Burns and fires in South Africa’s informal settlements: Have approved kerosene stoves improved safety?

Kimemia, David; Niekerk, Ashley van; Govender, Rajen; Seedat, Mohamed

doi:10.1016/j.burns.2017.11.006

Cited by 13 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Underperforming appliances are still sold and widely used, even those approved by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). 9 There are other dangers specific to the domestic use of paraffin. It is commonly decanted in neighbourhood spaza shops for sale in smaller, more affordable quantities.…”

Section: South Africa's Energy Access Challengementioning

confidence: 99%

Energy impoverishment and burns: The case for an expedited, safe and inclusive energy transition in South Africa

et al. 2022

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Energy poverty is the constrained access to modern forms of energy. In South Africa, energy impoverished communities are dependent on a mixture of solid fuels (e.g. wood or coal) and hydrocarbons such as paraffin. These, especially paraffin use, are associated with significant negative health outcomes, particularly burns due to accidental fires and spillages, but also paraffin ingestion, and toxic fume inhalation. The energy-poor furthermore suffer disproportionate long-term social, economic and psychological impacts that entrench their impoverished conditions. There is both international and national recognition of these adverse effects of energy poverty and that the universal access to safe and sustainable energy is crucial for the attainment of health and other global social, economic and well-being goals. South Africa is called on to expedite access to modern energy usage, through the enactment of a substantive policy on the provision of safe, clean and affordable energy for energy-impoverished communities and households.

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Section: South Africa's Energy Access Challengementioning

confidence: 99%

Energy impoverishment and burns: The case for an expedited, safe and inclusive energy transition in South Africa

et al. 2022

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“…[18] The study revealed widespread failures of key stove safety components such as auto-extinguishing mechanisms to protect against conflagration, flame control levers and leakproof tanks. [19] The reported stove failures occurred within days to weeks of first use. Laboratory tests on a subset of the damaged stoves showed that the failures were mostly due to manufacturing shortcomings and non-compliance with the compulsory paraffin stove specifications.…”

Section: Persistent Stove Failures and User Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[21] Paraffin stove explosions are described as the most common cause of burns seen in Kenyan, Nigerian, Egyptian, SA and Indian hospitals. [21][22][23][24][25] The risks of explosion and injury are compounded by use of damaged stoves, [19] refilling lit stoves, [22] the unwitting use of contaminated fuel, [23] and inadequate stove safety knowledge. [18] Other risky stove use behaviours include using appliances without fuel caps, ostensibly to guard against explosions, using the stoves for prolonged periods as heaters, leaving lit stoves unattended, and moving a stove while in use.…”

Section: Persistent Stove Failures and User Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[18] Other risky stove use behaviours include using appliances without fuel caps, ostensibly to guard against explosions, using the stoves for prolonged periods as heaters, leaving lit stoves unattended, and moving a stove while in use. [18,19]…”

Section: Persistent Stove Failures and User Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We make the following timebound policy recommendations based on recent investigations and the prevailing situation in SA: [19] Interim/immediate measures (within 12 months)…”

Section: Conclusion and Policy Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Official Risks and Everyday Disasters: the Interplay of Riskscapes in Two Unplanned Settlements in Monrovia

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Monrovia’s unplanned settlements provide a window into the diverse rationales and practices that go into planning and managing urban space. Even though unplanned settlements are economically, spatially, and socially integrated into cities, the desire to eliminate or formalise them persists. In the essay, I examine how everyday risks are addressed in the coexistence and co-evolution of planning and unplanned urbanisation in postwar contexts. As well as showing how expert-recommended risk management approaches cross over into local practices, I explain how and why multiple understandings of ‘risk’ and ‘resilience’ can influence practice. The unequal power dynamic suggests that the practices of state actors influence the residents of unplanned settlements, in a manner that is discernible of governmentality. As riskscapes, and by extension resilience, represent multiple realities to stakeholders, the question of coalescing the mosaic of practices into a common risk governance framework is critical. The essay emphasises that resilience-building should evolve from a thorough understanding of the dynamics of the multiplicity of riskscapes. Finally, the paper argues that an evolutionary approach to risk governance, paying attention to the interacting elements and configurations that link discourse, actors, institutions, power, and knowledge, will provide a platform for negotiating the links between risk perception and risk assessment within the emerging riskscapes. This will be the basis of a deliberative and negotiated resilience pathway that will integrate the priorities and interests of all stakeholders in the planning and decision-making process.

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Burns and fires in South Africa’s informal settlements: Have approved kerosene stoves improved safety?

Cited by 13 publications

References 22 publications

Energy impoverishment and burns: The case for an expedited, safe and inclusive energy transition in South Africa

Energy impoverishment and burns: The case for an expedited, safe and inclusive energy transition in South Africa

Paraffin dangers, health and socioeconomic consequences: Urgent need for policy action

Official Risks and Everyday Disasters: the Interplay of Riskscapes in Two Unplanned Settlements in Monrovia

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