Lora Cavuoto

Work-related injuries represent a significant economic burden and involve substantial adverse personal outcomes. 

Two important contemporary changes in workforce demographics may be associated with an increase in the future incidence and cost of workplace injuries. First, more than two-thirds of the US adult population is now either overweight or obese, a doubling of the prevalence of obesity over the past 30 years. Second, there has been a shift toward an older worker population, whose injuries often require more time away from work.

Overall, my research aims to promote a healthier and more productive individual and work environment. My research follows along three main themes: biomechanics of obesity, wellness and physical activity, and fatigue monitoring.

Identifying the influences of worker demographics on work capacity and injury risk will facilitate the development of revised guidelines and more effective design of controls and interventions. With these revised designs, worker quality of life can be improved while increasing workplace productivity and reducing associated healthcare costs.

Physical ergonomics, biomechanics, occupational safety and health, and workplace wellness

Human factors and ergonomics, work physiology

• PhD Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2012

• American Society for Safety Engineers (ASSE) Liberty Mutual Safety Research Fellowship (2013)