With multiple millions of injuries and illnesses in private industry each year the potential costs to employers, equipment manufacturers and insurance carriers are staggering. A violation of OSHA standards and regulations can cost employers up to $70,000 per violation. The costs of workplace injuries, including the cost of lost workdays, worker’s compensation, loss of production, lower employee morale, and product damage can result in enormous losses for an organization. Further, if an occupational incident involves contractors, or other outside employees, the issue of products liability may lead to serious litigation costs for the employer, the designer of the equipment, the installer or maintenance contractor and even the distributer of the equipment.
The engineers and scientists in the Human Factors group at Exponent can evaluate workplace environments, industrial machinery and human behavior to answer questions about injury causation and to develop methods for injury prevention. The wide-ranging skill sets and backgrounds within the Human Factors group aid in analyses of workplace injuries and evaluations of industrial safety. The scientists and engineers in the Human Factors group use their expertise in industrial engineering, psychology, risk perception and acceptance, digital imaging, data analysis, and warning effectiveness to investigate workplace incidents. Our expertise includes, but is not limited to:
- Hazard communication and training
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- Warnings and signage development and evaluation
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- Employer/employee risk perception
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- Guarding of machinery and hazardous work environments
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- Fall prevention and fall protection
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- Walking and working surfaces
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- Work policies and procedures including lockout/tagout (LOTO) and confined space entry
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- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
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- Permit required confined spaces
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Exponent’s Human Factors engineers and scientists are qualified to assist clients with various issues related to industrial and occupational safety and how people interact with their environment and technology at the workplace. Exponent’s Human Factors consultants routinely team up with engineers in various fields, such as mechanics and materials, thermal engineering, biomechanics and civil engineering, to provide highly effective collaborations to assist clients in solving complex technical problems in occupational and industrial settings.
Our services include: