Selected Movement and Force Pattern Differences in Rail- and Rung-Climbing of Fire Apparatus Aerial Ladders at 52.5 Degree Slope

Details

• Personal Author:
  Armstrong TJ ; Fu QA ; Hsiao H ; Simeonov P ; Woolley C
• Description:
  This study compares human climbing performance, including climbing speed and movement and force patterns, between rail- and rung-climbing styles for a moderate aerial ladder slope (52.5 degrees). Hand and foot movements and forces were recorded for 9 male and 10 female firefighters as they ascended and descended a 3.4-m ladder using elevated handrails (rail-climbing) or rungs (rung-climbing) for hand support. The results indicated that climbers used three or more points of contact 54% of the time for rung-climbing and 100% of the time for rail-climbing. Furthermore, rail-climbing was 10% faster than rung-climbing. In rail-climbing, the lateral hand forces were mostly directed away from the body; while during rung-climbing, they were alternated in lateral and medial directions. Overall, the results suggested that rail-climbing provides better control over body positioning and faster climbing speed. Furthermore, the continuous contact of both hands in rail-climbing may reduce the fall risk by facilitating the recovery from a slip or perturbation. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidental Falls Accidents Firefighters Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Aerial Ladder Climbing Climbing Speed Fall Protection Fire Fighters Force Hand Support Ladders Physical Fitness Points Of Contact Slips, Trips, And Falls STF

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• ISSN:
  0003-6870
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant ; Contract
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Michigan ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSR - Division of Safety Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  99
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20063939
• Citation:
  Appl Ergon 2022 Feb; 99:103639
• Contact Point Address:
  Qianyi Albert Fu, Center for Ergonomics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
• Email:
  qifu@umich.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• NORA Priority Area:
  Public Safety
• Performing Organization:
  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Ergonomics
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a0d6814e8f197aa91861daf2158c380a5b300d776c9cc317ac5659e80170ba72122677a6ba0dbaa4dff2f2acd27621e26b9efdf9011a7101e55ebd0e5c72759b
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/222472/cdc_222472_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 5.10 MB ]