Risk mitigation at train stations: underlying causes of slips, trips, and falls for passengers with reduced mobility

Figures & data

Table 1. Sample historical STF incident descriptions and coding for PRM.

Incident description	Codes
Elderly male passenger tripped over his luggage in luggage weigh in area and sustained a laceration to his right shin. First aid was rendered by station staff.	Age elderly Luggage
Female passenger was going up escalator with a suitcase in front of her when she fell backwards. Passenger refused to give any details and continued her journey.	Escalator Luggage
Male passenger was going down escalator with a large suitcase when he lost his footing and fell down at the bottom grazing his elbow. First aid was given by staff, and he was then able to continue his journey.	Escalator Luggage
Elderly male passenger who was in his motorised wheelchair fell into an open pit hole on platform that was exposed while cables were being laid. He was conveyed to the Princess Alexandra hospital where he was admitted for facial fractures. He was discharged 2 days later on the 23/1/09. His wheelchair was damaged in the accident and was taken and repaired by the construction company. The manager visited him at his home after discharge along with a team member from the construction site.	Wheelchair Age elderly Open pit

Table 2. Participant demographics and familiarity with field study stations (N = 37).

Characteristic	Frequency (%)
Gender
Male	12 (32.4)
Female	24 (64.9)
Preferred not to say	1 (2.7)
Type of shoes
Street/sport shoes (flat)	34 (91.9)
Sandals/thongs	1 (2.7)
Work boots	2 (5.4)
Objects carried
Luggage	6 (16.2)
Luggage and backpack	2 (5.4)
Luggage and shoulder bag	5 (13.5)
Motorised wheelchair	1 (2.7)
Pram	8 (21.7)
Walking stick	5 (13.5)
Nothing	10 (27.0)
High risk group
Elderly	10 (27.0)
Encumbered by luggage	13 (35.1)
Using a mobility aid	5 (13.5)
Using a motorised wheelchair	1 (2.7)
Pushing a pram	8 (21.6)
	Mean (SD) [Range]
Age	49.8 (20.0) [24–87]
Familiarity with train stations
Fortitude Valley	5.7 (3.5) [0–10]
Roma Street	5.9 (3.2) [0–10]
South Brisbane	5.4 (3.3) [0–10]

Table 3. Verbal data coding scheme samples (Note: Verbal data are grouped into categories of planning, experience, looking/using, passengers, and behaviour; sub-codes provide more details of participant activities).

Preliminary video theme	Verbal data code	Sub-code and heuristic
What are participants doing?	PLANNING	Navigation Boarding/alighting Information seeking Time
Expectations	EXPERIENCE	Negative Positive
Expectations	PASSENGERS	Concern Consideration of others
What are participants looking at? Use of support	LOOKING AT/USING	Random scanning Station signage * Platform * Concourse * Map Cues * Train signage * Announcement Platform People [Assistance/Following] Phone Ticket * The yellow line * The gap * The lift * The exit * The escalator * The stairs * The ramp * Handrails
Unsafe situations	Behaviour	Risky Safe

Table 4. Exposure to risky locations for persons with reduced mobility.

Percentage of time spent in risky location	Min	Q1	Median	Q3	Max	Mean	SD	n
Permanent, taller than waist-height obstacles	0.0035	0.1381	0.3088	0.4822	1.508	0.3438	0.2873	81
Temporary, taller than waist-height obstacles	0.002	0.1025	0.2109	0.4799	1.9652	0.366	0.4244	58
Temporary, shorter than waist-height obstacles	0.0059	0.0737	0.1699	0.3054	1.5433	0.2563	0.2879	65
Stairs	0.0012	0.0501	0.1292	0.2759	4.1336	0.245	0.3837	2693
Gap between platform and train	0.001	0.0503	0.126	0.254	13.9944	0.2181	0.5128	4110
Escalator	0.0021	0.0441	0.1167	0.2229	2.4993	0.1771	0.2242	454
Ramps	0.0017	0.0843	0.1155	0.1573	0.2328	0.1231	0.0629	15
Elevator	0.0018	0.0397	0.1092	0.2352	2.1175	0.1819	0.2292	2944
Permanent, shorter than waist-height obstacles	0.0012	0.0393	0.1017	0.2013	2.5644	0.159	0.2036	4303

Table 5. Proportion of time spent engaging in risky behaviours for persons with reduced mobility.

Percentage of time engaging in risky behaviour	Min	Q1	Median	Q3	Max	Mean	SD	n
Not looking straight ahead	0.2228	0.4469	0.6302	0.8857	2.0983	0.7361	0.4165	100
Looking up in risky location	0.323	0.4021	0.6094	0.926	1.1057	0.6513	0.277	11
Not looking at gap between the platform and train	0.2182	0.3983	0.5112	0.7568	8.2143	0.7425	1.0302	62
Looking behind	0.4237	0.4508	0.4985	0.5357	0.5524	0.4933	0.0555	4
Looking at a mobile phone	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Looking down, moving faster	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Looking up, moving faster in risky location	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Moving faster	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Moving faster, not looking at gap	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Table 6. Types of elements persons with reduced mobility look at while walking when not looking straight.

Head direction	Element type			Total
	Distraction	Information	Other types of element
Back	0	4 (1.4%)	5 (1.8%)	9 (3.2%)
Down	28 (9.9%)	10 (3.5%)	19 (6.7%)	57 (20.1%)
To the side	1 (0.4%)	41 (14.4%)	66 (23.2%)	108 (38.0%)
Up	0	94 (33.1%)	16 (5.6%)	110 (38.7%)
Total	29 (10.2%)	149 (52.5%)	106 (37.3%)	284 (100%)

Table 7. Comparison of risk-taking behaviours of PRM in risky locations (Note: PRM tended to have a higher rate of engaging in risky behaviours before entering a risky location).

	Before entering a risky location	Within a risky location	Rate ratio	95% Confidence interval	p-Value (2-tail)
Older participants
Count	41	21
Person-time (min)	11.339	30.657
Rate per minute	3.616	0.685	0.189	(0.112, 0.320)	<0.0001
Encumbered by luggage
Count	41	13
Person-time (min)	15.018	24.229
Rate per minute	2.730	0.536	0.196	(0.105, 0.367)	<0.0001
Using a mobility aid
Count	13	14
Person-time (min)	4.347	9.672
Rate per minute	2.990	1.448	0.484	(0.228, 1.030)	0.0542
Using a motorised wheelchair
Count	2	2
Person-time (min)	1.227	1.551
Rate per minute	1.630	1.290	0.791	(0.112, 5.617)	0.8145
Pushing a pram
Count	21	21
Person-time (min)	9.569	17.089
Rate per minute	2.194	1.229	0.560	(0.306, 1.025)	0.0567
All PRM
Count	118	71
Person-time (min)	41.501	83.196
Rate per minute	2.843	0.853	0.300	(0.224, 0.403)	0.0018

Table 8. Comparison of risk-taking behaviours of PRM when boarding and alighting (Note: PRM demonstrated a higher rate of risky behaviour before they boarded a train than after they alighted).

	Before boarding	After alighting	Rate ratio	95% Confidence interval	p-Value (2-tail)
Older participants
Count	52	38
Person-time (min)	33.575	31.880
Rate per minute	1.549	1.192	1.299	(0.855, 1.974)	0.2185
Encumbered by luggage
Count	64	24
Person-time (min)	39.036	32.184
Rate per minute	1.640	0.746	2.199	(1.375, 3.515)	0.0007
Using a mobility aid
Count	21	12
Person-time (min)	11.523	11.497
Rate per minute	1.822	1.044	1.746	(0.859, 3.548)	0.1188
Using a motorised wheelchair
Count	2	2
Person-time (min)	3.123	2.213
Rate per minute	0.640	0.904	0.708	(0.100, 5.029)	0.7291
Pushing a pram
Count	38	31
Person-time (min)	23.250	23.301
Rate per minute	1.634	1.330	1.228	(0.765, 1.974)	0.3943
All PRM
Count	177	107
Person-time (min)	110.507	101.075
Rate per minute	1.602	1.059	1.513	(1.190, 1.923)	0.0004

Figure 1. Frequency of individual codes within the data (Note: PRM demonstrated that their journey was dominated by getting through the station or navigating the rail network).

Horizontal bar chart displaying the coding data values represented by rectangular bar lengths.

Table 9. Comparison between behaviours of PRM and those of regular passengers (Note: The differences are that the regular passengers were moving faster than normal, while PRM were spending more time next to obstacles or not looking straight ahead).

Area of analysis	Regular rail passenger behaviour	Passenger with reduced mobility behaviour
Risky locations where participants spent most of their time	Stairs Lifts or elevators	Permanent, taller than waist-height obstacles Temporary, taller than waist-height obstacles Temporary, shorter than waist-height obstacles
Risky behaviours that involved the greatest proportion of participants’ time	Moving faster than normal Looking at a mobile phone Looking up while in a risky location	Not looking straight ahead Looking up in a risky location Not looking at the gap between the platform and train
Most common risky behaviour	Looking down at non-hazardous elements of the environment Looking up when walking or running on escalators or stairs Walking faster than normal or running	Looking down or straight ahead at non-hazardous elements Not looking at the gap between the platform and train Looking up when walking or running on escalators or stairs
When looking down, what were participants looking at?	Mobile phone	A ticket, watch, or hand
When looking up, what were participants looking at?	Station information/signage	Station information/signage

Table 10. Comparison of risk-taking behaviour of regular passengers and PRM before entering, and while in risky locations (Note: Rates of risk-taking behaviour before entering risky location were similar for PRM and regular passengers; PRM passengers had lower rate of risk-taking behaviour when in risky location).

	Regular	Reduced mobility	Rate ratio	95% Confidence interval
Before entering a risky location
Count	131	118
Person-time (min)	50.572	41.500
Rate per minute	2.590	2.843	0.911	(0.710, 1.168)
Within a risky location
Count	223	71
Person-time (min)	101.182	83.196
Rate per minute	2.226	0.853	2.608	(1.997, 3.407)

Table 11. Comparison of risk-taking behaviour of regular passengers and PRM before boarding and after alighting from a train (Note: The regular passengers had a higher rate of risky behaviour than the PRM group).

	Regular	Reduced mobility	Rate ratio	95% Confidence interval	p-Value (2-tail)
Before boarding
Count	272	177
Person-time (min)	94.688	110.507
Rate per minute	2.873	1.602	1.793	(1.484, 2.167)	<.0001
After alighting
Count	122	107
Person-time (min)	79.101	101.075
Rate per minute	1.542	1.059	1.457	(1.124, 1.889)	.0028

Figure 2. Comparison of results for regular passengers and PRM (Note: Regular passengers demonstrated more planning/information seeking (14%), while PRM showed more planning/navigation (11%) during the journey.

Horizontal bar chart displaying two set of data values represented by rectangular bar lengths. The bars compare regular passengers and passengers with reduced mobility coding results.

Figure 3. Conceptual model of STFs and recommended approach to mitigate their underlying factors.

Diagram of conceptual model of STFs representing relationships between risky location and risky behaviour recommending STFs mitigation approach.

Appendix A. Coding scheme for video data (Larue et al. 2021 updated)

Theme groups	Sub-themes	Comments
Changes in vertical terrain	Stairs	This represents any change in elevation during the journey. 5 have been identified.
	Ramp
	Escalator
	Elevator
	Gap between the train and the platform
Presence of obstacles	Wet floor post	This represents presence of obstacles in the way of the participant’s journey. These obstacles could have been noticed or unnoticed by the participants.
	ATM	Free standing taller than waist height, permanent
	Recycle bin	Free standing up to waist height to an adult, permanent
	Other people’s possessions	Free standing taller than waist height, temporary Other peoples’ possessions on the ground
	Rail work signboard
	Merlo café tables and chair	Free standing up to waist height to an adult, temporary
	Salvation army donation desk
What are participants doing?	Looking for information	These codes represent various activities that participants are involved in during their journey. These codes are non-mutually exclusive which means that each of the sections of the journey can be coded against more than one of these codes.
	Waiting
	Purchase ticket
	Asks for help
	Confirming their decision
	Waiting for people to alight
	Board the train
	Pick a seat
	Sitting
	Preparing to alight
	Change of mind
	Alight from the train
	Move to the other side
	Standing
	Luggage, pushing a pram or using mobility aids
	Give way to others
	Descend elevator/escalator
	Ascend elevator/escalator
	Select ticket machine
What are participants looking at?	Information screen	These themes represent things that participants are looking at during their commute.
	Mobile phones (maps)
	Railway map
	Signage/notices
Inconsistencies with expectations	Inconsistency in the direction of the escalators	These codes represent distractions to the participants when they are looking at something or involved in doing some activity.
	Participant unaware of the shorter train
	Crowd
	Difficulty in using ticket machine
	Difficulty in finding information
	Incorrect choice of platform
	Incorrect exit
	Difficulty in figuring out how to use paper ticket at ticket gates
Use of support	Hand rails	These codes represent various supports used by participants during their journey, such as on the trains, going up the stairs etc.
	Hanging straps
	Close to hand rails
	Leaning against support
	Away from the support
Unsafe situations	Others running	These are possible situations that could be unsafe for the participants. Others in the vicinity
	Close to or across the yellow line
	Other people in the way
	Blocking the way of others
	Running
	Overtaking others
	Blocking exit/entrance
	Walking fast
Crowd density	Low	This code represents number of people around the participant. Low density represents 1–4 people
	Medium	Normal density represents 5–9 people
	High	High density represents 10 people and above

Appendix B. Coding scheme for verbal data (Larue et al. 2021 updated)

Video theme	Verbal data code	Sub-code and heuristic	Excerpt
What are participants doing?	PLANNING	Navigation Navigating both the stations and the routes On the move—Making the way through the station. Demonstrating familiarity with the Line route Making way for other people while walking	Platform nine is actually more far away but the time that I need to wait is shorter but I plan to go to the platform seven because it is closer to me to walk It’s like when you’re choosing what line to go on you’re just looking at like the name of the line is like the final stop of whatever Yes because there is space for people in there so I need to move to the left side I'm starting walking to find a platform
		Boarding/alighting The process of getting on and off the train. Preparing and actioning	here I have moved up the far end of the platform because I generally travel in the front of the end carriage. Here I am thinking, ‘Should I push the button to open the door?’ I said, ‘Yes, okay I need to push the button’.
		Confirmation Participants already know the information but double check just to be sure The use of various information services/signage	But the board says the earliest train to come in 2 min is this train. My maps also say the earliest one is in 2 min. I’m still not sure and then I just double check on my phone because usually when you use your phone it more detailed information when I am travelling alone I'm not so confident so I have to make sure by looking at whether it is my screen and ask the person there or maybe Google Maps so I check it again and again
		Information seeking Planning the journey—Information is not yet known. What train? What time? What platform? What direction to walking in?	I saw that I have some time left for the train to come, so, I started looking at the different stations and destinations just so I could understand them correctly if I begin my journey again Yes looked there. Is that where I am supposed to go, no I just came down from there. I check on the board I would have spent quite some time looking at them but obviously I knew where I was going for. In fact, I remember thinking, ‘Okay, so does it say the platform? No it doesn’t’. I was checking with the monitors up the top what trains were going that direction because pretty much anything going north from Roma Street will go through Central and the Valley
		Time Mentions of time. Running out of time. Not having enough time. Wondering what time the train comes. How much time left.
	EXPERIENCE	Familiar Knowledge of train line/ route/ timetable /station orientation. Expressing regular travel in a station on a line.	I’m like okay this one goes to Ipswich, which should go through central. I also knew that I needed to go downstairs rather than left right or up
Expectations		Negative Poor experience or unsuccessful experience	That they didn’t provide me with enough information to be confident of where to go to, so that didn’t really actually help me that much ‘Oh God, it’s going to be crowded’.
		Past Remembering—drawing on previous travel…. Immediate or long-term. Can be here or overseas	I was fairly certain of the platform two, from gathering from when I just came from and where I needed to go It kind of makes sense, it’s what I've seen in other places.
		Positive Things that make the journey a positive, pleasant experience	I'm hoping that there’s nobody there so I can have spacious leg room The announcement on the speak is very useful and you don’t have that on buses.
		Somewhat familiar Tentative Confidence, some knowledge but slightly unsure	I have been but only recently. It’s not somewhere I’d go all the time. I know more or less because of the city, so, I know it should come this way, probably, I hope. But, apart from this, I am just guessing.
		Unfamiliar All new experience, never been before, lost	I’ve never been in that station before I didn’t know exactly how to get off the train. I think I initially—because no one I think pushed that button in our section. I just thought it automatically open
Expectations	PASSENGERS	Confidence Expressing pride, comfort, a relaxed attitude	I guess I’m fairly like relaxed at this point okay, cause I sort of know. I know what I’m sort of doing. I knew exactly what platform to go to
		Convenience	I prefer to ask staff because it was much easier and it was less complicated to honest
		Concern Negative. Worried about crowds.	But it seems like the escalator’s more densely packed together, and I just don’t like the idea of being smashed in between other people
		Consideration of others Positive. Giving up a seat. Getting out the way Moving to one side while walking	Kind of more conscious about where I am, yes, especially because I wouldn’t want to butt into somebody. I am standing in the little area between the two doors because there was not a lot of seats
		My platform/my train Suggestion of ‘ownership’	My local train was the next one coming, I'm looking over at my platform to go home if that was my train or not.
What are participants looking at? Use of support	LOOKING AT/ USING	Random scanning Not looking at anything in particular. Not looking for specific information. Just having a look around at people of environment	I was just looking at anything or everything that was there So I'm just kind of not looking at anything in particular.
		People (assistance/following)
		Orientation Having a look around. Gather bearings Looking for exits/stairs	I didn’t really know exactly where the exits were, that’s why I sort of scanned left and right, looking for something. I think I’m still looking for confirmation on what way I needed to go
		Seating Looking for seating—platform, station, train. Deciding whether to take a seat or not	And here I’m just sort of scanning around to see if there’s anywhere to sit down or something like that I tend to gaze through windows as the train arrives to get an idea of where the free seats will be
		Platform Looking for the platform During navigation or during information searches
		Artwork/advertisement Looking at the artwork or advertisements	I am just looking for the advertisement. You have a lot of advertisement, you have a lot of information, but it is not related to the trip itself.
		Down/stairs/platform/floor	But that’s why I always look down to check whether I'm making a proper step.
		Google Maps Using the App during travel	I usually check beforehand on Google Maps I make here from the Google Maps about the time and also the
		Phone Using phone for anything—specified or unspecified	I do something with my phone, check it, reading something. I think because I had my phone out and I was still confirming,
		Train signage Information signs within the station—maps, timetables, on concourse or on platform	Then I have to look at the map and see which lines run between the two stations There was a sign that said lift this way
		Ticket Paper ticket	I was looking at my ticket, trying to see if it said anything about where I’m supposed to go
		Announcement	The uh, speaker, the overhead speaker with the announcement of the train station. That’s the main thing, yeah.
		The yellow line
		The gap	I think the biggest challenge that I have on and off the trains…, is that gap between getting on and off the train
		The lift	Because what you’re doing is you’re looking for a little sign somewhere that says lift….And they’re not necessarily always in the most umm prominent position…
		The exit
		The escalator
		The stairs
		The ramp
		Handrails
		Line of sight
		Translink app Using the app during travel
Unsafe situations	Behaviour	Risky Walking fast or running
		Safe Minding the gap. Holding on to handrails.	The wall I am leaning on is in the direction that the train is travelling, I guess I am kind of aware that even if it jolts a little bit I am likely to move into the wall not into the space that has nothing in it. I think I was holding the handrail at the time

Larue, G., V. Popovic, M. Legge, C. Brophy, and R. Blackman. 2021. “Safe Trip: Factor Contributing to Slip, Trip and Fall Risk at Train Stations.” Applied Ergonomics 92: 103316. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2020.103316.

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