Culture of Safety and Other Useful Myths: Anthropological Work in Occupational Safety, Historically and Potentially

Anthropologists have always been exposed to the various beliefs and practices surrounding labor and health. Over the last two centuries, most anthropological accounts of health and labor are a step or two removed from the world of interventions and other applied activities, but this has changed in recent decades. This is especially evident in the world of public health as anthropologists have gained recognition, even notoriety, as important contributors to the discipline. The same cannot be said of anthropology’s contributions to the study of health, and especially safety, as defined in the domain of labor. This is not due to an absence of effort or important publications. Nevertheless, explicit ethnographic research and social theory used in the study of occupational health and safety does not reach the same profile as similar examples in public health at large. This presentation will assess to what extent anthropology has specifically contributed to occupational health and safety. Anthropological theory can certainly be seen in the development of concepts like a “culture of safety,” sometimes despite begrudging anthropologists. Also, the popular methods often used in community-based participatory research are also certainly akin to other ethnographic endeavors. Beyond these kinds of contributions, this presentation will also address the occasional absence of anthropological effort as well as the critiques of occupational health and safety researchers to pursue and harness the social-cultural domain. It is only in this context, that we may also begin to discuss the potential future of anthropological efforts in occupational health and safety.