Figure 19.6 Simple biomechanical parameter model for determining slip resistance. The critical parameters should be studied preferably at slip start, at slip continuation, and at fall start.

The human and economic dimensions of slip, trip and fall injuries at work, in the home and during leisure-time activities are overwhelming. Falls account for 17 per cent of all work-related injuries and 12 per cent of worker fatalities in the United States (Leamon and Murphy, 1995). The incidence rates for falls and workers’ compensation claims were found to be highest for young (less than 25 years) and old (over 65 years) workers. According to the same source, falls represented about 9 per cent of all fatal injuries and 33 per cent of all hospitalised injuries in the USA in 1985, whilst the total lifetime cost of these injuries was estimated at $37.3 billion. Englander et al. (1996) reported that the direct costs of fall injuries in the USA increased dramatically with advancing age of the

Table 19.3 Relevant biomechanical measurement parameters and their ranges during slipperiness evaluations.