Slip outcomes in firefighters: A comparison of rubber and leather boots

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

BACKGROUND: Slip induced falls have been identified as a major causative factor for injuries in workplace. Firefighter's boots play a critical role in personal safety and affects postural stability. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine slip severity in firefighters while wearing rubbe r and leather boots. METHODS: Thirty professional firefighters were tested on two separate days with a rubber boot and a randomly chosen leather boot. Firefighters performed a three minute simulated stair climb wearing a full set personal protective equipment (PPE). Following this, they performed normal walking trials and a slip trial without the knowledge of the slippery floor. After a brief rest, they repeated the stair climb and walking trials followed by another slip trial with the knowledge of the slippery floor. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in slip parameters between boot and slip types. Significantly greater slip parameters were seen in rubber boots and during unexpected slips. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that rubber boots elicit greater slip severity indicating a 2.67 to 4.8 times and 2.49 to 3.6 times greater chance of a hazardous slip during unexpected and expected slips respectively, compared to leather boots. These findings provide practical information on firefighting work practices and PPE usage decisions.