Role of Winter Weather Conditions and Slipperiness on Tourists’ Accidents in Finland

Abstract

(1) Background: In Finland, slippery snowy or icy ground surface conditions can be quite hazardous to human health during wintertime. We focused on the impacts of the variability in weather conditions on tourists’ health via documented accidents during the winter season in the Sotkamo area. We attempted to estimate the slipping hazard in a specific context of space and time focusing on the weather and other possible parameters, responsible for fluctuations in the numbers of injuries/accidents; (2) Methods: We used statistical distributions with graphical illustrations to examine the distribution of visits to Kainuu Hospital by non-local patients and their characteristics/causes; graphs to illustrate the distribution of the different characteristics of weather conditions; questionnaires and interviews conducted among health care and safety personnel in Sotkamo and Kuusamo; (3) Results: There was a clear seasonal distribution in the numbers and types of extremity injuries of non-local patients. While the risk of slipping is emphasized, other factors leading to injuries are evaluated; and (4) Conclusions: The study highlighted the clear role of wintery weather conditions as a cause of extremity injuries even though other aspects must also be considered. Future scenarios, challenges and adaptive strategies are also discussed from the viewpoint of climate change.

Weather Conditions and Outdoor Fall Injuries in Northwestern Russia

“…The importance of describing these “high-risk combinations” of weather characteristics has been outlined in other studies. For example, Lépy et al [ 24 ] described six winter scenarios with respect to slippery conditions and identified the most common scenario of slipperiness to be a combination of relative humidity above 95%, surface temperature below 0 °C, and a surface temperature lower than the dewpoint. This type of slipperiness accounted for 50% of injuries.…”

“…The incidence of fall-related injuries is characterized by the seasonal variation in different geographic regions, including countries with cold climate (Canada, Sweden, Finland, and Norway) [ 3 , 13 , 17 , 18 ] and countries with warm and subtropical climate (Taiwan, Spain, Iran, and Hong Kong) [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. Winter-related environmental conditions (low air temperature, snowfalls, and darkness) can cause slipperiness and increased dangerousness of sidewalks and streets [ 23 , 24 ]. Exposure to slippery ground surfaces, such as those covered with ice, melting ice, snow-covered ice, melting snow, and compressed snow is a common attribute of winter-time falls [ 16 , 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

“…Winter-related environmental conditions (low air temperature, snowfalls, and darkness) can cause slipperiness and increased dangerousness of sidewalks and streets [ 23 , 24 ]. Exposure to slippery ground surfaces, such as those covered with ice, melting ice, snow-covered ice, melting snow, and compressed snow is a common attribute of winter-time falls [ 16 , 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

Perceived impact of meteorological conditions on the use of public space in winter settlements

“…By default, this will mean that conditions associated with warmer winters with more fluctuating winter temperatures will become a more important consideration for public space design in winter settlements. There is also the risk that unfamiliar outdoor conditions will lead to increased activity avoidance and fall injuries in the population (Larsson et al 2019;Lépy et al 2016). Again, this needs to be considered in the design process.…”

Shovelling snow in Finnish Lapland: Social and aesthetic perspectives on an everyday activity

“…This again is a growing economic concern, especially because of slow healing processes. Considering this aspect of improving medical care, resulting in activity levels and demographic development together with climatic changes in the circumpolar North, the problem of winter-related accidents among the elderly is likely to increase in the years to come (Lépy et al, 2016). In urban areas, efforts are made to improve safety on sidewalks and shoes with anti-slip soles or metal studs have been promoted to make walking safer (Sylvestre, 2016), albeit the latter increasing the risk of falling indoors on stone surfaces, which has turned many shops and public buildings to bar people from entering with studded shoe soles.…”