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The Impact of Reduced Fire Risk Cigarettes Regulation on Residential Fire Incidents, Mortality and Health Service Utilisation in New South Wales, Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Nargess Ghassempour

    (School of Business, Western Sydney University, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia
    Rozetta Institute Group, The Rocks, NSW 2000, Australia)

  • Wadad Kathy Tannous

    (School of Business, Western Sydney University, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia
    Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia)

  • Kingsley Emwinyore Agho

    (Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
    School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia)

  • Gulay Avsar

    (School of Business, Western Sydney University, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia)

  • Lara Ann Harvey

    (Fall, Balance and Injury Research Centre, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
    School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia)

Abstract

Smoking materials are a common ignition source for residential fires. In Australia, reduced fire risk (RFR) cigarettes regulation was implemented in 2010. However, the impact of this regulation on residential fires is unknown. This paper examines the impact of the RFR cigarettes regulation on the severity and health outcomes of fire incidents in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, from 2005 to 2014. Fire department data from 2005 to 2014 were linked with ambulance, emergency department, hospital, outpatient burns clinic and mortality datasets for NSW. Negative binomial regression analysis was performed to assess the changes to fire incidents’ severity pre- and post-RFR cigarettes regulation. There was an 8% reduction in total fire incidents caused by smokers’ materials post-RFR cigarettes regulation. Smokers’ materials fire incidents that damaged both contents and structure of the building, where fire flames extended beyond the room of fire origin, with over AUD 1000 monetary damage loss, decreased by 18, 22 and 12%, respectively. RFR cigarettes regulation as a fire risk mitigation has positively impacted the residential fire incident outcomes. This provides support for regulation of fire risk protective measures and bestows some direction for other fire safety policies and regulations.

Suggested Citation

  • Nargess Ghassempour & Wadad Kathy Tannous & Kingsley Emwinyore Agho & Gulay Avsar & Lara Ann Harvey, 2022. "The Impact of Reduced Fire Risk Cigarettes Regulation on Residential Fire Incidents, Mortality and Health Service Utilisation in New South Wales, Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12481-:d:930048
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nargess Ghassempour & W. Kathy Tannous & Gulay Avsar & Kingsley E. Agho & Lara A. Harvey, 2021. "Estimating the Total Number of Residential Fire-Related Incidents and Underreported Residential Fire Incidents in New South Wales, Australia by Using Linked Administrative Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Hillel R. Alpert & Carrie Carpenter & Gregory N. Connolly & Vaughan Rees & Geoffrey Ferris Wayne, 2005. "The Effect of the New York State Cigarette Fire Safety Standard on Ignition Propensity, Smoke Toxicity and the Consumer market," University of California at San Francisco, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education qt0mg5v7cp, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, UC San Francisco.
    3. Moin Uddin Ahmed & Wadad Kathy Tannous & Kingsley Emwinyore Agho & Frances Henshaw & Deborah Turner & David Simmons, 2021. "Prevalence and Burden of Diabetes-Related Foot Disease in New South Wales, Australia: Evidence from the 45 and Up Study Survey Data Linked with Health Services Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-25, November.
    4. Alpert, H.R. & Christiani, D.C. & Orav, E.J. & Dockery, D.W. & Connolly, G.N., 2014. "Effectiveness of the cigarette ignition propensity standard in preventing unintentional residential fires in Massachusetts," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 104(4), pages 56-61.
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