DConferencesErgSoc Cambridge 2006Design, Usability and Unsafe Behaviour in the Home.pdf (50.61 kB)
Download fileDesign, usability and unsafe behaviour in the home
journal contribution
posted on 10.05.2011, 15:05 authored by Hilary McDermottHilary McDermott, Roger Haslam, Alistair GibbEach year, almost 4,000 deaths occur within the UK as a result of a home
accident and 2.8 million domestic accidents result in the casualty requiring
hospital treatment. New homes include many safety features to protect
occupiers from injury, however the effectiveness of these can be dependent
upon user behaviour. This research examined how behaviour interacts with
design and how this may lead to an increased risk of injury. Forty, in-depth,
semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals inhabiting a new
home. Various behaviours were reported in relation to building features
including fire doors, pipes and loft access. The accounts demonstrate that
designers need to give greater consideration to the interaction between
occupier behaviour and building features so that improvements in design and
occupier education may lead to improved health and safety.
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