Factors associated with worker slipping in limited-service restaurants.
OBJECTIVE
Slips, trips and falls (STF) are responsible for a substantial injury burden in the global workplace. Restaurant environments are challenged by STF. This study assessed individual and work environment factors related to slipping in US limited-service restaurant workers.


METHODS
Workers in 10 limited-service restaurants in Massachusetts were recruited to participate. Workers' occupational slip and/or fall history within the past 4 weeks was collected by multilingual written questionnaires. Age, gender, job tenure, work hours per week and work shift were also collected. Shoe type, condition and gross shoe contamination were visually assessed. Floor friction was measured and each restaurant's overall mean coefficient of friction (COF) was calculated. The logistic generalised estimating equations model was used to compute adjusted odds ratios (OR).


RESULTS
Of 125 workers, 42 reported one or more slips in the past 4 weeks with two reporting a resultant fall. Results from multivariable regression showed that higher restaurant mean COF was significantly associated with a decreased risk of self-reported slipping (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.82). From the highest to the lowest COF restaurant, the odds of a positive slip history increased by a factor of more than seven. Younger age, male gender, lower weekly work hours and the presence of gross contamination on worker's shoe sole were also associated with increased odds of slip history.


CONCLUSIONS
Published findings of an association between friction and slipping and falling in actual work environments are rare. The findings suggest that effective intervention strategies to reduce the risk of slips and falls in restaurant workers could include increasing COF and improving housekeeping practices.
Courtney
Theodore K
TK
Center for Injury Epidemiology, Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, Hopkinton, Massachusetts 01748, USA. theodore.courtney@libertymutual.com
Verma
Santosh K
SK
Huang
Yueng-Hsiang
YH
Chang
Wen-Ruey
WR
Li
Kai Way
KW
Filiaggi
Alfred J
AJ
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D005260:Female; D005430:Floors and Floorcoverings; D017276:Friction; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012147:Restaurants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012775:Shoes; D013499:Surface Properties; D055815:Young Adult