Category: Expert Opinion

In a world increasingly driven by technological advancements and complex systems, human factors specialists have become more integral. These professionals play a crucial role in ensuring that the design of products, systems, and environments takes into account human capabilities, limitations, and behaviors. By integrating principles of psychology, biometrics and engineering human factors specialists strive to…

Aviation is a complex and highly regulated industry that demands unwavering attention to safety, with safety relying heavily on maintenance.   Behind the scenes, a multitude of individuals work tirelessly to ensure that every flight operates smoothly. CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority), regulates the aviation industry in Australia; they license pilots & engineers, register aircraft…

As ergonomists and safety specialists, we are frequently asked if we can provide ‘how to lift’ training to minimise the risks of injury from manual tasks within the workplace. Although injuries from these tasks are common, we believe ‘how to lift’ training, by itself, is not the right approach to managing hazardous manual tasks. So…

Managing risks in the workplace is an important duty of any business owner or employer. A safety specialist can assist a business to identify hazards and determine how to eliminate or control risks within a workplace or public facility. Various frameworks and tools are often used to assist safety specialist identity and manage risks adequately.   Risk…

Congratulations Mark Dohrmann AM Congratulations to Mark Dohrmann for being appointed as the newest Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia (HFESA). Mark has dedicated over four decades of experience and insight to the Human Factors and Ergonomics profession. He has designed, trained, advised, and encouraged thousands of Australians into safer and…

The failure of a consumer item can have severe consequences for the user. To avoid product failure and prevent injury or death due to the use of a consumer product, the product must go through a rigorous design and verification process. Human factors must be considered at every stage of the design process, from concept through…

Warehouse and office shelving can present a risk of injury from: Reaching above your head or bending below your knees to reach items.Climbing on lower shelvesBeing hit by a falling objectUnstable shelvingLifting heavy items It is the responsibility of the employer to manage risks to health and safety associated with manual tasks in accordance with…

A letter of instruction (LOI) is the initial formal briefing document that is provided to an expert in order to engage their opinion in a case. It is an important document that provides a summary of the circumstances of the matter and instructions on what the expert needs to do. A clear LOI should outline…

Expert witnesses play an important role in assisting the Court in understanding the evidence or facts in a case. They are often engaged by solicitors to provide independent and impartial opinion based on factual information, in relation to matters within their expertise, on questions the Court considers are beyond the scope of an “ordinary person”…

Key points: •  Falls on stairs are common, and often lead to serious injuries. •  Falls on stairs are often complex – there are multiple possible factors that can cause a fall. •  Many stair incidents can easily be prevented, and remedial solutions implemented at minimal cost. •  Ultimately, however, steps and stairs should be designed and built…