An Interpretivist Analysis of Safety Culture: Discourses of a Smoldering Fire Department

Vol. 7 No. 1

Year : 2012

Issue : Jun-Aug

Title  : An Interpretivist Analysis of Safety Culture: Discourses of a Smoldering Fire Department 

Author Name  : Kathryn Toelken 

Synopsis  : 

This study employs an interpretive approach to examine fire fighters’ firehouse communication as it contributes to safety culture. The International Communication Association Communication Audit (ICA CA) short answer section was used to collect the written comments and short stories of 225 firefighters.  This study examines the dominant themes of Fire Fighters’ discourses and offers insight into the impact of organizational discourses on safety culture.The study demonstrates that organizational communication is a key component of safety culture.