Slips and falls in a cold climate: underfoot surface, footwear design and worker preferences for preventive measures.
Slips and falls and associated outdoor injuries are prevalent in cold climates. The objectives of this field investigation were to describe the consequences of slips and falls on ice and snow and the associated injuries, to assess the risks of various icy and snowy surfaces, to identify design needs of footwear, and to ascertain preventive measure preferences of outdoor workers. The organizations investigated were a newspaper delivery service, a military regiment, mining and construction industries. The results showed that fall events occur most frequently on ice covered with snow. This is due to the difficulty of perceiving hidden risks in order to adjust gait strategies. The professional footwear provided does not provide enough protection against slips and falls. Slip resistant properties are ranked as one of the top requirements by the users. Their most preferred preventive measures are footwear with anti-slip properties and the application of anti-slip materials, such as sand or salt.
Gao
Chuansi
C
The Thermal Environment Laboratory, Division of Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, Faculty of Engineering (LTH), Lund University, PO Box 118, Lund 221 00, Sweden. Chuansi.Gao@design.lth.se
Holmér
Ingvar
I
Abeysekera
John
J
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003081:Cold Climate; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007053:Ice; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012775:Shoes / Q000592:standards*; D012914:Snow; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden
D007053:Ice