Slip resistance of winter footwear on snow and ice measured using maximum achievable incline
Open Access
- 10 November 2015
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Ergonomics
- Vol. 59 (5), 717-728
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2015.1084051
Abstract
Protective footwear is necessary for preventing injurious slips and falls in winter conditions. Valid methods for assessing footwear slip resistance on winter surfaces are needed in order to evaluate footwear and outsole designs. The purpose of this study was to utilise a method of testing winter footwear that was ecologically valid in terms of involving actual human testers walking on realistic winter surfaces to produce objective measures of slip resistance. During the experiment, eight participants tested six styles of footwear on wet ice, on dry ice, and on dry ice after walking over soft snow. Slip resistance was measured by determining the maximum incline angles participants were able to walk up and down in each footwear–surface combination. The results indicated that testing on a variety of surfaces is necessary for establishing winter footwear performance and that standard mechanical bench tests for footwear slip resistance do not adequately reflect actual performance. Practitioner Summary: Existing standardised methods for measuring footwear slip resistance lack validation on winter surfaces. By determining the maximum inclines participants could walk up and down slopes of wet ice, dry ice, and ice with snow, in a range of footwear, an ecologically valid test for measuring winter footwear performance was established.Keywords
Funding Information
- Medical Research Council (G1001872/:1)
- National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133E100002)
This publication has 19 references indexed in Scilit:
- Factors associated with use of slip-resistant shoes in US limited-service restaurant workersInjury Prevention, 2011
- Effects of walking surfaces and footwear on temporo-spatial gait parameters in young and older peopleGait & Posture, 2009
- The costs of fatal and non-fatal falls among older adultsInjury Prevention, 2006
- Development and validation of a novel portable slip simulatorApplied Ergonomics, 2005
- Slip resistant properties of footwear on iceErgonomics, 2004
- Occupational slip, trip, and fall-related injuries can the contribution of slipperiness be isolated?Ergonomics, 2001
- Slip, trip and fall accidents occurring during the delivery of mailErgonomics, 1998
- Slipperiness of footwear and mechanisms of walking friction on icy surfacesInternational Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 1995
- An apparatus and a method for determining the slip resistance of shoes and floors by simulation of human foot motionsApplied Ergonomics, 1990
- An apparatus and a method for determining the slip resistance of shoes and floors by simulation of human foot motionsErgonomics, 1989