Conformity of filling stations to safe distance guidelines in urban Ghana: A case study of the Wa Municipality
AbstractIn recent years, filling station disasters have been prevalent in Ghanaian cities. The extant literature showed that enforcing regulations regarding filling stations’ safe distance is a forward-looking step to reducing disaster risks associated with filling stations. However, in Ghana, littl...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Cogent Social Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2023.2282473 |
| _version_ | 1797393729799061504 |
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| author | Alfred Dongzagla Issah Baddianaah Florence A. Avogo Joana Tengbane |
| author_facet | Alfred Dongzagla Issah Baddianaah Florence A. Avogo Joana Tengbane |
| author_sort | Alfred Dongzagla |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | AbstractIn recent years, filling station disasters have been prevalent in Ghanaian cities. The extant literature showed that enforcing regulations regarding filling stations’ safe distance is a forward-looking step to reducing disaster risks associated with filling stations. However, in Ghana, little is known about the extent of compliance of filling stations with safe distance guidelines in the scientific literature. The study examined the level of conformity of filling stations in the Wa Municipality to two national standards on safe distance—the Ghana National Petroleum Authority (GNPA) 30.8 m health safety distance between a filling station and residential property, and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) 50 m fire safety distance between a filling station and residential property. In addition, we explored nearest residents’perspectives concerning filling stations risks. Geographic Information System (GIS) and in-depth interviews were employed in data collection and analysis. The results show that a considerable number (33.3%) of filling stations failed to comply with the GNFS 50 m guideline and 9.1% with the GNPA 30.8 m guideline. Non-compliance with filling stations’ safety guidelines was fueled by low enforcement of regulations. Nearest residents revealed that they were exposed to risk of disease and fire through noise pollution, air pollution, fuel spillage and emotional stress. We call on regulatory agencies of filling stations in urban Ghana to rise beyond personal and partisan interest and strictly enforce guidelines on siting filling stations and other physical development regulations |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:08:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-589be4bb9f8844328994437ed2e42ddc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2331-1886 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T00:08:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-589be4bb9f8844328994437ed2e42ddc2023-12-12T12:45:37ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Social Sciences2331-18862023-12-019210.1080/23311886.2023.2282473Conformity of filling stations to safe distance guidelines in urban Ghana: A case study of the Wa MunicipalityAlfred Dongzagla0Issah Baddianaah1Florence A. Avogo2Joana Tengbane3Department of Planning, Faculty of Planning and Land Management, S.D. Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa, GhanaDepartment of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, William V.S. Tubman University, Harper, Maryland, LiberiaDepartment of Planning, Faculty of Planning and Land Management, S.D. Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa, GhanaDepartment of Planning, Faculty of Planning and Land Management, S.D. Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa, GhanaAbstractIn recent years, filling station disasters have been prevalent in Ghanaian cities. The extant literature showed that enforcing regulations regarding filling stations’ safe distance is a forward-looking step to reducing disaster risks associated with filling stations. However, in Ghana, little is known about the extent of compliance of filling stations with safe distance guidelines in the scientific literature. The study examined the level of conformity of filling stations in the Wa Municipality to two national standards on safe distance—the Ghana National Petroleum Authority (GNPA) 30.8 m health safety distance between a filling station and residential property, and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) 50 m fire safety distance between a filling station and residential property. In addition, we explored nearest residents’perspectives concerning filling stations risks. Geographic Information System (GIS) and in-depth interviews were employed in data collection and analysis. The results show that a considerable number (33.3%) of filling stations failed to comply with the GNFS 50 m guideline and 9.1% with the GNPA 30.8 m guideline. Non-compliance with filling stations’ safety guidelines was fueled by low enforcement of regulations. Nearest residents revealed that they were exposed to risk of disease and fire through noise pollution, air pollution, fuel spillage and emotional stress. We call on regulatory agencies of filling stations in urban Ghana to rise beyond personal and partisan interest and strictly enforce guidelines on siting filling stations and other physical development regulationshttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2023.2282473filling stationgas stationGeographic Information SystemGhanasafe distance guidelinesrisk |
| spellingShingle | Alfred Dongzagla Issah Baddianaah Florence A. Avogo Joana Tengbane Conformity of filling stations to safe distance guidelines in urban Ghana: A case study of the Wa Municipality Cogent Social Sciences filling station gas station Geographic Information System Ghana safe distance guidelines risk |
| title | Conformity of filling stations to safe distance guidelines in urban Ghana: A case study of the Wa Municipality |
| title_full | Conformity of filling stations to safe distance guidelines in urban Ghana: A case study of the Wa Municipality |
| title_fullStr | Conformity of filling stations to safe distance guidelines in urban Ghana: A case study of the Wa Municipality |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conformity of filling stations to safe distance guidelines in urban Ghana: A case study of the Wa Municipality |
| title_short | Conformity of filling stations to safe distance guidelines in urban Ghana: A case study of the Wa Municipality |
| title_sort | conformity of filling stations to safe distance guidelines in urban ghana a case study of the wa municipality |
| topic | filling station gas station Geographic Information System Ghana safe distance guidelines risk |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2023.2282473 |
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