Design and Evaluation of Slip Resistant Winter Footwear

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Slip-and-fall incidents are the leading cause of occupational injuries in workers exposed to outdoor winter conditions. One in five claims in Ontario are for fall-related injuries that each result in 36 days of lost time on average and affect many industries. Snow and ice covered walkways and stairs result in higher rates of falls during the winter months. My previous work has shown that existing footwear marketed for use in the winter tends to have poor slip resistance on icy surfaces. Further, I have developed a number of novel composite materials that have the potential to greatly increase slip resistance and reduce fall-related injuries in the winter once they are incorporated in footwear outsole designs.