Abstract
Falls from heights in residential construction continue to be a leading cause of fatalities and severe injuries. Field studies are difficult to implement in residential construction, because companies are hesitant to allow observers on site to collect data while tasks are being conducted. Use of scaled world models has been recommended for experimental contexts that require high levels of ecological validity as well as internal (control) validity . In this project, we explored several attributes to design a scaled world model of residential roofing that would support controlled trials to evaluate usability and to conduct load testing, in a realistic setting. Features of the scaled world model were selected to support validity and ease-of-measurement while participants conducted roofing tasks. Several validity constraints were explored, including ecological, structural, psychological and process validity. Possible in-lab roofing task attributes were discussed and heuristic guidelines for scaled world models were provided. Lastly, an example of a scaled-world model was assembled to test the fall arrest system. The design team continues to develop the model, which will be reviewed by residential roofing experts for realism and accuracy.
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