Research
We have hundreds of peer reviewed publications concerning human factors, safety, accessibility and employment
User Experience
Vredenburgh, M.J., Stone, P.B., & Cao, C.G.L. (2021). User Experience: An evaluation of the Pilot Education Platform and Online Learning at Wright State University. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, vol. 65, 1: pp. 1215-1219.
American college students’ lives were upended when the global pandemic reached our shores. Instead of interacting face-to-face, they were forced to attend classes online. This new learning environment required students and faculty to rely on digital platforms provided by their universities. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Pilot platform at Wright State University, and the user experience by its two primary user populations: students and faculty. Attributes studied include the usability of elements including feedback, assignments, and communication. Recommendations focus on adjusting the grading input for faculty and to standardize an assignment posting method.
Warnings, Product Design, Risk Perception
Vredenburgh, A.G., Zackowitz, I.B. & Vredenburgh, A.N. (2019). Colorful Rounded-Tip Scissors: Too sharp for children. M.S. Wogalter (Ed.), In Forensic Human Factors & Ergonomics: Case Studies and Analyses, (pp. 123-134). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group.
Vredenburgh, A.G. & Zackowitz, I.B. (2018). Forensic Case Study: When labeling leads to wrongful incarceration. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 2018 Annual Meeting, Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 398-402.
This case study involves a woman who travelled to Mexico and returned to the United States transporting bottles of cuajo, a substance derived from a calf’s stomach, which is used to make cheese. She informed the border officer that the liquid in the bottle was used to make cheese and she had receipts in her possession for purchasing cuajo. A Safariland NarcoPouch field drug kit was used to test the liquid, which produces an expected color change to any substance that contains secondary amines, including methamphetamine and MDMA. A positive test result to the cuajo when tested at the Port of Entry was a major factor in deciding to arrest the woman, who was held in jail for more than six months; the results of gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer testing indicated that there was no controlled substance in the bottles and she was released. The human factors issues for this matter include adequacy of training, instructions and warnings which misled officers to believe that the test was conclusive for methamphetamine, resulting in her lengthy incarceration.
Bench, M.L., Vredenburgh, M.J., Zackowitz, I.B. & Vredenburgh, A.G. (2017). Risk Communication for Consumer Products. Pedro Arezes (ed.), In Advances in Safety Management and Human Factors, (pp. 225-235). Warsaw, Poland: Springer International Publishing.
There are many ways that product manufacturers can communicate risk to consumers. The hazard control hierarchy describes the fundamental elements and appropriate methodology for implementation of research-supported concepts and provides effective techniques for risk communication. Distinctions among types of risk communication and relevant standards are reviewed. Comprehension of risk information by product users is an essential part of the communication process. Label conspicuity and placement on the product are considered as to how they impact the efficacy of a warning, and are evaluated in real-world applications. Anti-warnings: communications that downplay risks and/or undermine warnings are also important to consider and are discussed relative to their effect on warning communications.
Children, Schools, and Playgrounds
Whetsel Borzendowski, S., Vredenburgh, M., Darlson, C., Hersh, M., Vredenburgh, A., & Zackowitz, I. (2019). Children’s safety workshop: A demonstration of human factors professionals’ preparation with practicing attorneys. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 2019 Annual Meeting, Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 227.
This special joint session with shared interest from multiple technical groups (Forensics professional, Children’s issues, and Safety) presents an interactive demonstration of human factors preparation with “client” attorneys. Actual attorneys, exhibits and experts from a matter that took place in South Florida will work with the audience to “prepare” the case and give example cross-examination testimony. The attorneys and experts will then form a panel to respond to audience questions.
Vredenburgh, A.G., Zackowitz, I.B. & Vredenburgh, A.N. (2019). Colorful Rounded-Tip Scissors: Too sharp for children. M.S. Wogalter (Ed.), In Forensic Human Factors & Ergonomics: Case Studies and Analyses, (pp. 123-134). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group.
Zackowitz, I.B., Kalsher, M.J., Pollack-Nelson, C., Vredenburgh, A. & Miller, J.M. (2017). Adult products that kill and injure children. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 2017 Annual Meeting, Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 886-889.
Many of the most dangerous products killing and injuring children are not toys – they are adult products. Of the 150,000 products regulated by the CPSC, ATVs are responsible for more child deaths annually than any other. In many cases, the children injured or killed were riding adult ATVs. Products inside the home are also responsible for deaths and serious injuries. Dressers and televisions tip over and kill children at a rate of one every two weeks. Window covering cords have strangled at least one child every month for decades. And button batteries found in everything from remote control devices to bathroom scales are ingested by infants and young children, causing serious injuries and death. Finally, cell phone use by children has opened up a wide range of serious risks - not only driving and pedestrian accidents, but also risks associated with exposure to strangers and unsafe products. In this alternative format panel, experts address each of these products and explore how risk perception – by parents and children – affects their behavior and exposure to the hazard. Limitations of voluntary and mandatory regulations to mitigate product hazards are also discussed.
Organizational Effectiveness
Vredenburgh, A.G. & Zackowitz, I.B. (2005). Sexual Harassment: A forensic human factors perspective. In Y.I. Noy & W. Karwowski (Eds.), Handbook of Human Factors in Litigation. Chapter 36. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 36-1 – 36-9.
This chapter will illustrate that harassment is a workplace safety issue that can result in physical injury, emotional and professional damage to the victim as well as negative consequences including legal liability to the organization. Because employees frequently spend many of their waking hours at work, their greatest opportunity to meet potential mates is on the job. If organizations prohibit all socializing of employees, they may feel stifled. Therefore, organizations must perform a balancing act: they must provide a safe organizational climate, yet not create an oppressive environment. In order to ensure a satisfactory outcome, both the victims of harassment and the organizations in which harassment occurs have certain responsibilities. We will discuss both the individual and organizational responsibilities and highlight these using actual examples of sexual harassment incidents. Furthermore, the principal forensic issues relevant to the discussion of harassment will be discussed.
Workplace Safety
Runge, K. & Vredenburgh, A.G. (2013). A False Sense of Security: Hazards Associated with Working on Flat Roofs with Parapet Walls. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 57th Annual Meeting. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Vol. 57, 590-594.
Roofing is a dangerous business in any capacity. The following is a case study presenting the dangers of working on a flat roof with parapet walls. A key issue is the workers’ situation awareness of their jobsite while being attentive to their task demands. This case addresses the role of perceptions, safety meetings, trip hazards, barriers and how different subcontractors affect each other’s safety as methods to address this hazard.
Forensics
Whetsel Borzendowski, S., Vredenburgh, M., Darlson, C., Hersh, M., Vredenburgh, A., & Zackowitz, I. (2019). Children’s safety workshop: A demonstration of human factors professionals’ preparation with practicing attorneys. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 2019 Annual Meeting, Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 227.
This special joint session with shared interest from multiple technical groups (Forensics professional, Children’s issues, and Safety) presents an interactive demonstration of human factors preparation with “client” attorneys. Actual attorneys, exhibits and experts from a matter that took place in South Florida will work with the audience to “prepare” the case and give example cross-examination testimony. The attorneys and experts will then form a panel to respond to audience questions.
Hartman, L.S., Whetsel Borzendowski, S., Vredenburgh, A.G., Zackowitz, I.B., & Campbell, A.O, (2020). Identifying hazards at residential and commercial pools: An interactive session. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, vol. 64, 1: pp. 807-809.
Vredenburgh, A. & Vredenburgh, M. (2020). Human Factors Analysis of a Rotating Restaurant. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, vol. 64, 1.
A young boy was fatally injured at a rotating restaurant that was at the top of an American hotel, his head became entrapped and crushed between the stationary internal wall and a booth that was affixed to the rotating outer ring. When the booth encountered the end of the opening in an interior wall, it closed into a pinch point. Several human factors issues are discussed regarding this incident. Did the hotel effectively manage the pinch point hazard created by the restaurant’s rotation? Was the incident foreseeable? Did the environment create a design-induced hazard? Finally, was the family’s behavior expected and reasonable?
Age Related Factors
Vredenburgh, M.J., Zackowitz, I.B., Spencer, D, DeTaboada, M.R, & Vredenburgh, A.G. (2010). What constitutes typical adolescent behavior and how does it differ from adult conduct? In Waldemar Karwowski & Gavriel Salvendy (Ed.). Advances In Human Factors, Ergonomics, and Safety Manufacturing and Service Industries. 927-936.
Adolescence is a period that includes children ranging in age from 12 to 18 years. At this time, children are beginning to develop their own identities and are greatly concerned about peer approval. Adolescents are at great risk for being involved in injury incidents due to developmental characteristics unique to this age group. As human factors and safety consultants, we analyze multiple incidents every year that involve adolescents. In order to gain perspective on adolescent behavior, we developed a survey that was administered to the adolescents themselves. This differs from much past research on the topic that relied on hospital data and parent perceptions. This paper discusses common adolescent risk-taking behavior and their limited self-protective behavior.
Healthcare Worker and Patient Safety
Vredenburgh, A.G., Sunderman, G.L., Daly Guris, R.J., & Cheruku, S.R. (2021). Epidemic Response: Follow-up and lessons learned from the US response to the evolving and conflicting risk information, focusing on education and clinical environments. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, vol. 65, 1: pp. 1584-1587.
In this follow-up panel, we discuss what we have learned over the last year about responding to an epidemic or pandemic that has demonstrated a level of transmission unprecedented in the modern era. Two medical doctors that have worked on the front of this pandemic share their experiences transitioning from the “sharp end” of the response. Decisions about how to mitigate hazards have occurred at the personal, institutional, and health policy levels, in real-time, with frequent adaptation, and often in advance of concrete evidence. Over the course of the pandemic, hospital systems revised existing protocols to manage perceived risks in real time using emerging information from other centers. With the introduction of vaccines, there is a new type of risk perception. Is the vaccine perceived to be safe? Is there a disparity in perception among different population groups? That said, analyses are also complicated by emerging viral mutations with unclear implications. What factors increase or decrease public compliance with precautions? How are US education policymakers deciding about face-to-face classroom instruction? This panel includes a warnings expert, an expert on education policy, and two practicing physicians.
Vredenburgh, A.G., Welner, KG., Daly Guris, R.J., & Cheruku, S.R. (2020). Epidemic Response: How to evaluate and respond to evolving and conflicting risk information with a focus on education and clinical environments. In Proceedings of the 2020 HFES 64th Annual Meeting, Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 1732-1735.
By October, we will have learned a great deal about responding to an epidemic or pandemic that has proved to have a level of transmission unprecedented in the modern era. The possible and likely responses include many unknowns. Coordinated and collaborative implementation has been complicated by conflicting information from multiple governments and organizations in several languages. What will we learn about how the United States can improve its ability to respond? How do we develop consistent and accurate warnings and messaging to the public in order to increase compliance regarding a new, and not well understood, epidemic? What factors increase or decrease compliance? How are US education policymakers deciding about face-to-face instruction? How have physicians and hospitals adapted their workflows in the face of uncertainty and supply chain inconsistencies? This panel will include a warnings expert, an expert on education law and policy, and two physicians.
Accessibility and Environmental Design
Hartman, L.S., Whetsel Borzendowski, S., Vredenburgh, A.G., Zackowitz, I.B., & Campbell, A.O, (2020). Identifying hazards at residential and commercial pools: An interactive session. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, vol. 64, 1: pp. 807-809.
Vredenburgh, A. & Vredenburgh, M. (2020). Human Factors Analysis of a Rotating Restaurant. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, vol. 64, 1.
A young boy was fatally injured at a rotating restaurant that was at the top of an American hotel, his head became entrapped and crushed between the stationary internal wall and a booth that was affixed to the rotating outer ring. When the booth encountered the end of the opening in an interior wall, it closed into a pinch point. Several human factors issues are discussed regarding this incident. Did the hotel effectively manage the pinch point hazard created by the restaurant’s rotation? Was the incident foreseeable? Did the environment create a design-induced hazard? Finally, was the family’s behavior expected and reasonable?
Vredenburgh, A.G., & Zackowitz, I.B. (2012). When a Dog is Just a Dog? A Case Study Evaluating the ADA service animal rules. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 56th Annual Meeting. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Vol. 56, 720-723.
This case study evaluates the American’s with Disabilities Act requirements regarding service animal use. The first author was retained as a defense expert in a case where a woman placed her small dog on a table at a restaurant and when she was asked to sit at an exterior table, she sued the restaurant on the basis of disability discrimination. This paper evaluates the relevant facts of the case and clarifies when an animal qualifies as a service animal, and when a dog is just a dog.
Transportation Safety
Brill, J.C., Bliss, J.P., Hancock, P.A., Manzey, D., Meyer, J., & Vredenburgh, A. (2016). Matters of Ethics, Trust, and Potential Liability for Autonomous Systems. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 2016 Annual Meeting, Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 308-312.
The objective of this panel was to discuss issues related to the development and use of autonomous systems, with specific focus on the overriding themes of ethical considerations and potential liability for Human Factors and Ergonomics (HF/E) professionals who are involved in their development. Chris Brill provided opening remarks to frame the discussion and introduce the panelists. James Bliss discussed legal implications related to our collective penchant for developing conservative, false-alarm prone automation. Peter Hancock advocated for human-centered constraints on autonomous systems, as they may, one day, pose an existential threat to humanity. Dietrich Manzey discussed ethical considerations for autonomous systems, including how design can encourage ethical user behavior. Joachim Meyer argued that HF/E professionals have an obligation to help designers understand the ethical implications of poor design, particularly in the context of autonomous systems. Lastly, Alison Vredenburgh provided thoughts on potential liability for HF/E professionals, particularly in light of the relative newness of autonomous systems. The panel then turned to facilitated discussion with panelists and audience members. Specific themes included the boundaries of our responsibilities as HF/E professionals for ill-conceived or morally-objectionable systems, potential implications of manipulating user trust through design, cross-cultural perspectives on public acceptance and legal peril, and how concerns might differ by domain (e.g., medical vs. combat vs. manufacturing). The session concluded with panelists summarizing how ethics influence design and recommendations for how HF/E professionals can potentially protect themselves from legal liability for mishaps involving autonomous systems they helped develop.
Vredenburgh, A.N., Zackowitz, I.B. & Vredenburgh, A.G. (2015). Air Rage: What factors Influence Airline Passenger Anger? Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 59th Annual Meeting, Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 59:400-404.
Aggressive passengers have forced airlines to divert flights and make unscheduled landings. There have been legal consequences, both in criminal and civil courts, as well as financial costs when airplanes are forced to redirect a flight, or to provide vouchers to resolve complaints. This study investigates the extent to which current airline irritants contribute to passenger anger, which may cause conflict, redirected flights and legal ramifications. 245 passengers were questioned regarding their experience flying over the last two years and how factors including smell, noise, seat size, hunger, and unwanted touch affected their mood. These factors can all be considered an assault on the senses of passengers that would not occur in any other environment. Results indicate that confinement and physical discomfort of having strangers encroach into personal space made people most likely to be angry and take action against fellow passengers. Noise and hunger made them angry, but not take action, thus creating the potential for conflict. These human factors have implications for passenger safety, civil rights and airline operations.