Slips, Trips, and Falls

Dear Colleagues,

We are thrilled to share updates on our STF Technical Committee’s efforts to organize upcoming conferences!

🚀 STF 2026 in Huntsville, USA – Mark your calendars for June 2026! Planning is well underway, and we will be sharing more details soon. Stay tuned!

🌍 STF at ISPGR 2025 in Maastricht – If you’re planning to attend the ISPGR World Congress (June 29 – July 3, 2025), we would love to connect! Our TC is exploring the possibility of organizing an STF get-together during the event. If you’re interested, please reach out to me (yue.li@uhn.ca) or Takeshi (takeshi.yamaguchi.c8@tohoku.ac.jp)  so we can gauge attendance and plan accordingly.

📢 Opportunity to Submit to ISPGR 2025 – If you haven’t yet looked into ISPGR 2025, we encourage you to consider submitting a late-breaking poster abstract! Submissions will be open from April 10 – April 24, 2025, and as an STF member, you’ll need to become a reciprocal member of ISPGR to submit. I will provide detailed instructions on how to do this in April.

💡 Exclusive Benefit: Any STF member with an accepted submission will be eligible to register at the discounted early member rate—a great opportunity to showcase your work and save on registration!

If you’re interested in submitting a late-breaking abstract, please reach out to me as soon as possible so I can ensure you have all the necessary details when the submission window opens.

Looking forward to seeing many of you in Maastricht!

Best regards,

Sophia & Takeshi

Co-Chairs, Slips, Trips, and Falls Technical Committee

Dear STF Members,

We invite you to an insightful session highlighting Canada Post’s latest strategy and advancements in reducing slip, trip, and fall (STF) injuries—currently the leading cause of workplace incidents.

Key Highlights:

• Hands-On Safety Training with the Slip Simulator™: Delivery agents can safely practice navigating challenging surfaces (e.g., curbs, icy slopes) through secure, immersive training.
• Proven Results: Studies from major organizations, including a U.S. lab, Amazon, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation, show a 30-70% reduction in incidents following similar training.
• Success Story: Hear about Canada Post’s successful 2022 pilot and the rollout of Slip Simulator™ units at their largest delivery agent schools.

Webinar Details:

• Registration: Free and open to all. Registered participants can engage directly with presenters through a live Q&A.
• Recording: Available afterward on YouTube for easy access.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how Canada Post is setting new standards in workplace safety training!

Title of presentation:

How do you walk safely? A look into using experiential learning to reduce Slips, Trips and Falls.

Presenter:

Nadia Afara, Health and Safety Manager at Canada Post, Canada

STF Co-Chair:

Sophia (Yue) Li, The KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Canada

Takeshi Yamaguchi, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Japan

Date and Time:

Monday, December 2nd, 2024,

9am-10am EST / 2pm-3pm UTC / 11pm-12am JST

Duration: 60 mins

Zoom link for registration: Click here

Richard Bowman has curated a flash slip resistance flash session at  Qualicer 2024, the 18^th World Congress on Ceramic Tile Quality. This will be held from 9.15 to 10.30 (CET) on 5 March 2024.

You can register at https://www.qualicer.org/en/registration/. Instead of transferring 800€ (the complete online attendee fee), simply transfer 25€ (for the flash session). If you would also like access to the slip resistance presentations on 6 March, please transfer 50€. This will include a special invited presentation. The first paper is a continuation of the wear resistance theme, which provides a perfect lead-in to Dori Muñoz’ presentation.

Slip resistance session presentations:

11:30 -12:00 (CET)

EVALUATION OF THE ABRASIVE WEAR OF CERAMIC TILE SURFACES BY ISO 10545 AND UNE 138001 STANDARDS

1. Demarch(1)(2), A. Waterkemper (1)(2), D. Pasini(1)(2), L. Rosso(1)(2), J. Menegon (1)(2), S. Ruzza (2), E. Angioletto (1), O. R. Klegues (1), A.M. Bernardin(1) (Brazil) (1) PPGCEM – UNESC. (2) Eliane Ceramic Tiles.

12:00 -12:30

ASSESSMENT OF THE DURABILITY OF FLOORING SLIP RESISTANCE

1. Muñoz, G. Silva, R. Domínguez, A. Salvador, P. Velasco (Spain) ITC – AICE, Universitat Jaume I.

12:30 -13:00

CONTINUED ASSESSMENT OF VARIOUS CERAMIC TILE FLOOR COVERINGS USING DIFFERENT FRICTION TEST METHODS

1. Davidson (U.S.A.) Tile Council of North America.

13:00 – 14:00 FEATURED SESSION

OF MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS AND OF PEBBLES AND DIVOTS: NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN CHARACTERIZING CERAMIC TILE TOPOGRAPHY USING MULTISCALE METHODS

1. Beschorner, Associate Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh (U.S.A.)
2. Pastewka, Professor for Simulation in the Department of Microsystems Engineering at the University of Freiburg (Germany)

Dear colleagues,

I hope this message finds you well. As we continue our collective efforts to enhance safety and well-being in the realm of Slips, Trips, and Falls Prevention, I am excited to bring to your attention an excellent opportunity to contribute to the international discourse on this topic.

The 22nd Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA2024) is scheduled to take place from August 25 to 29, 2024, on the picturesque Jeju Island in Korea. The overarching theme for this congress is “Better Life Ergonomics for Future Humans,” with a focus on exploring how emerging technologies can elevate the quality of human life in various aspects, including work and leisure activities.

Given our expertise in Slips, Trips, and Falls, I strongly encourage each of you to consider submitting proposals for presentations that align with our committee’s insights and advancements. This congress presents a unique platform to showcase our collective knowledge and contribute to the broader conversation on improving safety and well-being through ergonomics.

Key Dates to Remember:

Nov 1, 2023, to Feb 29, 2024: Proposal Submission Period

Mar 15, 2024: Proposal Acceptance Notifications

This is an excellent opportunity for us to not only share our experiences but also to learn from international colleagues and gain insights into cutting-edge developments in the field. The congress program will include dedicated sessions related to the overarching theme, but it will also cover a broad spectrum of traditional and emerging Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) topics, providing a comprehensive platform for diverse discussions.

Your participation and contributions will undoubtedly enrich the congress and elevate the profile of our committee on the global stage. Please consider submitting proposals or special sessions that reflect the innovative work we are collectively undertaking in the domain of Slips, Trips, and Falls Prevention.

If you have any questions or require assistance in preparing your submissions, please feel free to reach out Takeshi or Sophia. Let’s seize this opportunity to showcase the impactful work we are doing within our committee.

Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to your active participation in making IEA2024 a resounding success.

Best regards,

Sophia Li and Takeshi Yamaguchi,

Co-chairs of Slips, Trips, and Falls Technical Committee