Design and Evaluation of Slip Resistant Winter Footwear

滑倒事故是暴露在室外冬季条件下的工人职业伤害的主要原因。在安大略省，五分之一的索赔是与跌倒相关的伤害，每一次都会导致平均36天的损失时间，并影响到许多行业。冬季，积雪和结冰的人行道和楼梯会导致较高的跌倒几率。我之前的工作表明，市场上销售的冬季用鞋在结冰的表面上防滑性能往往很差。此外，我开发了许多新的复合材料，一旦它们被纳入鞋底设计，就有可能极大地提高防滑性能，并在冬季减少与跌倒有关的伤害。

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.