Slip, trip and fall accidents sometimes happen. A recent paper presented at the annual meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society addressed whether these accidents and resulting injuries can be curtailed through better architectural design.
More than 275,000 occupational injuries annually are caused by slips, trips and falls, according to the National Safety Council. Falls are the leading and second leading causes of injury-related deaths for adults ages 73+ and ages 60-72 respectively. The study focused on how increased awareness about the causes of slips, trips, and falls can help to improve those statistics.
The authors noted that most people are familiar with the environmental cues of their homes but not of public spaces. Therefore, the unfamiliar environment can pose potential problems. Cues for level changes, steps, holes or slippery surfaces can be missed. That’s why public spaces and commercial property owners have a special duty of care to provide safe, easy access and walking surfaces.
The study presented that, while architects and other designers play key roles in creating safe spaces, their work isn’t focused on safety, other than meeting building codes, accessibility and fire resistance standards. Architects tend to favor aesthetics over premises liability and considering how the design will affect those using the space.
The authors of the study provided a list of recognized design and construction failures that can lead to a slip and fall accident: open risers, single steps, low headroom, lack of intermediate landings, open railings, and more.
If you have been injured by a slip and fall or trip and fall in Pennsylvania, and believe that the property owner’s lack of care contributed to or caused the accident, please reach out to us. We can set a convenient time to discuss the details and determine whether we can help.