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What does it mean to design preventatively or for ergonomics? Today on the TuMeke Ergonomics Podcast, we’re joined by Mitch Carswell, a certified professional ergonomist who leads Sandalwood Engineering and Ergonomics’ injury prevention division as a Manager of Growth and Technology.
Kicking off our conversation with his early experiences in the field of ergonomics, we delve into the evolution of injury prevention, the power of integrating human-centered design early in the engineering process, and how technology is transforming workplace safety. Mitch also unpacks the business case for ergonomics, the importance of collaboration across departments, and why prevention is always better than correction.
With invaluable insights from a leader in injury prevention and ergonomics, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to design smarter, safer systems from the ground up. Don’t miss it!
Mitch worked with basic posturing and analysis after completing his graduate studies. This is where he first encountered opportunities to evaluate human interaction in a virtual environment.
[02:06] Since leading the injury prevention division at Sandalwood, Mitch has worked across software suites to use motion capture in traditional marker setups to meet the needs of different clients. After starting with a focus on engineering and human kinetics, he considered how to take the biomechanics aspects of a human into account when designing the workstation. Today, his focus has shifted to the business side and how his expertise can meet client needs.
[08:20] Our understanding of ergonomics has evolved significantly from only thinking about the height of a monitor and a keyboard. Heat stress is a huge factor for fatigue and recovery, and impacts one both cognitively and physically.
[09:55] Every team needs a different explanation to justify why things are done in a certain way. Distinguishing between those different groups, understanding where they are coming from, and translating it back to their language is a key skill for ergonomists.
[14:50] Ergonomics can have an impact on so many different areas, and relationships are a key part of the successful operation of the industry. Building trust takes time, but once it's established, it can really be reciprocated, particularly in the context of unions.
[18:51] Mitch’s academic background in human movement and design plays a part in informing his work, but he is also a proponent of getting a feel for the work by doing it.
[22:33] Having served as a referee in the world of competitive hockey, Mitch has learned to make decisions under pressure, make judgments, and stand by them. Another thing he has taken from this experience is the power of working as a team. Although the most opinionated person may be annoying at times, it’s important to hear what everyone has to say!
[27:17] He has also worked in many different positions in a restaurant, starting at the dish pit and finishing up as a manager. This gave him an appreciation for how everything works together and how the little processes can get optimized. Real-world experience shapes our understanding in ways that are more nuanced than we might realize.
[32:09] There are so many great systems and tools out there, and one of the challenges is getting a process that links them all together into something that is user-friendly. Mitch imagines a future where companies are making smart investments into items that don’t become coat racks.
“The [union] is a tough field to break into, but once you establish those relationships, you really have to earn your trust, – [but] once it's earned, it’s reciprocated.”
“A lot of great people have great ideas and great initiatives, but [they] may not have the data, or they have it in different places. Getting all of those put together into one is definitely a challenge for most people.”
“I want to see everything that gets purchased get used, and the users have great feedback on it.”
“Every group that we talk to typically needs a different answer to the question ‘why?’ When you talk to an engineering team, it’s going to be different than when you’re talk to the financing team. They all have a different ‘why’. As an ergonomist, that was something I struggled with initially is, ‘Why are we getting asked the same question in different ways?’ So, that’s something I’ve tried to work through, is understanding why they are asking it in a certain way and how I can justify it in a way that makes sense to them too.”
“What we can do in the digital space is great for upfront. If you understand the limitations and simulate the movements enough times, you can get an estimation for where the high pain points may be, and those are going to be the flags that you look for immediately once you start to progress, but just getting out there and doing the work yourself, nothing beats it!”
“There are so many great systems [and tools out there]. One of the challenges is getting [a process] that links them all together into something that is user-friendly. Just being able to get all of the different pieces of the puzzle together, so that you’re able to make informed decisions [and] stratify on where you want to go in and target on bringing in improvement.”
Sandalwood Engineering & Ergonomics
3MotionAI
Siemens Process Simulate Software
Digital Human Modeling with Mitch Carswell, CPE
Dr. Matt Jeffs on LinkedIn
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What does it mean to design preventatively or for ergonomics? Today on the TuMeke Ergonomics Podcast, we’re joined by Mitch Carswell, a certified professional ergonomist who leads Sandalwood Engineering and Ergonomics’ injury prevention division as a Manager of Growth and Technology.
Kicking off our conversation with his early experiences in the field of ergonomics, we delve into the evolution of injury prevention, the power of integrating human-centered design early in the engineering process, and how technology is transforming workplace safety. Mitch also unpacks the business case for ergonomics, the importance of collaboration across departments, and why prevention is always better than correction.
With invaluable insights from a leader in injury prevention and ergonomics, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to design smarter, safer systems from the ground up. Don’t miss it!
Mitch worked with basic posturing and analysis after completing his graduate studies. This is where he first encountered opportunities to evaluate human interaction in a virtual environment.
[02:06] Since leading the injury prevention division at Sandalwood, Mitch has worked across software suites to use motion capture in traditional marker setups to meet the needs of different clients. After starting with a focus on engineering and human kinetics, he considered how to take the biomechanics aspects of a human into account when designing the workstation. Today, his focus has shifted to the business side and how his expertise can meet client needs.
[08:20] Our understanding of ergonomics has evolved significantly from only thinking about the height of a monitor and a keyboard. Heat stress is a huge factor for fatigue and recovery, and impacts one both cognitively and physically.
[09:55] Every team needs a different explanation to justify why things are done in a certain way. Distinguishing between those different groups, understanding where they are coming from, and translating it back to their language is a key skill for ergonomists.
[14:50] Ergonomics can have an impact on so many different areas, and relationships are a key part of the successful operation of the industry. Building trust takes time, but once it's established, it can really be reciprocated, particularly in the context of unions.
[18:51] Mitch’s academic background in human movement and design plays a part in informing his work, but he is also a proponent of getting a feel for the work by doing it.
[22:33] Having served as a referee in the world of competitive hockey, Mitch has learned to make decisions under pressure, make judgments, and stand by them. Another thing he has taken from this experience is the power of working as a team. Although the most opinionated person may be annoying at times, it’s important to hear what everyone has to say!
[27:17] He has also worked in many different positions in a restaurant, starting at the dish pit and finishing up as a manager. This gave him an appreciation for how everything works together and how the little processes can get optimized. Real-world experience shapes our understanding in ways that are more nuanced than we might realize.
[32:09] There are so many great systems and tools out there, and one of the challenges is getting a process that links them all together into something that is user-friendly. Mitch imagines a future where companies are making smart investments into items that don’t become coat racks.
“The [union] is a tough field to break into, but once you establish those relationships, you really have to earn your trust, – [but] once it's earned, it’s reciprocated.”
“A lot of great people have great ideas and great initiatives, but [they] may not have the data, or they have it in different places. Getting all of those put together into one is definitely a challenge for most people.”
“I want to see everything that gets purchased get used, and the users have great feedback on it.”
“Every group that we talk to typically needs a different answer to the question ‘why?’ When you talk to an engineering team, it’s going to be different than when you’re talk to the financing team. They all have a different ‘why’. As an ergonomist, that was something I struggled with initially is, ‘Why are we getting asked the same question in different ways?’ So, that’s something I’ve tried to work through, is understanding why they are asking it in a certain way and how I can justify it in a way that makes sense to them too.”
“What we can do in the digital space is great for upfront. If you understand the limitations and simulate the movements enough times, you can get an estimation for where the high pain points may be, and those are going to be the flags that you look for immediately once you start to progress, but just getting out there and doing the work yourself, nothing beats it!”
“There are so many great systems [and tools out there]. One of the challenges is getting [a process] that links them all together into something that is user-friendly. Just being able to get all of the different pieces of the puzzle together, so that you’re able to make informed decisions [and] stratify on where you want to go in and target on bringing in improvement.”
Sandalwood Engineering & Ergonomics
3MotionAI
Siemens Process Simulate Software
Digital Human Modeling with Mitch Carswell, CPE
Dr. Matt Jeffs on LinkedIn