Season 1, Episode 2

Michael Kirschner, Ergonomist at Tesla
Michael joined the Tesla team in November of 2015. He brings industry experience from Honda of Indiana and Hyundai of Alabama that he uses to solve complex manufacturing issues throughout Tesla operations. Michael manages a team of ergonomists that take a proactive approach to mitigate risk by getting ahead of design and collaborating with engineering teams to ensure human first principles are part of the design criteria, not just an afterthought.

Topics addressed in this episode:

Overview of upcoming Tesla growth

Significant changes within the ergonomic field: VR, AR, Video capture and impact on assessment

Motion capture systems and sensors for postural coaching

Collaboration of engineering and ergonomics to optimize human performance and efficiency

Speaking the same language and building credibility with the engineering groups to make big impacts within production and injury prevention

Why every company should consider integrating an ergonomist into its processes

Job rotation may not always be the answer as a safety control and perspectives to consider

How ergonomics support a holistic health and wellness program

Key insights & where the field is going.