WEEK ONE

Friday, February 6

1. Welcome Message and Overview

Speaker: Trevor Schell - Coordinator/OHCOW Ergonomist

2. Symptoms in the Opposite or Uninjured Leg and Limping-Related Back Pain: Secondary Effects on Lower-Extremity Joints and the Spine

Speaker: Trevor Schell - OHCOW Ergonomist, Sudbury; Cathrine Hjelle Feier - UW Post Doctoral Fellow

This session examines how altered gait and compensatory movement patterns following lower-limb injury redistribute joint loading across the uninjured leg, pelvis, and spine.

3. Applying Ergonomics at Home

Speaker: Daryl Stephenson - OHCOW Ergonomist, Hamilton

When people think of the term ergonomics, they often think of the workplace. However, ergonomics also plays a vital role in preventing injuries outside of work, influencing how we move, posture, and perform everyday activities. This session explores various way that ergonomic principles can be applied to daily living.

WEEK TWO

Friday, February 13

1. Welcome Message and Overview

Speaker: Trevor Schell - Coordinator/OHCOW Ergonomist

2. Understanding Fatigue in Occupational Hand Tasks

Speaker: Michael Holmes - Program Director, Brock University

Repetitive strain injuries of the distal upper extremity are typically attributed to mechanical strain from cumulative loading. RSIs are multifactorial, but neuromuscular fatigue is often a common mechanism linking occupational exposure to performance loss and injury risk...

3. Ergonomics and Pregnancy

Speakers: Andrew Flanagan - OHCOW Ergonomist, Sarnia;  Melissa Statham - OHCOW Ergonomist, Windsor; Jessica Montgomery - OHCOW

Pregnancy brings significant physical changes that can affect posture, balance, and musculoskeletal comfort. Applying ergonomic principles during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of MSDs, and promote overall well-being. This session helps workers understand the risk factors associated with pregnancy and MSDs...

WEEK THREE

Friday, February 20

1. Welcome Message and Overview

Speaker: Trevor Schell

2. Simplifying Ergonomic Risk: A First Look at the Preliminary Ergonomics Risk Assessment Tool (PERAT)

Speaker: Nathan Birtch - WSPS Consultant (Ergonomics)

Identifying musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) hazards is often supported by simple checklists, but prioritizing these hazards and assigning risk ratings typically requires complex assessment tools and specialized ergonomics knowledge...

3. From Pixels to Prevention: How AI is Changing Ergonomic Assessment

Speaker: Steven L. Fischer - Associate Professor | Associate Chair Applied Research Partnerships and Outreach
Associate Director Research, CRE-MSD and Department of Kinesiology | University of Waterloo
This presentation will share insights about how advances in computer vision and artificial intelligence are transforming simple smart phone videos into actionable insights for musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) prevention...

WEEK FOUR

Friday, February 27

1.  Welcome Message and Overview

Trevor Schell - Coordinator/OHCOW Ergonomist

2. Protective or Problematic? Passive Shoulder Exoskeleton Use and Musculoskeletal Risk in Overhead Drilling: A Field to Lab Study

Speaker: Maria Cristina Herrera Valerio
Senior Project Manager CISWP
Canadian Institute for Safety
Recent interest in passive shoulder exoskeletons is reshaping how we address musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risks in overhead construction work. These devices aim to reduce shoulder stress and perceived strain, yet questions remain about their impact on workers’ risk perception and muscular effort...

3. Pouring over the Data: Conditions of Work and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Among Alcohol Service Workers from Ontario

Speakers:
Kristin Yates - Researcher, Canadian Institute for Safety, Wellness & Performance
Pete Driezen - Senior Data Analyst, Canadian Institute for Safety, Wellness & Performance
Mohammad Howard-Azzeh - Data Analyst, Canadian Institute for Safety
People employed in the food and beverage industry in Canada face many occupational health and safety issues. Burnout is a major psychosocial challenge, especially among servers, bartenders, and managers. Likewise, musculoskeletal discomfort and pain are notable due to physically demanding tasks such as prolonged standing, repetitive movements, and handling heavy loads in fast-paced work environments...