Fire safety measures in commercial complex residents: Application of protection motivation theory.

Abstract

Fires in commercial buildings are of particular concern given their essential role in economic and social development. While fire safety research has often emphasized structural aspects of buildings, comparatively less attention has been paid to residents' behavioral responses during fire incidents. Moreover, a considerable portion of the existing literature on fire safety lacks a robust theoretical foundation. To address this gap, the present study applies the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to examine factors influencing fire prevention behaviors among residents of commercial complexes. This cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 2024 among 910 residents of commercial complexes in Hamadan. Participants were selected using a stratified sampling method based on complex size, followed by simple random sampling for individual inclusion. Data were collected through structured interviews with a questionnaire consisting of two sections: demographic and background information, and constructs derived from the PMT. The mean age of participants was 41.6 years, with an average of 7.6 working hours per day. Most participants were male (81.2 %) and had a middle school level of education (52.2 %). Nearly 12.2 % reported previous experience with a fire incident. In addition, higher scores of perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, fear, self-efficacy, response efficacy, perceived rewards, and protection motivation were associated with increased engagement in preventive measures. Daily working hours were also found to have a statistically significant correlation with the adoption of protective behaviors against fire in commercial buildings. The findings of this study highlight the critical importance of fire prevention among individuals working in commercial complexes, given their unique occupational conditions. To ensure effective planning and implementation of preventive and intervention programs, it is essential to comprehensively identify the determinants of protective behaviors.