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Introduction: Many work tasks involve the use of the arms to execute repetitive movements at or above shoulders, with prolonged work causing fatigue and risk of injuries. However, what makes one person more at-risk than another remains a challenging issue for workplaces. Risk is a combination of work-related and personal factors. At the personal level, occupational health calls for increased access to work for an increasingly diverse population, which must be balanced with adequate monitoring and safety measures to keep this increasingly diverse workforce healthy and productive. Monitoring of biomechanical determinants of work exposure is a key part of these safety measures, but drawing appropriate exposure limits has long been constrained by limits in measurement technology, and the need to identify salient exposure measures that are appropriate for the diverse workforce. The purpose of this presentation is to summarize the recent scientific literature on the effects of key personal characteristics of a diverse workforce on risks of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and to propose research methods aimed to improve the personalization, fidelity and ecological validity and of exposure data to contribute to safer and more equitable workplace ergonomics.

Methods: We have identified a few key personal factors that are increasingly known to affect biomechanical exposures of work-related MSDs: age, sex/gender, and laterality/hand dominance, as well as underlying constructs of anthropometrics, motor variability and symmetry. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we will briefly cover their physiological mechanisms and the evidence for their impact on occupational health, and we will present recent findings from studies that have measured their impact on biomechanics and work-related fatigue and performance. Next, we will address the challenges and opportunities presented by wearable technology and machine learning in enhancing ergonomics research, through a series of case studies. Finally, we will draw from recent studies in sport and para-sport biomechanics research to propose strategies to advance the personalization of work-related exposure measurement. Throughout the presentation, we will identify new knowledge, as well as limitations of current approaches as elements of a roadmap for the way forward.

Conclusion: A population that is increasing in size and diversity offers exciting potential to advance occupational health science and performance. Optimally effective MSD prevention research requires interdisciplinary scientific approaches to translate knowledge about population diversity into healthy workplaces accessible by all.