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Wen-Ruey Chang, PhD, Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, 71 Frankland Road, Hopkinton, MA 01748, 1-508-497-0219, wen.chang@libertymutual.com
Slip and fall accidents are the second largest source in occupational injuries in the US. Tribology, dealing with the shoe and floor interface, is a critical element in accident prevention in slips and falls. Current research activities in tribology at Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety will be summarized. These activities include studies of optimal surface features for higher friction, shoe and floor interface kinematics, ladder safety, and laboratory and field evaluations of commonly used slipmeters.
Two areas of research have potential as interventions to reduce slip and fall incidents. The first area is related to the preferred surface microscopic geometric features that could increase friction on surfaces covered with liquid contaminants. Three types of surface features, represented by the average void volume on the floor surfaces, the average surface slope and the average peak to valley distance, are identified as preferred surface microscopic features for a higher friction. The second area deals with the prevention of slips at the base of portable ladders. The required friction at the base of the ladders to support different climbing conditions was compared with the available friction at the same interface. The required friction increased by 77% on average when the ladder inclined angle was reduced from 75° to 65°. Guidelines for proper ladder setup are needed. Oily surfaces significantly reduced the available friction due to contamination, leading to a significant increase in slip potential.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Safety, Injury Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.