Expert Details
Occupational and Office Ergonomics, Human Factors Engineering, Occupational Safety
ID: 727979
Oregon, USA
This competence has been accomplished by study, teaching these topics at the undergraduate, graduate levels, at professional conferences and industry short courses and an active research history.
He has published and presented over 60 papers in scientific and ergonomics journals and conferences on these areas.
He works as an Ergonomic Consultant with a State Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) and he has worked with employers and employees to develop safe and productive/profitable workplaces, jobs and work environments. This is done by using fundamentals of ergonomics-human factors, industrial engineering (lean engineering, work measurement and design, work flow analysis, system safety), quality control (Six-Sigma), economic and management science as well as relevant OSHA, ISO, ANSI and industry codes and standards. Training in ergonomics and hazard identification is also developed and provided to audiences in general industry, management, labor and professionals. Topics include basic and advanced ergonomics, ergonomics issues and recommendations for patient handling; manual materials handling; hazard identification; general risk quantification and cost benefit analysis; and, whole body vibration.
Expert has been retained as an expert witness in over 250 cases involving human factors, ergonomics, occupational health and safety. He has represented plaintiffs and defendants in County, State and Federal courts and have worked with clients from general industry, the rail and heavy industry, hospitality industry, marine fisheries and the oil and gas industry. Areas of retention have been in cumulative and acute musculoskeletal injury from overexertion, whole body vibration, slips-trips, collisions, overwork/extreme work hours.
Expert has experience in OSHA/ISO safety/health codes and in evaluation of safety/health control and management systems.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1980 | Degree: PhD | Subject: Industrial Engineering | Institution: Texas Tech University |
| Year: 1976 | Degree: MA | Subject: Experimental Psychology | Institution: Texas Tech University |
| Year: 1972 | Degree: BS | Subject: Electrial Engineering | Institution: University of Idaho |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1991 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Ergonomic Consultant | Department: Oregon OSHA |
Responsibilities:As an ergonomic consultant with Oregon OSHA, the expert works with employers and employees to develop safe and productive/profitable workplaces, jobs and work environments. This is accomplished by using principals and practices from ergonomics-human factors, industrial engineering (lean engineering, work measurement and design, work flow analysis, system safety), quality control (Six-Sigma), economic and management science as well as relevant OSHA, ISO, ANSI and industry codes and standards. Critical to these efforts is hazard identification and quantification using various hazard quantification methods from ergonomics-human factors and system safety; the development of reasonable and cost effective countermeasures to address hazards or management system deficiencies; provision of training to insure floor level, safety committee, supervisory, management and corporate recognition and accountability for safety, health and ergonomics practices. He prepares and presents training classes (15-minute to four hours in length) to audiences in general industry, management, labor and professionals. Topics include basic and advanced ergonomics, ergonomics issues and recommendations for patient handling; manual materials handling; hazard identification; general risk quantification and cost benefit analysis; and, whole body vibration.He has successfully worked with companies having as few as two employees, and as many as 2000, and has completed some 800 consultations with Oregon OSHA. Clients have come from city, state and federal governments and public organizations, general industry, construction, agriculture, fisheries, medical, high technology, regional and international aviation firms, a variety of international firms with regional plants, as well as office/industrial and service/manufacturing work environments. He is very experienced and comfortable working with multi-national and English deficient work forces and management personnel. |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1984 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Ergonomic-Human Factors Engineering Consultant | Department: |
Responsibilities:He has worked as an ergonomics-human factors engineering consultant since 1984. Since 1995, he has primarily worked as an expert witness in the areas of ergonomics, human factors engineering, industrial engineering and occupational safety and health and has been retained in over 80 cases and has represented plaintiffs and defendants in County, State and Federal courts. His areas of competence include health and performance effects of whole body vibration exposure, cumulative trauma disorders of the upper and lower extremities, injuries from slip-trips and falls, maritime and long shoring accidents, cumulative trauma injuries and fatalities. His forensic work has required that he conduct extensive interviews and investigations; make site visits and inspections; develop simulations of equipment/tools on site or as needed; use a variety of biomechanical and ergonomic models and engineering and business methodologies; be familiar with the ergonomic, epidemiological and medical/scientific literature on cumulative trauma disorders to the upper and lower extremities and other occupationally related injuries and illnesses; be familiar with ergonomics and human factors issues related to system and work performance; understand and apply human factors and engineering issues of workstation and tool design; be familiar with OSHA and other US and International regulatory and advisory body codes and interpretations; and, develop and defend professional reports. |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1988 to 1991 | Employer: State of Oregon OSHA | Title: Asst. Professor of Industrial Engineering | Department: Department of Industrial Engineering |
Responsibilities:At the University he taught and developed graduate and upper level courses in human factors engineering/ergonomics, work measurement and design, operations research, production systems analysis, system safety-quantitative risk assessment, biomechanics, work physiology, engineering economic analysis and senior design. He served as advisor to up to 10 students a year. He was active in industrial outreach, consulting and scholarly research and publication and has over 60 publications and presentations in human factors and ergonomics. |
|||
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1981 to 1988 | Employer: Auburn University | Title: Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering | Department: Industrial Engineering Department |
Responsibilities:At the University he taught and developed graduate and upper level courses in human factors engineering/ergonomics, work measurement and design, operations research, production systems analysis, system safety -quantitative risk assessment, biomechanics, work physiology, engineering economic analysis and senior design. He served as advisor to up to 10 students a year and directed master and PhD level student research and development. He was active in consulting and industrial outreach and teaching. He was active in research and publication and has over 60 publications and presentations in human factors and ergonomics. |
|||
Government Experience
| Years | Agency | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1991 to Present | Agency: Oregon OSHA | Role: Ergonomic Consultant | Description: As a full time State Employee, he performs ergonomic consultations to assist employers identify and address ergonomic issues as well as those related to safety, industrial hygiene and process safety management |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| CPE (Certified Professional Ergonomist) |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| He has over 60 papers and presentations in professional journals, US and international professional conferences with reviewed proceedings. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| He has worked as expert witness in the areas of ergonomics, human factors engineering, industrial engineering and occupational safety and health since 1995. He has been retained in over 250 cases and have represented plaintiffs and defendants in County, State and Federal courts. Clients have been from general industry, the transportation industry, hospitality industry, marine fisheries, cruise lines, maritime operations/longshoring, public organizations and individuals. The general focus of cases in which I have been involved includes: • Cumulative trauma injuries of the musculoskeletal system (upper and lower body, back) in transportation industry employees (railroad, maritime, cruise line) as well as in individuals employed in general industry and service sector positions; • Musculoskeletal injuries in general; • Injuries from slips and falls; • Accident, injury and fatality investigations using a variety of quantitative risk assessment and human factors-ergonomics methods as well as traditional investigation methods for events in general industry, railroad, transportation, longshoring and maritime operations; • Occupational safety and health (i.e., OSHA) issues from basic code compliance to more complicated hazard and accident issues; • Evaluation of facilities, equipment and duties from a human factors-ergonomics perspective. These cases have required that he: Conduct extensive interviews and factual investigations; make site visits and inspections; develop simulations of equipment/tools and tasks; use a variety of biomechanical models (U of M 3DSSPP, NIOSH Lifting Models) and engineering methodologies; be familiar with various work evaluation/quantification methods such as RULA or QEC, be familiar with the ergonomic, epidemiological and medical/scientific literature on cumulative trauma disorders to the upper and lower extremities as well as other occupationally related injuries and illnesses; be familiar with OSHA, FELA, Jones Act and other National and International regulatory and advisory body codes and interpretations; prepare and defend as necessary expert reports and findings. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| The expert has a 30-year history of developing and presenting classes in ergonomics, human factors and related areas. Most recently the following topics/classes were developed and presented: Basic and advanced ergonomics/human factors; Manual materials handling; Whole body vibration; Introduction to ergonomics for optical device manufacturing, emphasis engineering and facility design personnel;Office ergonomics; Ergonomics for Assisted Living facilities Understanding occupationally related hip injuries |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| The expert has worked successfully as an ergonomic consultant in a wide range of industrial and service sector facilities ranging from agriculture, fish processing, wood products, over the road trucking, long shoring, warehouse operations, dental and medical clinics, offices in general, software houses, telemarketing and customer support, small and heavy manufacturing and primary metals, semiconductor-high technology assembly and fabrication facilities, wafer manufacturing facilities, anhydrous ammonia, chlorine and related chemical facilties, and extensive experience as an expert witness in railroad operations. |
Language Skills
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| Mandrain Chinese | Basic communication skills |
Fields of Expertise
biomechanics, cumulative trauma disorder, ergonomics, human factors engineering, human-factors industrial design, human-factors product safety, office ergonomics, workplace environment engineering, forensic engineering, forensics, industrial design, industrial engineering, whole body vibration, occupational health & safety, computer keyboard, chair, occupational disease, work load, anthropomorphic, biomechanical engineering, chair design, medical ergonomics, automotive human factors engineering, ergonomic tool design, ergonomic tool, office furniture, Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard, human factors, consumer product design, safety, office, injury, engineering, thermal comfort, safety engineering, physiology, office environment, man-machine system, hand tool, exercise physiology, anthropometry, aviation science