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Risk mitigation at train stations: underlying causes of slips, trips, and falls for passengers with reduced mobility
Vesna Popovic1, Grégoire S Larue2,3, Matthew Legge4
1Faculty of Engineering, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia.
Ergonomics
|March 27, 2023
Summary
Slips, trips, and falls (STFs) are common for passengers with reduced mobility (PRM) at train stations. Identifying risky locations and behaviors, like not viewing the platform-train gap, can help prevent these injuries.
Area of Science:
- Transportation safety
- Human factors engineering
- Accessibility research
Background:
- Slips, trips, and falls (STFs) pose a significant risk to passengers, particularly those with reduced mobility (PRM), within railway environments.
- Understanding the specific environmental and behavioral factors contributing to STFs is crucial for developing effective mitigation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the underlying causes of STFs among PRMs in train stations.
- To identify dominant risky locations and risk-taking behaviors associated with STFs in this population.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods approach combining direct observation with retrospective interviews.
- Utilized eye-tracking technology (Tobii eye tracker) during navigation tasks.
- 37 participants (aged 24–87) navigated selected railway stations.
Main Results:
- Identified 'vicinity of obstacles' as a dominant risky location.
- Identified 'not looking at the gap between the platform and train' as a dominant risky behavior.
- These factors were found to be significant contributors to STFs for PRMs.
Conclusions:
- The identified risky locations and behaviors are key underlying causes of STFs for PRMs.
- Findings can inform the planning and design of rail infrastructure to predict and mitigate STFs.
- Recommendations support enhanced safety measures for passengers with reduced mobility.
