Evaluating Structural Safeguards and Human Factors in Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness in High-Rise Buildings

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-970-4_24How to use a DOI?

Keywords

High-rise buildings; fire emergency responses; fire safety preparedness

Abstract

This study investigates the critical interplay between structural safeguards and human behaviour in ensuring fire safety and emergency preparedness in high-rise buildings within Ghana’s rapidly urbanising context. It seeks to identify the key physical and behavioural variables that contribute to, or undermine, safety in these increasingly complex vertical environments.A descriptive research design was adopted, using a structured questionnaire administered to occupants, facility managers, and professionals associated with high-rise buildings in Accra. Data were analysed using SPSS, employing descriptive statistics, reliability tests, and one-sample t-tests to evaluate the significance of preparedness levels and structural installations.The findings reveal that while many buildings meet the baseline requirements, such as stairwells and exit signage, more advanced fire engineering features remain underutilised. Behavioural awareness is high, but gaps persist in applied knowledge, particularly in the use of extinguishers and emergency protocols. This suggests a disconnect between system availability and user competence, highlighting the dual nature of vulnerability.The study focused on a single metropolitan area and did not conduct post-incident analysis. Future research may expand the scope to include simulations or real-world fire scenarios, thereby validating preparedness measures more rigorously.The findings underscore the need for integrated fire safety strategies that align engineering design with occupant training and regulatory enforcement. This is especially critical in mixed-use and publicly occupied high-rises.This study blends structural analysis with behavioural insights to present a holistic view of fire safety in urban high-rises. Moving beyond standard audits, it frames preparedness as a shared outcome shaped by design choices and occupant responses within real-world constraints.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - G. S. Kportufe
AU  - T. K. Buady
AU  - J. Frimpong-Asante
AU  - M. B. Arthur-Aidoo
AU  - S. E. Allotey
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/31
TI  - Evaluating Structural Safeguards and Human Factors in Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness in High-Rise Buildings
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering, Science, and Urban Sustainability (ICESUS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 379
EP  - 395
SN  - 2352-5401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-970-4_24
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-970-4_24
ID  - Kportufe2025
ER  -