Bob Fox smiles and poses for a portrait.

Robert Fox

Lecturer
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email

drbobfox@umich.edu

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Phone

(248) 930-3199

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Biography

Personal Pronouns

he/him/his

Bob Fox has 40 years of experience in the field of ergonomics, human factors and physical anthropology. He has worked in General Motors North American and global ergonomics activities from 1993 until May of 2022 and is both an HFES and IEA Fellow. He chairs the US Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the International Standards Organization (ISO) for anthropometry and biomechanics and participates in various work groups for ANSI and ISO ergonomics standards and reports. He participates on the NORA Cross-Sector Councils for both MSDs and Healthy Work Design, the ACGIH Physical Agents Committee, the IEA Technical Committee on Musculoskeletal Disorders, USCAR and the ASTM F48.02 subcommittee on Human Factors and Ergonomics for exoskeletons. He has authored journal articles on manual material handling, the Revised NIOSH Lift Equation, work-related musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomics and aging. He has been a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) since 1996.

Areas of Interest and Expertise:

  • General automotive industrial ergonomics
  • Manual material handling – lifting, pushing/pulling, carrying
  • Upper extremity repetitive motion/MSD risk analysis and prevention
  • Warehousing and indirect labor ergonomics
  • Industrial mobile equipment ergonomics

Education

  • Ph.D.

Research Interests

  • Manual Material Handling
  • Work-related musculo-skeletal disorders assessment
  • Intervention and prevention

Professional Service

  • NIOSH Healthy Work Design and Workplace Design Council, December, 2020.
  • Certified FIRST Tech Challenge middle school competitive robotics judge (November 2019).
  • International Ergonomics Association, MSDs Technical Committee, since 2019.
  • Consultant, ACGIH Physical Agents Committee (PAC) since 2019.
  • Full member, Human Factors & Ergonomics Society, ID# 11719. Member since 1985, member of occupational ergonomics and aging technical groups.
  • Occupation Ergonomics and Human Factors Advisory Panel, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineering, IISE Transactions, starting May 2019.
  • Associate Editor, Editorial Board, Ergonomics in Design, term started January, 2019.
  • Peer reviewer for Ergonomics in Design, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, IISE Transactions and Applied Ergonomics
  • Chair of US ISO Technical Advisory Group/ISO Technical Committee 159, Subcommittee 3 (anthropometry and biomechanics) for the review and creation of international standards related to ergonomics. Participation in TC 159/SC3 Working Group 4 (Human Physical Strength – Manual Handling and Force Limits) writing/editing proposed standards for lifting/lowering, pushing, pulling, upper extremity repetitive activities and other topics.
  • Chair, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) Technical Standards Division, Ex-Officio member of the HFES Executive Council (oversee all ergonomics and human factors-related standards activities for HFES including all ISO ergonomics standards and ANSI-HFES 100 Human Factors Engineering of Computer Workstations). Have worked to raise awareness of HF/E standards work within the Society and promote involvement in standards with HFES membership. Have worked to establish better lines of communication and involvement between HFES, ISO and other scientific bodies such as the ACGIH Physical Agents Committee. 2014 – 2020.
  • Member, International Ergonomics Association Technical Committee on MSDs
  • Member, ASTM technical committee F48 Exoskeletons and Exosuits,

Awards

  • Awarded Fellow of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA), July 2022.
  • Bullard-Sherwood Research to Practice (R2P) Award for Achievements as Chair of ISO TC159/SC3 WG4 writing group, NIOSH in 2021, January 2022.
  • Article “Understanding Outcome Metrics of the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation,” nominated for CDC Shephard Award, October 2019.
  • 2018 Team Award in recognition of contributions and collaboration as member of the United States Consortium for Automotive Research (USCAR) Ergonomics Task Force, May 2019.
  • Elected Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), October 2017.
  • 2015 Team Award for Force Mat Measurement Insertion research project, United States Consortium for Automotive Research (USCAR), May 2015.
  • Distinguished Service Award, Board of Certification for Professional Ergonomists (BCPE), October 2014
  • Election to Industrial Engineering Academy in recognition of outstanding achievements in industrial engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX April 2011.

Publications

  • HFES Diversity Message for Indigenous Persons Month,” Bob Fox, November 2022, https://www.hfes.org/HFES-News/hfes-diversity-message-for-indigenous-persons-month
  • “Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders,” Ming-Lun Lu, Brian D. Lowe, Ninica L. Howard, Alysha R. Meyers, Robert R. Fox, Ren G. Dong, and Brent A. Baker, book chapter 14 in Modern Occupational Diseases Diagnoses, Epidemiology, Management and Prevention, Ki-Moon Bang (ed.) Bentham Science Publishers, 2022. https://doi.org/10.2174/97898150491381220101.
  • Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics (5th Ed.), G. Salvendy and V. Karwowski, Editors, Chapter 50, “Human Factors and Ergonomics Standards,” W. Karwowski, R. Taiar, R. Fox. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ, 2022.
  • “A calculation approach of biomechanical overload, derived from OCRA-RNLE methods, with daily cycle, extended to multitask jobs featuring macro-cycles: the MultiGEI (The Multitask General Exposure Index),” Columbini, D., Occhipinti, E., Fox, R.R., Alvarez-Casado, E., Michaloski, A.O. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 86, 2021, 103212.
    “Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Policy Statement on Occupational Ergonomics for Industry 4.0,” Contributor, Approved and posted October 3,2020. https://www.hfes.org/Portals/0/Documents/Government%20Relations/HFES%20Policy%20-%20Occupational%20Ergnomics%2011.11.2020%20-%20FINAL.pdf?ver=2020-11-11-130626-293
    “Understanding Outcome Metrics of the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation,” Fox, R., Lu, M.L., Occhipinti, E., Jaeger, M., Applied Ergonomics, 10, 2019. Note: Paper nominated in October 2019 for CDC Shepard award.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2019.102897
  • “Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Policy Statement on Airline Seating,” as HFES Chair of the Technical Standards Division, headed an interdisciplinary team to produce it. Approved and posted April 2019. https://www.hfes.org/public-policy/hfes-public-policy.
  • NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL RESEARCH AGENDA FOR MUSCULOSKELETAL HEALTH, CDC/NIOSH, October 2018, Contributor, https://www.cdc.gov/nora/councils/mus/pdfs/National-Occupational-Research-Agenda-for-Musculoskeletal-Health-October-2018.pdf
  • “The Revised ISO Standard 11228-1 on Manual Lifting, Lowering and Carrying: Special Focus on Extensions of the Revised NIOSH Lift Equation and a Strategy for Interpretation,” Robert R. Fox, Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2018), Vol. III – Musculoskeletal Disorders, S. Bagnara et al. (Eds.): IEA 2018, AISC 820, pp. 154–158, 2019.
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96083-8_19.
  • “Variable Lifting Index (VLI): A New Method for Evaluating Variable Lifting Tasks,” Waters, T., Occhipinti, E., Colombini, D., Alvarez-Casado, E. and Fox, R., Human Factors, Vol. 58, No.5, pp. 695-711, August 2016. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0018720815612256
  • SAE/USCAR-41 Ergonomics Guidelines for Carts and Dollies, principle author, Society of Automotive Engineers International/United States Consortium for Automotive Research, Detroit, MI, March 2015.
  • SAE/USCAR-42 Ergonomics Guidelines for Small Lot Delivery Operations, principle author, Society of Automotive Engineers International/United States Consortium for Automotive Research, Detroit, MI, March 2015.
  • “Aging Workers & Ergonomics: A Fresh Perspective,” Professional Safety, Vol. 60, No. 1, pp. 33-41, January 2015 (Robert R. Fox, George E. Brogmus, Wayne S. Maynard). http://www.mywarehouseonline.com/graphics/0427/168008_ASSE_012015_dn.pdf
  • “A Psychophysical Study of High-Frequency Arm Lifting,” International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, Vol. 44, Issue 2, March 2014, pp. 238-245 (Robert R. Fox, James L. Smith).
  • OHS-8 Rotated Operator Compartments in Lift Trucks: An Ergonomic Review, Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), Southfield, MI, Version 1, March 20, 2008
  • “Why the United States Needs its Seat at the ISO Table,” Actionline – The Magazine of the Automotive Industry Action Group, pp. 14-18, July/August 2007 (Bob Fox, Bruce Main and David Felinski).
  • “Standards Update – Anthropometry and Biomechanics,” HFES Bulletin, vol. 50, no. 6, June 2007, pp. 6-7.
  • OHS-5 – Ergonomics Guidelines for Small Lot Delivery Systems, R. Fox, principle author, Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), Southfield, MI. Version 1.0 issued 12/2006.
  • “Shake, Rattle and Roll: Unwanted Energy – Vibration,” Ergonomics In Design, Spring, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 4, 27-28, 2005 (Brian Peacock, Geoffrey Chase, Robert Fox, Richard Parker).
  • ANSI B11.TR1-2004 – ANSI Technical Report for Machine Tools – Ergonomics Guidelines for Design, Installation and Use, registered by ANSI May 16, 2004, participated on B11 Subcommittee on Ergonomics in developing report, listed as co-author.
  • “Ergonomics Force Exertion Screening Tool,” paper published in the 7th Annual Applied Ergonomics Conference Proceedings, March, 2004 (C. Liss, P. O’Brien, R. Fox).
  • “Emerging Occupational Health and Safety Issues,” Actionline – The Magazine of the Automotive Industry Action Group, pp. 15-17, February/March 2004 (Michael. Taubitz, Robert Fox, Dan. Reid).
  • “ISO Ergonomics Standards,” ActionLine – The Magazine of the Automotive Industry Action Group, Vol. 22, Issue 6, pp. 26-28, July, 2002.
  • “Chapter 7: Ergonomics Analysis of Sheet-Metal Handling,” book chapter in Digital Human Modeling for Vehicle and Workplace Design, Don B. Chaffin (ed.), Warrendale, PA:SAE Publications, 2001 (Brian Peacock, Heather Reed, Robert Fox).
  • “Self-paced High Frequency Lifting of Light Loads,” paper presented at the IEA 2000/HFES 2000 Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, July 30 – August 4, 2000, Diego, CA. (James L. Smith, Robert R. Fox).
  • “Pre-Columbian Contacts in the New World: Framing the Context,” in Newark Holy Stones: Context for Controversy, symposium proceedings in preparation, symposium held November 6, 1999, Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum, Coshocton, OH. (Robert R. Fox)
  • “The Ergonomics of Computer Drafting Workstations,” paper presented at the Houston Ergonomics Conference, Houston, TX., March 11, 1999 (Bob Fox, Brian Peacock).
  • “A Case Study: Thumb and Index Finger Push Forces Common to Assembly Processes,” Advances in Occupational Ergonomics and Safety: Proceedings of the XIIIth Annual International Occupational Ergonomics and Safety Conference 1998, S. Kumar (ed.). IOS Press, pp. 390-393, 1998 (Ursula Wright, Juliann Leonard, Diane Neigebauer, Robert Fox, Brian Peacock).
  • “The Ergonomics of Small Lot Materials Delivery,” paper presented at the Konz/Purswell Occupational Ergonomics Symposium, Institute for Ergonomics Research, Department of Industrial Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, April 8, 1995 (Bob Fox, Brian Peacock).
  • “Socio-Technical Aspects of the Command and Control of Nuclear Weapons”, 4th International Symposium on Human Factors in Organizational Design and Management (ODAM), Stockholm, Sweden, May 29 – June 4, 1994 (Robert R. Fox).
  • “Ergonomic Evaluation of Mail Satchels”, paper presented at the Annual International Industrial Ergonomics and Safety Conference ’94, San Antonio, TX, June 8 – 10, 1994 (T. M. Bernard, P. G. Dempsey, M. T. Fogleman, R.R. Fox, M. S. Hsiang, S. Noland).
  • “A Human Factors Evaluation of a Petroleum Production Plant Control Room,” paper presented at the M. M. Ayoub Ergonomics Symposium, Institute for Ergonomics Research, Department of Industrial Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, April 16 – 17, 1993 (R. Fox, M. Danz-Reese, J. L. Smith, K. Muise).
  • “Total Quality Training and Practice,” paper presented at the 1992 Pacific Conference on Manufacturing, Osaka, Japan, November 3 – 6, 1992 (W. J. Kolarik and R. R. Fox). Material also contributed to Kolarik, W. J., Quality: Systems, Concepts, Strategies and Tools, New York: McGraw-Hill, published April 1995.
  • “Multiple Person Lift and Carry Task: A Time Study,” 1991, Report from the Institute for Ergonomics Research, Texas Tech University, Subcontract #R1-67576X, (M. M. Ayoub, J. L. Smith, M. T. Fogleman, R. R. Fox).
  • “Air Force Maintenance Task Times,” 1991, Final Report from the Institute for Ergonomics Research, Texas Tech University, Contract # R1-67576X, (M. M. Ayoub, J. L. Smith, R. R. Fox).
  • “Native Americans Contribute to Nation, World,” 1989, article in TACOM Report, Vol. 15, No. 11, in honor of Native American Day, September 13, U.S. Army TACOM, Warren, MI (Bob Fox, author; Jim Coles, editor).
  • “Industrial Engineering Methods Training Program (‘B – Engine Version’),” 1986, General Motors Chevrolet-Pontiac-Canada Group Headquarters, Industrial Engineering Department, Warren, MI, (R. B. Harmon, R. Fox, S. Richards).
  • “Designing the Office Workplace: An Ergonomics Guide for Secretarial, Word Processing and VDT Workers,” 1985, booklet published internally in General Motors, Chevrolet-Pontiac-Canada Group Headquarters, Industrial Engineering Department, Warren, MI, (Bob Fox).
  • “Illumination and Color in the Work Environment,” 1983, manual published internally in General Motors, Fisher Body Central Offices, Industrial Engineering Activity, Warren, MI, (Robert Fox).