Ladder Safety - development of the first NIOSH smartphone app.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Hsiao H ; Powers J ; Simeonov P
• Description:
  The NIOSH Ladder Safety app was developed as part of a large National Occupational Research Agenda project on extension ladder safety. The app features an innovative multimodal indicator, which uses visual, sound, and vibration signals to assist the user in positioning an extension ladder at an optimal angle. The app also provides graphic-oriented, interactive reference materials, safety guidelines and checklists for extension ladder selection, inspection, safe use, and accessories. The patented multimodal indicator concept used in the app was first tested in the NIOSH laboratories with 40 participants. The tests included a comprehensive comparative evaluation of five ladder positioning methods and devices, using four extension ladder conditions. The multimodal indicator prototype was shown to be both effective and efficient -it improved the accuracy of ladder set-up angle and required less time to set up as compared to other methods. The graphic-oriented ladder safety guide in the app was largely based on the existing US ladder safety standards and regulations, and was developed with input from the ANSI A14 committee on Ladder Safety, the American Ladder Institute, and other stakeholders. The final development and release of the app was accomplished in collaboration with a NIOSH contractor. The Ladder Safety app was released in June 2013, and is available in English and Spanish as a free download for Apple and Android devices. Postings through webpages, email, social media, and partnering agencies were used for broad dissemination of the app. Since its release, the Ladder Safety app has been downloaded more than 28,900 times, and has received excellent reviews and high ratings from ladder users and safety professionals. Focus group interviews with ladder users and safety professionals were used to get feedback for app further enhancement. Current development efforts are directed to improve the app content and functionality and add a section on step ladders safety. The NIOSH Ladder Safety app was received with great enthusiasm by safety professionals and ladder users, and has proved to be a great vehicle for delivering safety related interactive tools and information directly into the hands of various occupational audiences.
• Subjects:
  Accidents, Occupational Acetamides Energy Metabolism Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Hydrocarbons Occupational Health Safety Solvents Urine
• Keywords:
  Education Ladders Safety-education Safety-measures Safety-practices Tools Training
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSR - Division of Safety Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  108
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20047373
• Citation:
  National Occupational Injury Research Symposium 2015, (NOIRS 2015), May 19-21, 2015, Kingwood, West Virginia. Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 2015 May; :108
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:aa16f0593f6f8b89bbadcefb264a0cda3482de98c081216ccd438d0634dadc4e9b9309c23e0d0102e468fbb1ad2016550544304f01f19f25d74ebf3dbb434d70
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/181673/cdc_181673_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 865.64 KB ]