Citation

Fathallah FA, Cotnam JP. Appl. Ergon. 2000; 31(1): 25-33.

Affiliation

Liberty Mutual Research Center for Safety and Health, Hopkinton, MA 01748, USA. fadi.fathallah@libertymutual.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10709749

Abstract

Many commercial vehicles have steps and grab-rails to assist the driver in safely entering/exiting the vehicle. However, many drivers do not use these aids. The purpose of this study was to compare impact forces experienced during various exit methods from commercial equipment. The study investigated impact forces of ten male subjects while exiting two tractors, a step-van, a box-trailer, and a cube-van. The results showed that exiting from cab-level or trailer-level resulted in impact forces as high as 12 times the subject's body weight; whereas, fully utilizing the steps and grab-rails resulted in impact forces less than two times body weight. An approach that emphasizes optimal design of entry/exit aids coupled with driver training and education is expected to minimize exit-related injuries.

Language: en