Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

The Effects of Interactive Stairways on User Behavior and Safety

Karen Kim, M.Arch. Edward Steinfeld, Arch.D., AIA

International Conference on Universal Design June 16, 2014 Lund, Sweden

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Background

People of all ages fall on stairways

Stairway use is involved in 1,900 deaths and 1.3 million hospital emergency room visits per year in the U.S. (NSC 2011; Pauls 2011)

Most stairway accidents are related to the design and construction of stairways (Archea et al. 1979; Templer 1992)

A study found that people perceived using stairways as the most problematic activity in the built environment (Danford et al. 2009)

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Health and Wellness

Stair climbing can improve weight control, cholesterol levels, lower-limb strength, and cardiovascular fitness (Lee et al. 2012; Lewis and Eves 2001)

Stairways should be highly visible, easy to access, and attractive to encourage use (Active Design Guidelines 2010)

Source: capitalnewyork.com

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Interactive Stairways

Changes the purpose of stairways by allowing users to engage in stair climbing tasks while feeling as though they are having an influence on the built environment (Swenson and Siegel 2013)

Have shown a higher impact on stair use (Swenson and Siegel 2013) and thus greater promise for increasing physical activity levels

“Piano Stairs” in Stockholm reported a 66% increase in stair use

Piano Stairs in Stockholm, 2009

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Issues to consider

A higher frequency of stair use increases the exposure to risks of falling

Interactivity may affect the user’s visual attention

Interactive stairways motivate people to use the stairs in unconventional ways (e.g. running, jumping, dancing)

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Research Aims

To build the knowledge base for stair safety

Objectives: Assess interactive stairways Compare the user’s behavior and the incidence of

unsafe stair use on the interactive stairways compared with a conventional stairway

Hypothesis: On the interactive stairways, there will be more user

gaze to the stairway itself, less diverted gaze to the surroundings, and more handrail use

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Methods

1. Developed a checklist for observing and recording stair use

2. Conducted observations in two museums with interactive stairways and in a university building with a conventional stairway using a video recorder Collected 2-hour observation periods Observed stair users only in descent

3. Documented and compared behaviors and stair incidents

Science Museum

Children’s Museum

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Stair use observation checklist Example of an observation setup Observer and video recorder

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Findings

90.2% 81.4%

52.5%

21.7% ■ 32.2%

66.4%

40.2% ▲ 33.0%

28.0%

Children's Museum (CM)N = 92

Science Museum (SM)N = 502

Student Union (SU)N = 453

* Percentages are the percent of the total sample of each stairway. ** Stair users exhibited more than one behavior.

Cross-site comparison of key behaviors Tread Gaze Diverted Gaze Handrail use

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Children's Museum (CM) (N = 92)

Science Museum (SM) (N = 502)

Student Union (SU) (N = 453)

Hesitation 1.08% (1) 0.39% (2) 1.54% (7) Misstep 0.0% (0) 0.39% (2) 0.22% (1) Loss of balance 1.08% (1) 1.19% (6) 0.88% (4) Fall 0.0% (0) 0.19% (1) 0.0% (0) Total 2.17% (2) 2.19% (11) 2.64% (12)

Findings

Cross-site comparison of the incidence of unsafe stair use:

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Discussion

Unreachable and ungraspable handrails Adequate handrails for children

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Discussion

People using the left-side descending path to interact with the stairway

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Discussion

LED color displays on stair risers A stairway painted as an art piece

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Conclusion

Interactive stairways can be as safe as any other stairway but they do alter stair use behavior

The research suggests that interactivity can improve stair safety if used appropriately

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Limitations and Future Research

Stairways with different characteristics were compared

Two hour observation periods resulted in reasonable sample sizes

Video recording is an inexpensive and easy to implement method for assessing stairways in public places

Laboratory studies would increase our knowledge about the issues related to interactive stairways Useful in testing other design concepts before they are implemented in public places

and used widely

Devise strategies to improve professional education on safe stairway design

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

References Archea J, Collins BL, Stahl FI. Guidelines for stair safety. US Dept of Commerce National Bureau of Standards. Washington, DC; 1979. The City of New York. Active Design Guidelines: Promoting Physical Activity and Health in Design [Internet]. Available from: http://centerforactivedesign.org/dl/guidelines.pdf Danford GS, Grimble M, Maisel J. Benchmarking the Effectiveness of Universal Design, San Antonio, Texas: The Architectural Research Centers Consortium 2009. Lee KK, Perry AS, Wolf SA, Agarwal R, Rosenblum R, Fischer S, . . . Silver LD. Promoting Routine Stair Use: Evaluating the Impact of a Stair Prompt Across Buildings. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 2012; 42:136-141. Lewis A, Eves F. Specific Effects of a Calorie-Based Intervention on Stair Climbing in Overweight Commuters. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 2001; 42:257-261. National Safety Council [NSC] Injury Facts 2011 Edition [Internet]. Available from: http://www.nsc.org/Documents/Injury_Facts/Injury_Facts_2011_w.pdf Pauls J. Injury Epidemiology. International Conference on Stairway Usability and Safety; 2011 June 9-10; Toronto; Canada. Swenson T, Siegel M. Increasing Stair Use in an Office Worksite Through an Interactive Environmental Intervention. American Journal of Health Promotion 2013; 27:323-329. Templer JA. The staircase: studies of hazards, falls, and safer design. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press; 1992.

Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access | The State University of New York at Buffalo

Center for Inclusive Design & Environmental Access School of Architecture & Planning State University of New York at Buffalo 114 Diefendorf Hall | 3435 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14214 – 3087

Karen Kim Architectural Research Associate kskim3@buffalo.edu

Funded by: The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) through the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Universal Design in the Built Environment (RERC-UD) and the United States Access Board