Slip, trip and fall accidents during the delivery of mail

305 Pages·2017·26.18 MB·English

Loughborough University
Institutional Repository
Slip, trip and fall accidents
during the delivery of mail:
risk factors and
interventions
ThisitemwassubmittedtoLoughboroughUniversity’sInstitutionalRepository
by the/an author.
Additional Information:
• A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.
Metadata Record: https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/6844
Publisher: (cid:13)c Tim A. Bentley
Please cite the published version.
This item is held in Loughborough University’s Institutional Repository
(https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/) and was harvested from the British Library’s
EThOS service (http://www.ethos.bl.uk/). It is made available under the
following Creative Commons Licence conditions.

For the full text of this licence, please go to:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/
delivery
during the of
fall
Slip, trip accidents
and
factors
and interventions
risk
mail: mail:
by
Bentley
Tim A.
`ý
Sý ý.
12
ýNýýý
ý-ý-ýý
ýo Mý oýýo
ý
Lý ý
Cý
is
`ý
Abstract
This the fall (STFA)
thesis considers problem of slip, trip
and accidents
during delivery
the Its identify key factors
occurring of mail. aims are to risk
'Falls largest
and effective countermeasures. outdoor' are the cause of
lost delivery function
time the Royal Mail,
accident and within of the making
28 %
The Royal Mail has
up approximately of accidents at work. also a poor
to for
safety record compared other organisations this type of accident.
The five The first four
research project comprised studies. studies examined
individual, (physical
the task-related
role of and environmental and
factors in delivery STFA The final
the
organisational) risk. study considered
design implementation
intervention
to
selection, and of a programme of
impact key factors identified in The
on risk earlier research. entire project
the Midlands Division the Royal Mail.
was undertaken within of
The first involved in-house data 1734
to
study analysis of accident relating
delivery STFA during
two 237
cases reported a year period, and a sample of
Nearly delivery STFA
two-thirds the
accident reports. of occurred while
level, 19 % descending
the
employee was walking on and while ascending or
falls from
Over 50 % ice,
steps. of resulted slips, with snow and wet
hazards. Accidents involving ice
the
underfoot surfaces main and snow
into Approximately
tended to time
cluster relatively short periods. one-
delivery STFA from hazards including
trips,
quarter of resulted with major
kerbs. Female Postal
the
uneven paving, obstacles on walking surface and
Delivery Officers (PDO) incurred incidence higher
than
rates significantly
Analysis delivery
those their
of male colleagues. of accident reports revealed
STFA householders'
occurred most commonly on premises.
Accident-independent investigations in
the
undertaken second study
involved focus PDO, interviews
a series of groups with with senior
PDO
'short
management and safety personnel, and a questionnaire' survey of
delivery In to
and office managers. all cases, respondents were asked provide
information factors believed increased delivery
they the
regarding risk of
STFA. This in identified
research was exploratory nature, and a range of
behavioural, factors.
task-related
possible and management risk
iii
detailed
involved interviews
The third 40 STFA-involved PDO.
study with
The the to factors
of study the
main purpose was consider role of risk
identified in Interviews
accident-independent research. took the
place at site
'Avoidable' hazards, damaged
the
environmental
of accident. such as paving
inadequate lighting, involved in 38 % delivery STFA. Footwear
and were of
by had had
used employees who slipped completely worn tread in 75 % of
Some form behaviour being
cases. of unsafe or work practice was used at the
in 60 % At
time of the accident of cases. the time of the accident, one-third of
PDO in
40 %
accident-involved were rushing slippery conditions, and
letter for delivery
the
reading addresses next point while walking.
The fourth investigated delivery
the to
study use of safety practices relevant
STFA by Delivery Office Managers (DOM). Telephone interviews
with
high low
20 'matched'
managers of and accident-incidence rate offices were
investigate DOMs' 'desirable' Managers
to
undertaken use of safety practices.
low delivery found
to
of accident-incidence rate offices were undertake more
investigations,
thorough to take
accident more often preventive actions, and
issues PDO. Management
to time to
spend more communicating safety
PDO from hazardous during
to to
actions protect exposure conditions severe
found be limited in did
to to
weather were changes working practices which
for first delivery
the
not affect quality of service round.
The final the design implementation
study was concerned with selection, and
intervention. Intervention
of a programme of measures were research-led;
designed impact key factors identified in
to the
reduce of risk previous
Participative for design
the
project research. methods used selection and of
focus
interventions included
senior safety and operations management
'intervention
groups, and comment questionnaires' with senior safety
STFA
DOM. Recommended intervention
targeted
managers and measures
levels: (superior footwear
three
risks at slip resistance occupational and
footwear hazardous (e.
to
attachments), exposure conditions g. adverse
hazard feedback form)
weather practice, reporting and and employee
behaviour in face hazardous (e.
the training and
of conditions g. workshops
behaviour
The to
techniques).
modification use of a participative approach
intervention design be
to
selection and allowed safety measures placed
Mail.
the the Royal
successfully within organisational context of
iv
Acknowledgements
The
in
co-operation of all participants this is
research greatly appreciated.
Royal Mail's
this is I
support of project
gratefully acknowledged. would
like
to thank Mike Dixon, Ian Cooper, Cynthia Yeates, John
particularly
Leaviss, Howard Kilroy Geoff Ellis for
their this
and assistance with work.
I like to thank Dr. Roger Haslam, has
would my supervisor, who provided
throughout the three
enthusiastic and wise counsel past years.
I Rachel, for her this thesis.
am grateful to my mother, efforts proof reading
for
More importantly, I her, Malcolm, Arthur Hillary, their
thank
and
the three
encouragement and support over past years.
have
Many friends provided advice, support and
and colleagues
I
this thank them all, and am
over the period of research.
encouragement
Simon Fletcher,
Charlotte Eost,
Sutherland,
Jeremy
to
grateful
particularly
Oliff.
Lynda
Glyn Smyth, Debbie Philpott and
I have benefited
brother, Dr. Jim Bentley. greatly
due
to
Thanks my
are also
from
the process, and
from his knowledge regarding research
and experience
matters.
his insights and organisational
management
regarding
for her
encouragement
Melanie, support,
patience,
I
Finally, thank my wife,
during
this
project.
and sacrifice
V
Contents
Certificate Originality
of II
Abstract
Acknowledgements
V
Contents
V1
List Tables
of xvii
List Figures
of xx
List Appendices
of xxii
Chapter Introduction 1
one:
1.1 Chapter 1
summary
1.2 Problem 1
statement
1.3 The Royal Mail 4
1.3.1 The 4
organisation
1.3.2 The business 4
structure
1.3.3 Quality 5
of service standards
1.3.4 The delivery 5
work of postal employees
1.4 The 8
project
1.4.1 Research 8
aims
9
1.4.2 The
project committee
1.4.3 A 10
to
participative approach project research
11
1.4.4 An
overview of project methodology
1.5 Outline 11
the thesis
of
vi
Chapter Slip,
two: trip fall
and
accidents: literature 15
a review of
2.1 Chapter
summary
15
2.2 Terms definitions
and
16
2.2.1 Slip
trip fall
and terms 16
accident
2.2.2 Definition
'falling'
of 16
2.2.3 Definition
'accident'
of 17
2.3 Slip, fall
trip
and accidents: the the
scale of problem at
home
during
leisure
work, 18
and
2.3.1 Statistics for
STFA 18
occupational
2.3.2 STFA incidence
industries 20
across
2.3.3 Injuries from
STFA 24
resulting occupational
2.3.4 Home leisure STFA 26
and
2.3.5 Section the STFA 26
the
summary: scale of problem
2.4 A for trip fall 27
model slip, and accidents
29
2.5 Fall initiating
events
29
2.5.1 Slipping
30
2.5.2 Tripping
and stumbling
foot 30
2.5.3 Twisting
of or ankle
2.5.4 Lower frequency initiating 30
events
fall 31
2.5.5 Section initiating
summary: events
31
factors
2.6 Movement task-related
and
32
STFA
2.6.1 Activities
commonly preceding
during
locomotion
Human
2.6.2 normal
and slipping
32
walking
33
for
Critical
2.6.2.1
gait phases slipping
human
2.6.2.2 The influence on gait
of surface slope
34
for
slipping
and potential
35
load
The
2.6.3 on stability
of carrying
effect
37
2.6.4 The of manual exertion on slipping
effect
factors to
STFA
2.6.5 Section related
risk
summary:
37
task
and
movement
vii
factors
2.7 Individual
38
2.7.1 Personal factors
38
2.7.1.1 Age
38
2.7.1.2 Sex
40
2.7.1.3 Physical
health
41
and mental
2.7.1.4 Body
42
weight
2.7.1.5 The
in STFA
42
role of alcohol risk
2.7.2 Perceptual factors: STFA hazards 43
recognising
2.7.2.1 Vision
43
2.7.2.2 Subjective frictional
assessment of surface
the 45
properties and role of experience
2.7.3 Psychophysiological factors
46
2.7.4 Section individual factors
47
summary:
2.8 Factors to the location: the
related accident physical and
49
ambient environment
2.8.1 STFA location 49
2.8.2 Features the location:
of accident underfoot
involved in STFA 50
conditions and agents
2.8.2.1 Slipping hazards: ice liquid
snow, and
50
contaminants
2.8.2.2 Uneven hazards 56
tripping
paving and other
2.8.2.3 The lighting
visual environment: and visual
57
obstructions
2.8.2.4 Stairways 58
and steps
2.8.3 Section factors to the
summary: related accident
location 60
61
2.9 Chapter
summary and conclusions
2.9.1 Relevant factors in the
accident not considered review
61
STFA literature
of
2.9.2 Key STFA factors they to the
problem of
risk as relate
62
falls delivery
the to
risk of postal officers
66
Chapter Analysis in-house data
three:
of accident and reports
66
3.1 Introduction
3.1.1 Outline 66
in
of research presented chapter
vill
3.1.2 Aims
67
3.2 Methods
67
3.2.1 Description data
the 67
of
3.2.2 Coding data
68
of accident
3.2.3 Accident data
68
reports: and coding
3.3 Results: data 68
analysis
3.3.1 Total distribution days
number of accidents and of
lost
68
fall
3.3.2 Activity initiating
of accident-involved employee,
hazard 69
events and surface condition or
3.3.2.1 FIE by length from following
of absence work
fall 70
a
3.3.2.2 FIE by body injured 71
part
3.3.3 Month STFA 72
of
3.3.3.1 Month by FIE 73
falls during
3.3.3.2 Concentration ice
of snow and
73
time
short periods
3.3.4 Day time day 74
of week and of
75
3.3.5 Sex
of accident-involved employee
3.3.5.1 Sex by FIE 76
3.3.5.2 Sex by body injured 76
part
76
3.3.6 Age
of accident-involved employee
3.3.6.1 Age by FIE 77
77
3.3.7 Length
of service of accident-involved employee
78
3.4 Results:
analysis of accident reports
3.4.1 Location STFA hazard the
of and associated with
78
accident
79
3.4.2 Unsafe behaviour
79
3.5 Discussion
3.5.1 Key findings implications for future
project
and
79
research
79
3.5.1.1 Slipping
accidents
3.5.1.2 Effect
of weather and clustering of slipping
80
involving ice
accidents and snow
IX