Stairs are DANGEROUS

Have you ever fallen down stairs and been injured? I have. Twice.

John Templer has written the first theoretical, historical, and scientific analysis of one of the most basic and universal building elements: the stair.

… two volumes present a detailed study of stairs and ramps – the art and science of their design, their history, and their hazards.

…The second volume shows the dangers stairs present. Drawing on twenty years of human factors research on stairs, Templer sets out what is known about slips, trips, and falls and how best to design stairs to avoid their inherent dangers. He discusses the physiological and behavioral relationship between humans and stairs and walkways, the question of gait and slippery surfaces, and the various types of falls and the injuries that result. Perhaps most importantly, Templer proposes the idea of the soft stair, which could substantially reduce the annual epidemic of stair-related deaths and injuries.

John Templer is Regents’ Professor of Architecture at the Georgia Institute of Technology. …

Amazon – The Staircase: Studies of Hazards, Falls, and Safer Design

John Templer is the world expert on stairs. Turns out they are one of the most dangerous hazards in our daily lives. Escalators are not nearly the waste of money I’ve always assumed them to be.

Teaching LANDING and FALLING skills is one of our highest priorities.