Preventing occupied wheelchairs from falling down stairs

Preventing occupied wheelchairs from falling down stairs.

The hypothesis was tested that wheelchairs could be prevented from accidentally falling down stairs. A rigid post was attached to the wheelchair frame immediately behind the caster (clearance of 13 mm) such that it would strike the floor just after the casters dropped off an edge. The device was tested by means of a 3-degree ramp at the lower end of which was a level surface that ended with a 1...

Preventing death and serious injury from falling trees and branches

Of 128 outdoor education related deaths examined since 1960, 14 have been due to falling trees or branches. This article examines the grounds on which death or serious injury due to falling trees or branches can be regarded as an inherent risk in outdoor education, and the extent to which such incidents can be regarded as preventible. It compares alternative approaches to prevention, and draws ...

Case Study on Possible Falling Patterns of a Fatal Fall from Stairs

Considering a fatal case of an aged individual, who died due to falling down stairs, the cause of the fatal fall was investigated through experiments. A witness, who was with the victim, when the fatal accident occurred, stated that the aged individual had miss-footed, lost balance at the top of the stairs, and fell accidently from an upper floor to a lower floor. It was very questionable wheth...

Low anterior counterweights to improve static rear stability of occupied wheelchairs.

Rear tipping accidents in wheelchairs are a common problem, the likelihood of which may be increased by the combination of a wheelchair with low stability and an occupant with altered body morphology, such as a person with lower limb amputations. This study tests the hypothesis that counterweights on the wheelchair footrests significantly increase static rear stability. In addition to pilot wor...

Up and down the stairs with dr. Shapiro.