Roundtable/Master Track Discussions
Engage in meaningful dialogue at our Roundtable and Master Track Discussions. These sessions are designed for deep dives into specialized topics, from ergonomic assessments to the future of workplace design. Led by industry experts, you'll have the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences, and collaborate on solutions. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer, these discussions offer a unique platform to expand your knowledge and network.
Tuesday, March 18
8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Integrating Flooring Safety and Ergonomics to Improve Workplace Safety and Reduce Liability
This roundtable discussion brings together experts in expert witness testimony, flooring safety, and ergonomics to explore the intersection of surface safety and ergonomic practices in the workplace. Through facilitated dialogue, we will examine how flooring design impacts worker health, safety, and injury prevention, and how incorporating ergonomic principles can mitigate liability. Attendees will gain insights from industry experts and leave with practical strategies for designing safer environments by integrating surface and ergonomic considerations.
Presenter: Victoria Ballard, Forensic Human Factors, LLC; Ashlee Blum, Liberty Mutual; and Anuja Patil, CNA Insurance
Wednesday, March 19
8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Professional Development within Ergonomics
This roundtable session will feature a diverse panel of ergonomics professionals sharing their unique career journeys. The discussion will explore key topics such as career advancement, transitioning between roles, the business aspects of ergonomics, and approaches for diversifying your ergonomics skill set across various domains. Panelists will offer insights based on personal experiences, providing valuable guidance for early-career ergonomists seeking to shape their paths. Attendees will leave with practical advice and inspiration to apply in their careers.
Presenters: Teresa Bellingar, Haworth; Paul Gilkinson, Ballymore; Salima Ladha, Ford Motor Company; Tom Rowell, Thomas Rowell Consulting, LLC; and LaQuandra Bass, Wells Fargo
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Enhancing Workplace Safety and Efficiency through Ergonomically Optimized Casters
Workplace injuries due to physical overexertion, particularly related to cart and equipment movement, remain a significant concern across industries. This presentation explores how selecting and configuring casters with ergonomics in mind can reduce risks, improve safety, and enhance operational efficiency. Through a combination of field data and case studies, the session will highlight key ergonomic considerations such as caster wheel hardness, swivel lead configurations, and caster mounting arrangements, all of which impact initial push/pull forces and long-term musculoskeletal health outcomes. This research examines the critical role of ergonomic caster design in addressing common industry challenges, including reducing overexertion injuries, mitigating long-term costs, and improving productivity. It also evaluates the benefits of integrating the proper casters within autonomous movement systems for handling heavier loads with minimal manual effort. Attendees will gain practical insights into implementing ergonomic caster solutions that align with safety standards and reduce total cost of ownership. This presentation will equip attendees with actionable strategies for incorporating ergonomic principles into the design and selection of casters to improve safety and operational outcomes in various industries.
Presenter: Eric Hassen, Caster Connection, Inc.
3:15 – 4:45 p.m.
Components of a Cart Program: Panelists Will Share Key Aspects and Learnings of Their Program
Is manually transporting material by carts integral to the success of your operations? We have selected companies with manually pushed/pulled cart programs to talk about how they ensure delivery gets from A to B each time. This discussion will highlight key aspects of the panelist’s cart program and their lessons learned along the way. This all user level discussion is focused on helping you create or augment your cart program.
Presenters: Sydney Kelley, Cintas Corporation and Derrick Palma, Ford
Thursday, March 20
8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Posture Relief: Effective Ways to Implement & Sustain in Pre-Shift and During Shift
Most are familiar with pre-shift warm-ups and stretching, but what about posture relief during static work cycles, such as after a lunch break? Quick, dynamic posture relief exercises counteract muscle and tendon stress, promoting circulation without disrupting workflow. Maintaining healthy posture and body mechanics is key to identifying ergonomic risks and implementing effective controls. Understanding the strengths and limitations of both engineering and work practice solutions may help optimize movement efficiency and reduce musculoskeletal stress in ergonomic programs.
Presenters: Keith White, Lennox International, Inc; Paul Venuto, Doctors of Physical Therapy; Jim Mecham, OccuCare Injury Prevention; Jillian Nicholson, Up North Injury Prevention & Ergonomics, LLC; and Austin Ashcroft, Gore Medical
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Integrating Sensorless Motion Capture and Assessments into a Site Ergonomics Program
Use of sensorless virtual assessment tools is growing. Vendors are diligently working to increase the number of possible assessments, ease the user interface, improve the assessment accuracy, and refine the output presentation. While this is great, how does this technology fit into a site ergonomics program? In this open discussion for all users, a panel of site ergonomics practitioners and corporate ergonomics managers will discuss how they have integrated the technology into their ergonomics process.
Presenters: Marisol Barrero, Vibrantz; Wendy Lee, Enbridge Employee Services, Inc.; Matt Jeffs, TuMeke; and Mike Mauro, Gore Medical