October 21, 2005—As falls continue to be a leading cause of workplace injuries in the US, a new study through the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Foundation addresses the effects an elevated surface has upon a workers’ balance, which can significantly contribute to falls. The research findings appear in ASSE’s Professional Safety Journal September article Transitioning Sloped Surfaces: The Effects of Roofing Work on Balance and Falls, by Lloyd Robert Wade III, Ph.D., CPE and ASSE member Jerry Davis, PhD., CSP, CPE.
The study involved observing 20 roof workers on a model pitched roof, with the proper fall protection equipment, in a controlled environment, to better understand the effects that elevated heights and angled surfaces have on balance and posture. The study demonstrated that when workers walk on a flat surface like a ladder immediately following exposure to an inclined surface, their balance decreases, therefore further exposing them to a potential fall.
