Julia K. Diebol, Ph.D., CSP, C.P.S.M.
Dr. Diebol’s areas of expertise include product and occupational safety, risk communication, chemical hazard communication, and human factors. She uses her expertise to evaluate the role of warnings, instructions, risk communications, policies and procedures, standards, and regulations in safety and environmental health behaviors. Her expertise has been applied to communications in a broad range of occupational, consumer, and community settings.
Dr. Diebol regularly evaluates product labels, user manuals, safety data sheets, and other product literature, as well as occupational safety management policies, programs, and procedures. She has experience evaluating compliance with regulatory requirements including Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other state, federal, and international regulations. Dr. Diebol also has experience assessing conformance with consensus and industry standards requirements including the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and other standards bodies.
Dr. Diebol has specialized knowledge of current and historical risk communication and safety management practices obtained through researching federal and state regulations, industry and consensus standards, and technical literature dating back to the early 1900s. She also has experience using a variety of research and data collection methods, including interviews, questionnaires, mailed and online surveys, and focus groups. Based on her research and professional practice, Dr. Diebol has lectured at the University of Michigan and at national and international conferences on topics related to risk communication, chemical hazard communication, environmental health, product and occupational safety, and process safety management.
Prior to joining Exponent, Dr. Diebol was a safety and human factors consultant at a firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as well as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Michigan, teaching a senior-level engineering course in Product and Occupational Safety Management. From 2012 to 2017, she also taught a professional development course regarding human factors for chemical hazard communication in consumer and industrial settings. Dr. Diebol serves as Vice President of the Society for Chemical Hazard Communication.
CREDENTIALS & PROFESSIONAL HONORS
- Ph.D., Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2013
- B.S.E., Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2005, magna cum laude
Risk Science Center Fellowship, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 2011
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Traineeship, Education and Research Center (ERC), School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2007-2009
Marian Sarah Parker Scholarship, Human Factors Group, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), 2004-2005
LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Safety Professional #CSP-32344
Certified Product Safety Manager #04082
LANGUAGES
- German
Publications
Shah, R.J., Hall, S.M., & Diebol, J.K. (2016). Contextual considerations for the development and assessment of product warnings. In Proceedings of the XXVIIIth Annual Occupational Ergonomics and Safety Conference, pp. 120-125.
Zikmund-Fisher, B.J., Turkelson, A.E., Franzblau, A., Diebol, J.K., Allerton, L., Parker, E.A. (2013). The effect of misunderstanding the chemical properties of environmental contaminants on exposure beliefs: A case involving dioxins. Science of the Total Environment, 447, 293–300. March 1.
Franzblau, A., Zikmund-Fisher, B.J., Allerton, L., Turkelson, A., Diebol, J., Parker, E.A. (2012). Community beliefs about dioxin exposure pathways: Do they match the experts? Organohalogen Compounds, 74, 1160-1163.
Diebol, J.K., Parker, E., Franzblau, A., Ross, P.T., Weber, I., Zikmund-Fisher, B.J. (2010). A mental models framework for considering community perceptions of dioxin-like compounds. Organohalogen Compounds, 72, 332-333.
Young, S.L., Frantz, J.P., Shah, R.J., Rhoades, T.P., and Diebol, J.K. (2007). Perceptions and use of product-related age recommendations: A case study involving ATVs. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 51st Annual Meeting, pp. 30-34.
Frantz, J.P., Rhoades, T.P., Young, S.L., Diebol, J.K., and Shah, R.J. (2007). Exploring parental response to age-related warnings. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 51st Annual Meeting, pp. 1378-1382.
Presentations
Guest lectures in ChE 496: Process Safety Management, Chemical Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2016, 2018
Course Director and Instructor, Human Factors in Hazard Communication for Occupational and Consumer Settings, Society for Chemical Hazard Communication, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017
Guest lectures in IOE 438: Occupational and Product Safety Management, Industrial and Operations Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2009, 2011-2013
Diebol, J.K. Receiver satisfaction with chemical hazard and exposure information. Society for Chemical Communication Fall Meeting Plenary Session, Arlington, VA, 2012
Guest lecture in HBHED 662: Risk Communication: Theory, Techniques, and Applications in Health, Health Behavior and Health Education Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2011
Diebol, J.K., Zikmund-Fisher, B.J., Ross, P.T., Turkelson, A.E., Weber, I., Franzblau, A., and Parker, E. Relationship between judgments of health risk and satisfaction with hazard and exposure communications. Society for Risk Analysis Annual Meeting, Charleston, SC, 2011
Diebol, J.K., Parker, E.A., Franzblau, A., Ross, P.T., Weber, I., Zikmund-Fisher, B.J. A mental models framework for considering perceptions of dioxin-like compounds. Dioxin 2010: 30th International Symposium on Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants, San Antonio, TX, 2010
Prior Experience
Managing Consultant, Applied Safety and Ergonomics, Inc., 2005-2018
Production Supervisor, General Motors, 2004
Industrial Engineering Internship, General Motors, 2003
Academic Appointments
Adjunct Lecturer (Occupational and Product Safety Management), Industrial and Operations Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Michigan, 2014-2018
Professional Affiliations
Vice President, Society for Chemical Hazard Communication 2018-Present
Member, American Society of Safety Professionals, 2018-Present
Member, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 2014-Present
Member, Society for Risk Analysis, 2011-2014, 2019-Present
Secretary/Treasurer, Society for Chemical Hazard Communication, 2017-2018
Chair, Board of Directors, Society for Chemical Hazard Communication, 2016-2017
Member of the Board of Directors, Society for Chemical Hazard Communication, 2014-2016
Co-Chair, Program Committee, Society for Chemical Hazard Communication, 2012-2014
Member, Technical Committee, Risk Science Symposium, Risk Science Center, University of Michigan, 2011
Member, Junior Faculty Search Committee, Risk Science Center, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 2010-2011
Project Experience
Served as a named expert in a products liability case alleging neurological effects from occupational exposure to a solvent (1-bromopropane (1-BP)/n-propyl bromide (NPB)) during employment. Analyzed safety communications provided by the process equipment manufacturer, solvent manufacturers, and employer, conducted a site inspection, developed opinions, and submitted expert report.
Served as a named expert in a combustible dust explosion case involving ground vulcanized rubber. Evaluated regulatory compliance and adequacy of labels and safety data sheets provided by rubber manufacturers and the employer’s hazard communication program. Conducted a site inspection and developed opinions.
Served as a named expert in a toxic tort case alleging lung disease from occupational exposure to corrosive chemicals (hydrochloric acid and sulfur monochloride). Analyzed communications provided to the employer by chemical suppliers, developed opinions and submitted expert report.
Additional Information
Advisory Appointments
Technical Committee, University of Michigan Risk Science Center Risk Science Symposium, 2011
Peer Reviewer
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society - Safety Technical Group
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society - Forensics Technical Group
Science of the Total Environment (STOTEN)
Knowledge
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News & Events
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CREDENTIALS & PROFESSIONAL HONORS
- Ph.D., Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2013
- B.S.E., Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2005, magna cum laude
Risk Science Center Fellowship, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 2011
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Traineeship, Education and Research Center (ERC), School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2007-2009
Marian Sarah Parker Scholarship, Human Factors Group, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), 2004-2005
LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Safety Professional #CSP-32344
Certified Product Safety Manager #04082
LANGUAGES
- German