Contrasting safety attitudes, behaviors and practices in US and UK firefighters

Kambarian, Erik, Butler, Philip C., Cohen-Hatton, Sabrina R. and Honey, Robert C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6870-1880 2025. Contrasting safety attitudes, behaviors and practices in US and UK firefighters. Safety Science 189 , 106884. 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.106884

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Abstract

Firefighters across the world face hazardous work environments. While the incidents encountered by firefighters are broadly similar in the US and UK, the rate of line of duty deaths is much higher in the US than in the UK. Our research sought to characterize firefighting cultures (e.g., practices, behaviors, and attitudes) as one potential source of differences in line of duty deaths in the US and UK. 1123 incident commanders (442 from the US and 681 from the UK) completed a survey that examined five domains of incident command: Demographic and employment information; Characteristics of Fire Departments/Services; Experience, training and certification; Decision-making and practices; and Safety/Operational culture. The results revealed marked differences across these domains, with some confirming known differences in organizational structures and recruitment across US and UK, but others establishing differences in operational/safety culture, behaviors and practices that have the potential to contribute to firefighter and public safety.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Schools:	Schools > Psychology
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0925-7535
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	22 April 2025
Date of Acceptance:	16 April 2025
Last Modified:	01 May 2025 14:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/177838

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