The science behind codes and standards for safe walkways: Changes in level, stairways, stair handrails and slip resistance

Nemire, Kenneth; Johnson, Daniel A.; Vidal, Keith

doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2015.07.021

Cited by 29 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 41 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…For example, recently published studies have highlighted the need for more research in the areas of changes in floor level, stairs, slip-resistance of floor surfaces, lighting and visual cues. [ 44 , 45 ] Studies have also demonstrated that impact-absorbing flooring significantly reduces the risk of injury in the event of a fall. [ 46 ] Other strategies to attenuate the impact force, such as hip protectors and martial arts training, may also reduce the risk of hip fracture following a fall.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Falls and Fall-Related Injuries among Community-Dwelling Adults in the United States

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionFalls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries in the U.S.; however, national estimates for all community-dwelling adults are lacking. This study estimated the national incidence of falls and fall-related injuries among community-dwelling U.S. adults by age and gender and the trends in fall-related injuries across the adult life span.MethodsNationally representative data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2008 Balance and Dizziness supplement was used to develop national estimates of falls, and pooled data from the NHIS was used to calculate estimates of fall-related injuries in the U.S. and related trends from 2004–2013. Costs of unintentional fall-related injuries were extracted from the CDC’s Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System.ResultsTwelve percent of community-dwelling U.S. adults reported falling in the previous year for a total estimate of 80 million falls at a rate of 37.2 falls per 100 person-years. On average, 9.9 million fall-related injuries occurred each year with a rate of 4.38 fall-related injuries per 100 person-years. In the previous three months, 2.0% of older adults (65+), 1.1% of middle-aged adults (45–64) and 0.7% of young adults (18–44) reported a fall-related injury. Of all fall-related injuries among community-dwelling adults, 32.3% occurred among older adults, 35.3% among middle-aged adults and 32.3% among younger adults. The age-adjusted rate of fall-related injuries increased 4% per year among older women (95% CI 1%–7%) from 2004 to 2013. Among U.S. adults, the total lifetime cost of annual unintentional fall-related injuries that resulted in a fatality, hospitalization or treatment in an emergency department was 111 billion U.S. dollars in 2010.ConclusionsFalls and fall-related injuries represent a significant health and safety problem for adults of all ages. The findings suggest that adult fall prevention efforts should consider the entire adult lifespan to ensure a greater public health benefit.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Falls and Fall-Related Injuries among Community-Dwelling Adults in the United States

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…[51–54] More research is needed on safe stair design, gender differences in stair negotiation [55–57], and how these factors may be accounted for in stair design with affordance for all users. [58]…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circumstances of fall-related injuries by age and gender among community-dwelling adults in the United States

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionFalls are the leading cause of injury in almost all age-strata in the U.S. However, fall-related injuries (FI) and their circumstances are under-studied at the population level, particularly among young and middle-aged adults. This study examined the circumstances of FI among community-dwelling U.S. adults, by age and gender.MethodsNarrative texts of FI from the National Health Interview Survey (1997–2010) were coded using a customized taxonomy to assess place, activity, initiating event, hazards, contributing factors, fall height, and work-relatedness of FI. Weighted proportions and incidence rates of FI were calculated across six age-gender groups (18–44, 45–64, 65+ years; women, men).ResultsThe proportion of FI occurring indoors increased with age in both genders (22%, 30%, and 48% among men, and 40%, 49% and 62% among women for 18–44, 45–64, 65+ age-groups, respectively). In each age group the proportion of indoor FI was higher among women as compared to men. Among women, using the stairs was the second leading activity (after walking) at the time of FI (19%, 14% and 10% for women in 18–44, 45–64, 65+ age groups, respectively). FI associated with tripping increased with age among both genders, and women were more likely to trip than men in every age group. Of all age-gender groups, the rate of FI while using ladders was the highest among middle-aged men (3.3 per 1000 person-year, 95% CI 2.0, 4.5). Large objects, stairs and steps, and surface contamination were the three most common hazards noted for 15%, 14% and 13% of fall-related injuries, respectively.ConclusionsThe rate and the circumstances of FI differ by age and gender. Understanding these differences and obtaining information about circumstances could be vital for developing effective interventions to prevent falls and FI.

show abstract

“…A separate classification was developed based on the value of the dynamic coefficient of friction (μ) (Figure 4). It is assumed that the floors for which the value of μ is higher than 0.75 can be regarded as antislip [12], while μ above 0.4 is regarded as an acceptable value [4]. The classification scales associated with the various slip resistance test methods are not compatible [13][14][15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Analysis of Slip Resistance Test Methods for Granite Floors

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper attempts to compare three methods of testing floor slip resistance and the resulting classifications. Polished, flamed, brushed, and grained granite slabs were tested. The acceptance angle values (αob) obtained through the shod ramp test, slip resistance value (SRV), and sliding friction coefficient (μ) were compared in terms of the correlation between the series, the precision of each method, and the classification results assigned to each of the three obtained indices. It was found that the evaluation of a product for slip resistance was strongly related to the test method used and the resulting classification method. This influence was particularly pronounced for low roughness slabs. This would result in risks associated with inadequate assessments, which could affect the safe use of buildings facilities.

show abstract

The science behind codes and standards for safe walkways: Changes in level, stairways, stair handrails and slip resistance

Cited by 29 publications

References 41 publications

Falls and Fall-Related Injuries among Community-Dwelling Adults in the United States

Falls and Fall-Related Injuries among Community-Dwelling Adults in the United States

Circumstances of fall-related injuries by age and gender among community-dwelling adults in the United States

Comparative Analysis of Slip Resistance Test Methods for Granite Floors

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About