluding skin), waste biopsy materials,
and anatomical parts from medical procedures or autopsies.

2. Radioactive hazards define the

risks produced upon exposed
elements
(living and non-living), may it be of long
term exposures or short contact in
minutes quantities
(“Radiation Hazards,” n.d.)

The harmful types of radiation

are derived from “ionizing radiation”
that are produced due to nuclear
reactions. Ionizing radiations include alpha and beta particles that may cause
disadvantageous health effects like body cells impairment.

3. Chemical hazards are substances that can cause harm or damage to the body,
property or the environment. Chemical hazards can be both natural and human made origin.

According to Comcare (2016), health risk

from chemical from chemical substances is an
outcome from direct contact with a particular
chemical, through inhalation or consumption while
physiochemical risks are solely reliant on the
physical and chemical properties of the substance or
material (flammability, corrosiveness, oxidizing
property and explosiveness of a substance or
material.
Knowing the physical states of hazardous
chemicals is an important factor in understanding their health effects as their physical state
determines how it may enter the body. For example, a gas may enter the body by inhalation,
whereas liquids may be absorbed by the skin.

Some commonly used workplace chemical hazards include:

1. Acids
2. Caustic substances
3. Cleaning products such as toilet
cleaners, disinfectants, mildew
remover and chlorine bleach
4. Glues
5. Heavy metals, including mercury,
lead, cadmium, and aluminum
6. Paint
7. Pesticides
8. Petroleum products
9. Solvents
10. Photocopier toner

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FEU High School Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction STEM 2nd Semester Class

4. Physical hazard is any condition – a substance or an activity – having the potential to

cause harm or adverse effect to the body. It is any factor from the environment that can
cause the body to become physically stressed. This type of hazard includes but is not
limited to pressure, electricity, radiation, temperature, confined spaces, falls, and
machines amongst many others.

• Noise is considered a physical hazard for too much of it

can have negative impacts to the physical body. Temporary
hearing loss is one of the impacts and risks of too much
noise. Chronic exposure to loud noises can also cause
permanent loss of hearing. Another impact is the condition
called Tinnitus. It is a condition wherein the person hears
sound or ringing in the ear even without external sound
present.

• Temperature- sudden
changes in temperature also
have crucial effects on the
human body. The risk of
extreme temperature includes
fatigue, nausea, dizziness and
headache, or difficulty in
staying alert.

• Confined spaces refer to a space orMarea which by design has

limited or small opening for entry and exit; the space is not good
and not designed for long-time occupancy due to its unfavorable
natural ventilation. This might contain or produce nasty air
contaminants which might be harmful and life-threatening (Pettit,
et. Al., 1979)

5. Ergonomic hazards are physical factors in the environment that occur when the kind of
work, positioning of the body and working conditions put tension and stress on your
body which causes adverse effects on the body’s musculoskeletal system. This type of
hazard is the hardest to spot since you do not immediately notice the strain on your body
when working or the harm that these hazards cause.

Ergonomic injuries
include sprains, strains, and other
related problems as well. Other
impacts of this type of hazard are a
number of Cumulative Trauma
Disorders (CTD) which affects the
cervical spine area, the lower back,
arms, hands, wrists, elbows, and
shoulders.

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FEU High School Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction STEM 2nd Semester Class

Ergonomic Hazards includes:

• Poor posture or body mechanics
• Carrying out tasks in the same
motion for a long period of time
• Using physical force to lift heavy
objects
• Improperly adjusted workstations
and chair
• Poor physical design of workspaces,
workstations and stools/chairs.

6. Psychological hazard is a type of occupational hazard that influences the mental health
of workers, including their capability to partake in a work environment among other
people.

7. Safety hazard is the most common and will be current in uttermost work environments
at one time or another. They incorporate perilous states that may cause injury, illness
and death
1. Safety hazard includes:
• Spills with respect to floors or tripping hazards, such
as blocked aisles or ropes running crosswise over
the floor.
• Working from heights, including ladders, scaffolds,
roofs or other high-risk areas
• Unguarded technologies and moving machinery
parts; removed guards or moving parts that a
laborer might inadvertently touch
• Electrical dangers like frayed cords, missing ground
pins, inappropriate wiring
• Machinery-related dangers (lockout/tag out, heater
safety, forklifts, and so on).
8. Natural hazard is a threatening event, or probability of occurrence of a potentially
damaging phenomenon within a given time period and area. Natural hazards are
classified as geological, hydrological, atmospheric or meteorological and climatological.

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FEU High School Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction STEM 2nd Semester Class

PHILIPPINES AS A HAZARD-PRONE AREA

• A hazard-prone area is a location where a

natural hazard is likely to happen if preventive
measures are not implemented.
• Due mainly to its geography, the Philippines is
considered prone to natural hazards, and
hence natural disasters as well
• It is situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an
area surrounding the basin of the Pacific Ocean
where many volcanoes have formed.

• Another reason the Philippines is considered

prone to disasters is its major tectonic feature, the
Philippine Fault Zone (PFZ).
• A fault is a crack or break on Earth’s crust along
which rocks have moved. A rapid or sudden movement
of rocks releases a large amount of seismic waves,
which cause the ground to move or to shake.
• This sudden shaking of the ground is called an
earthquake.

• Another reason the Philippines is

considered as hazard-prone area is its
location in the Western Pacific Basin,
the part of the world that is most often
visited by typhoons. This sudden
shaking of the ground is called an
earthquake.
• The region is also called the typhoon
belt. This explains why an average of
20 typhoons hit the country every year.

Many hazard prone areas, such as coastlines, volcanic/mountain slopes and flood
plains, attract economic and urban development, offer significant economic benefits or are
of cultural or religious significance to the people who live there.
As more people and assets are exposed, risk in these areas becomes more
concentrated. At the same time, risk also spreads as cities expand and as economic and
urban development transform previously sparsely populated areas (UNISDR,2009).
Unfortunately, the location and changing climate patterns also have made it difficult
to make along lasting disaster risk reduction and management patterns. One such example
is the rampage of Super Typhoon Yolanda (International Codename: Haiyan) during the

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FEU High School Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction STEM 2nd Semester Class

closing month soft the year 2013. The loss incurred by Yolanda istragic, and the battered
locations are still recovering from the horrific event even today.
This 600 km diameter Typhoon Haiyan crossed the Philippine archipelago, bringing
strong winds, heavy rainfall and storm surges that caused extreme loss of lives and wide
spread damage to property; it caused devastation to the whole country and left 6,300 dead,
1,061 missing and 28,689 injured in Haiyan’s aftermath (Lagmayetal.2014).

Refer to the following links for the video discussions:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a3ZvrU-75k
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdNG3r119qs
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkHlIDtSNik

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