More than a million people hurt themselves falling down stairs in America every year. And around 12,000 of them don’t live to tell the tale. It’s a very sad statistic released by several law firms in the country. But it’s one that needs to be highlighted in order for the number of deaths and injuries to decrease. Sometimes, a fall is due to pure clumsiness or negligence. Other times, a slippery floor is to blame.
However, there’s another danger lurking about… Utterly terrible and disastrous design. And it comes in all shapes and forms. Whether it’s hand sanitizer packaged in a drinking bottle, or an electrical outlet in a toddler ballpit, it seems that some designers are genuinely out to create death traps.
People have been sharing the shocking examples of dangerous design they’ve witnessed in the wild. And some might truly terrify you. We has compiled a list of the worst, and we hope you never, ever encounter any of them.
#1 Those Are Stairs
Imagine a world where all designers worked with eyes closed and their brains shut off… Almost everything we did on a daily basis could have the potential to end in an accident. People would be burning, tripping, falling, getting poisoned, shocking themselves, or even worse. Then they might land up in a hospital where, once again, safety was not taken into consideration. What a disaster.
Thankfully, many designers do take measures to limit harm, injury or death when creating something. It is, after all, their moral and legal obligation.
#2 Putting This On Arthritis Cream Is Such A Cruel Joke
#3 How Not To Design A Bike-Lane Route
“Safety in Design (or Design for Safety, Prevention through Design) involves integrating safety principles into every design phase to reduce risks and protect people, equipment, and the environment,” explains the the Antea Group, a consultancy that specializes in environmental, health, safety, and sustainability issues.
The company’s experts say while Safety in Design is gaining recognition, not all industry professionals have experience with it, and even fewer have integrated it into existing processes.
#4 This Sidewalk Brick Layout. Perfect To Lose Balance Or Trip
#5 That Seems Dangerous
#6 Melbourne, Australia Supermarket – Where You Can Self-Checkout, But You Can Never Leave…
It may seem fairly obvious why designers need to take user safety into consideration. But as we know, some cut corners, others are just totally oblivious, and then there are those who just don’t care. The Antea Group says implementing Safety in Design principles can sometimes seem difficult at first. They add complexity, time and possibly money to the engineering process.
But the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks, add their experts. “By addressing hazards early, organizations can prevent injuries, reduce long-term costs, and improve worker morale,” reads the consultancy site. “For instance, designing facilities with easy access for maintenance reduces the need for risky on-the-fly solutions. Additionally, a safe design can lead to more efficient operations and lower insurance premiums, contributing to a healthier bottom line.”
#7 Waterfall Over The Entrance To My Apartment When It Rains. No The Gutters Aren’t Full. It’s Designed This Way
#8 Guess I’m Paying For The Upstairs Neighbors Heating
#9 So I Almost Died At School Today (Not A Water Bottle)
There are a few critical elements that go into a successful Safety in Design program. The first one being that safety should be top of mind from the outset of any project. This means having minimum safety standards that serve as the foundation for all design and construction jobs.
There should then be regular reviews of drawings, models, and narratives to identify and mitigate potential hazards. “These reviews are integral to catching issues before they materialize on-site, providing an opportunity for corrective action in the planning phase,” explains Antea.
#10 Carpet Around The Drain Is Crazy
#11 Slippery When Wet, I Fell Down Just Looking At The Picture
#12 My School Tried To Make The Staircase To The Cafeteria Accessible To Wheelchair Users
Companies or designers should also continuously carry out risk assessments. Prevention is better than cure. Lastly, all changes in the design have to be documented and reviewed by safety professionals to maintain safety standards. “This element is crucial for adapting to evolving project requirements without compromising safety,” warns the Antea Group.
#13 The Entrance Of Possible Death
#14 Holiday Spirit Is Going To Cause Some Accidents. Spot The Traffic Lights
#15 This Random Power Outlet Sticking Out Of The Floor (Which I Tripped On 3 Times Now)
#16 Leg Breaking Stairs
#17 Nice. Development Planning At Its Finest
#18 Cutting Holes Through Joist For Hvac?
#19 Trying To Prevent Cyclists From Using The Ramp, By Blocking The Passage To Everyone With Wheels (Strollers, Wheelchairs, Etc)
#20 The Layout Of This Street Isn’t Confusing At All
#21 Crappy (And Dangerous) Lighting Design Burning The Grass
#22 This Death Trap Of A Corridor
#23 The Handle Bar In The New Sauna Burnt My Hand And Almost Sent Me Back Into The Heater
#24 I Almost Fell Down And Rolled My Ankle On This
#25 At Least It’s Padded?
#26 Cyber Truck Bike Rack Blocks The License Plate And Brake Lights
#27 “Safe Road For Children”
#28 Play Safe, Kids!
#29 If This Food Processor Container Overflows, Liquids Drain Directly Onto Internal Electronics
#30 The Idiots That Designed This Garbage Truck Only Allow The Hood To Open Halfway, Making Repairs Needlessly Difficult
#31 That Slide Seems Like A Good Time
#32 My Landlords “Carpenter” Hooked Us Up With This Beauty Today
#33 Ok What Is This
#34 Wait… Why Is There A Door?
#35 I Understand That These Are For Blind People, But These Are Made Of Metal And Become A Slippery Death Trap When Wet. Which Is Always In London
#36 I Have No Idea How They Turn This Off
#37 Parking Spot Failure
#38 The Baby Changing Area In The O’hare Bathrooms – The Whole Area Was Soaked And My 16-Month-Old’s Feet Were In The Sink
#39 Just Why?!?
#40 This Bench Has Been Kindly Donated By The Local Concussion And Head Injury Clinic
#41 Stairway To Heaven
#42 My Neighbor’s Driveway Features A Decorative Boulder Right In Front Of The Garage Stalls
#43 Curling Iron.. Way Too Easy To Grab The Hot Side
#44 Maybe Not Best Design For End Table At Hotel Where You Place Items In The Dark Before Bed
#45 Electrical Outlet In The Ball Pit
#46 My Chemistry Teacher’s Emergency Shower Is Right Next To All Of His Electrical Equipment
#47 Oven Knobs Made Of Quite Soft Plastic Above A Grill That Needs To Stay Open. We’ve Replaced Them 3 Times
#48 Impossible To Plug Anything Into This Hotel Lamp Outlet
#49 My Porch Drains Directly Onto My Neighbor’s
#50 Fumbling For The Lightswitch In The Dark Is A Dangerous Game
#51 Box For This TV Mount Shows A “Helpful” Ruler That’s Wildly Inaccurate
#52 A Pedestrian Friendly Feature In India To Give Them More Leg Strength & Workout
#53 Whenever It Snows, This Intersection Turns Into A Death Trap
#54 These Bare Metal Armrests On My Hotel Chair. I Asked, They Said These Are By Design
#55 A Plastic Combination Lock That Can Be Pried Open In Seconds
#56 The Buckles On This Pillow Are An Eye-Poking Hazard
#57 Cycle Path In Budapest
#58 This Tiny, Almost Invisible Ledge Has Made Multiple People Trip Up – And It’s On A Balcony
#59 This Curb Has A Curb. Nearly Twisted An Ankle Stepping Down It
#60 The Handicap Entrance To The Playground Is 6 Inches Off The Ground
#61 Of Course Florida Has A Bike Lane In The Middle Of A Highway
#62 This Closet In A German Hotel Needs Several Warnings. And I Still Almost Hit My Head
#63 They Knew Their Hair Product Looked Like A Beverage, So Instead Of Redesigning, They Put A Label ‘Do Not Ingest’
#64 Lamp Put In Front Of A Sign
#65 Did They Build The Road Or The Pole First?
#66 Why Would You Have Any Color Of Light On When The Unit Is Off?
#67 This Hand Drier Is Placed Right On Top Of The Socket And Ends Up Spraying The Water From Your Hands Onto The Socket
#68 How Long Before Someone Breaks Their Nose On This Invisible Door?
#69 Confusing “Trendy” Bathroom Signs
#70 They Finished The Building This Spring And Now Every Time It Rains Mud Flows All Over The Pathway
#71 I Wonder How Many People Fell Into This
#72 Hotel Bathroom Sink With Barely Enough Room For Your Hands Because The Spouts Are Too Long/Low
#73 Roundabout Or Not?
#74 The Lowest Heat Setting On This Space Heater Looks Like The “High” Setting
#75 That’s Just Dangerous
#76 Look At What I Found, How Are You Supposed To Hold This Mugs ??
#77 This Bike Lane
#78 Wheelchair Accessible Playground Digger That Has Become Inaccessible Due To All The Rocks Being Dumped Out. The Scoop Isn’t Low Enough To Reach The Ones Outside The Pen
#79 Whose Brilliant Idea Was It To Put The Sleep Button Here?
#80 Bus ‘Stop’ Button Right By The Hip
#81 Installed The Explenation Boss
#82 Blistering Braille. (My Local Little Caesars)
#83 Step 1: Pull Forward And Park In This Spot. Step 2: Car Pulls In Behind You. You Are Now Stuck
#84 Duplicate Lift Buttons (One Set Is For Emergency Use)
#85 How Should You Park Here
