Episode 27

Slips, Trips, and Falls

...and now for another Human Factors Minute!

Slips, trips, and falls are the most common premise liability cases that benefit from human factors testimony.

Property owners must maintain safe premises. The question often remains: "Was the trip hazard open and obvious?"

Several human factors principles relate to the ability of a pedestrian to detect and identify a trip hazard, including lighting, conspicuity (an object's attention-grabbing characteristics), foreseeable travel path, the size of the object and if the person had previously encountered the object.

Analyses can determine if a reasonably attentive person would have recognized the hazard in enough time to avoid, and when applicable, refute claims that the hazard was open and obvious, based on established scientific principles and testing.

Post-hoc analysis can also be done on the design factors that precipitate falls on stairs and same-level falls.

Dangerous conditions often can be reasonably and feasibly eliminated, resulting in preventable injury or death.

This has been another Human Factors Minute!

Be sure to check out our main show at our official website: https://www.humanfactorscast.media

Support us on these platforms to get access to the entire Human Factors Minute library:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/humanfactorscast

Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hfactorspodcast

Join us on Discord:https://go.humanfactorscast.media/Discord

Human Factors Cast Merchandise Store: https://www.humanfactorscast.media/p/Store/

Resources:

Music by Kevin McLeod: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/

Mentioned in this episode:

Support us on Patreon for access to the full library of Human Factors Minute

https://www.patreon.com/humanfactorscast

Episode 27

Slips, Trips, and Falls

About the Podcast

Listen for free

About your host

Nick Roome