Evaluation of a "walk-through" ladder top design during ladder-roof transitioning tasks

Details

• Personal Author:
  Ammons D ; Cantis D ; Hsiao H ; Kau T ; Powers J ; Simeonov P ; Weaver D ; Zwiener J
• Description:
  This study evaluated the effect of an extension ladder "walk-through" top design on kinetic and kinematic behaviors and the outward destabilizing forces induced on the ladder during transitioning at elevation. Thirty-two male participants performed stepping tasks between a ladder top and a roof at simulated elevation in a surround-screen virtual-reality system. The experimental conditions included a "walk-through" and a standard ladder top section supported on flat and sloped roof surfaces. Three force platforms were placed under the ladder section and in the roof to measure propulsion forces during transitions. A motion measurement system was used to record trunk kinematics. The frictional demand at the virtual ladder base was also calculated. The results indicate that under optimal ladder setup (angle 75.5 degrees), the frictional demand at the ladder base remains relatively small for all experimental conditions. Also, the "walk through" ladder top eased the ladder-to-roof transitions but not the roof-to-ladder transitions. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidental Falls Accidents Construction Industry Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Ladder Construction Construction Industry Construction Workers Fall Falls Injuries Kinetics Ladders Roofers Roof Falls Roofing Stability Traumatic Injuries

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• ISSN:
  0003-6870
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• 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:
  460-469
• Volume:
  59
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20048867
• Citation:
  Appl Ergon 2017 Mar; 59(Pt A):460-469
• Email:
  psimeonov@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Part Number:
  A
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Ergonomics
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a9d52f00d8b45e70cd6a70509c4bd3ff227cec66386fe759a9aa67b83d96b199416ae03558890926541d3cdc0c7ec3873eb57aa0fce89b2ef173276910bcf49c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/203491/cdc_203491_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.27 MB ]