Interactions between marine footwear and common vessel decks

摘要

There is a distinct lack of research into the vital role and impact of marine footwear on the safety of crew members. Using a variable inclining plane, the grip interaction between marine footwear and common vessel deck surfaces was measured. Angle of slip measurements were used to calculate static coefficient of friction (COF) values. Nine shoes and eight deck surfaces were tested. From the measurements, the static COF values were calculated with mean values representing performance level, and a two-way ANOVA showed that both shoe and deck choice impacted the static COF (p < 0.001). Some marine footwear soles performed more successfully on one specific deck surface whilst others performed on a multitude of deck surfaces. A Pearson's correlation test found a significant correlation between sole heel hardness and COF (p < 0.001). Findings from this research have potential safety implications in the design and marketing of marine footwear in relation to deck surfaces and highlighted the need for further research within the marine environment.