Citation

Rabinovich BA, Lerner ND, Huey RW. Hum. Factors 1994; 36(4): 733-744.

Affiliation

COMSIS Corporation, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7875693

Abstract

Three studies were performed to evaluate the fence-climbing abilities of children who are in the high-risk age group for drowning in residential pools. Study 1 examined the ability of children in the age range of 24 to 54 months to climb commonly used fences (common chain link, small chain link, picket, iron, and stockade) at a 4-ft (1.22-m) height. Study 2 examined children's abilities to climb fences retrofitted with features that would potentially make them more difficult to climb. Study 3 examined children's abilities to climb 5-ft (1.52-m) fences. Results of the three studies show that the common chain-link fence is easy to climb even by two-year-old toddlers. Other fence types offered more effective barriers, especially for younger children.