Citation

Cook A, Hemler S, Sundaram V, Chanda A, Beschorner K. IISE Trans. Occup. Ergon. Hum. Factors 2020; 8(4): 209-214.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/24725838.2021.1925998

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Slips and falls are among the most common reason for non-fatal work accidents. Preventing slips in the workplace can be achieved by ensuring sufficient friction between the shoe and floor. As shoes are worn down, there is a decrease in the coefficient of friction, which increases the risk of injury from a slip and fall for the wearer. We found that shoes worn in the workplace commonly had friction performance that is about 25% lower than their new condition and that this effect was largest for shoes with the highest initial friction performance. These results inform the magnitude of improvement in friction performance that can be achieved through footwear replacement programs.

As slip-resistant shoes are naturally worn, the coefficient of friction (COF) decreases. Proper and timely shoe replacement is an important factor for preventing injuries related to slips. Knowledge of the change in COF for naturally worn shoes in the workplace, relative to the COF of their new counterparts, is needed for a better understanding in this area.

METHODS: Slip-resistant shoes worn in the workplace and their new counterparts were mechanically tested to assess their COF. Eighteen pairs of shoes (new and worn) were tested on a whole-shoe slip testing device that simulates under-shoe slipping conditions. The COF was calculated for each pair of shoes at a shoe-floor angle of 17 ± 1° relative to the ground surface, a speed of 0.5 m/s, and a mean normal force of 250 ± 10 N.

RESULTS: A mean decrease in COF of 0.055 (25%) was observed when comparing the naturally worn shoes with the new shoes. New shoes with an initial higher COF showed a larger loss in COF due to wear.

CONCLUSIONS: Naturally worn, slip-resistant shoes have substantively reduced COF compared to their new counterparts. These findings demonstrate the potential for programs that monitor and replace slip-resistant shoes as a means to prevent slips.

Language: en

Keywords

coefficient of friction; footwear; Slip and fall accidents; slip-resistant