In an effort to better understand the nature, occurrence and frequency of paraffin related incidents the Paraffin Safety Association is in the process of developing and launching a GIS (Geographical Information System) based surveillance system.
A GIS is a special type of database that allows data to be located, visualised and analysed spatially (geographically). The Paraffin Safety Association has made use of GIS technology in the past to develop a model for a national paraffin packing system. It is now being used to develop a surveillance system.
The system is primarily to be used as a tool:
- To collect information about paraffin usage and harmful paraffin related incidents occurring across the country.
- To monitor and analyse the useage and incidents.
- To monitor and evaluate any interventions related to paraffin safety that are undertaken by the Paraffin Safety Association.
It is envisioned that the system will ultimately allow the Paraffin safety association to be more accurate in its research and interventions and that other disaster organization management interventions might benefit from the system.
The project is still in its early stages and the main tasks undertaken to date include:
- The preparation of base maps showing the use of paraffin for cooking heating and lighting as opposed to other energy sources. These maps were derived from the Census 2001 data.
- The launching of a pilot project at the Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in Umlazi, KZN to collect and analyse information about harmful incidents that are related to paraffin and other energy sources.
The base data and the maps related to the pilot project can be downloaded from this site in pdf format.
It is anticipated that more case studies will be initiated at other hospitals across the country before the data can be thoroughly analyzed and used to inform paraffin safety interventions. The GIS system also comprises online data capture forms. In time it is expected that maps will also be able to be compiled and analysed over the Internet.