Occupant complacency in workplace fire evacuations
Article
Gold, D., Thomas, D., Vincer, N. and Pitkin, M. 2024. Occupant complacency in workplace fire evacuations. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 11 (1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03665-3
Type | Article |
---|---|
Title | Occupant complacency in workplace fire evacuations |
Authors | Gold, D., Thomas, D., Vincer, N. and Pitkin, M. |
Abstract | This study explored occupant complacency during workplace fire evacuations. It is targeted at those responsible for fire safety management and fire safety practitioners with a contribution to prevent or mitigate the risk of injury or death arising out of a delayed evacuation at work. It seeks to define occupant complacency during workplace fire evacuations, identify its antecedents and explore effective measures to mitigate or control the antecedents of occupant complacency during workplace fire evacuations. Research was conducted using a survey instrument by contacting safety, health and fire safety professionals globally through convenience sampling and several international safety, health and fire safety-related institutions. This included demographics of the respondents, the confirmation of a definition of complacency, and means of dealing with complacency as defined by the questionnaire including priority strategies. The research team then sought to identify the antecedents of occupant complacency during workplace fire evacuations using raw data from a previous study. This study addresses the hypothesis that if there is a clear definition of occupant complacency during workplace fire evacuations and control measures are developed, tested and implemented, the risks of injury and death related to occupant complacency during workplace fire evacuations could be prevented or mitigated. Analysis of survey findings clarified a number of key strategies to avoid evacuation complacency including but not limited to underscoring the importance of leadership involvement within a safety culture; training and education, awareness raising and communications to avoid occupant complacency during workplace fire evacuations; evacuation drills; procedures, and the role of fire wardens. Based on information from a published report that explored individual attitudes, perceptions and experiences as well as perceived vulnerability that shape antecedents of occupant complacency during workplace fire evacuations and individual behaviours when an evacuation alarm is initiated, the authors identified and filled a gap in the report, by suggesting a working definition of occupant complacency during workplace fire evacuations and control measures to prevent or mitigate this behaviour. |
Sustainable Development Goals | 8 Decent work and economic growth |
Middlesex University Theme | Sustainability |
Publisher | Springer Nature |
Journal | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications |
ISSN | |
Electronic | 2662-9992 |
Publication dates | |
Online | 04 Sep 2024 |
04 Sep 2024 | |
Publication process dates | |
Submitted | 12 May 2023 |
Accepted | 21 Aug 2024 |
Deposited | 05 Sep 2024 |
Output status | Published |
Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
Copyright Statement | © The Author(s) 2024 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03665-3 |
Web of Science identifier | WOS:001304507700003 |
Related Output | |
Is supplemented by | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-024-03665-3#Sec21 |
Language | English |
https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/1963z5
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