A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Integrating Ergonomic Solutions into Software Innovations

Manual Material Handling (MMH) tasks are a primary driver of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.  This paper develops a multi-objective optimization framework that identifies the item-bin allocation that minimizes both low back and shoulder loading while utilizing all storage space and simultaneously considering safety constraints, and low back loading action limits. We apply the optimization framework to a hypothetical MMH task involving loads of different dimensions and weights and several possible storage bin locations. This work can help to proactively plan manual material handling tasks in consideration of both ergonomics and safety.

Presenting Speakers

Vincent Racco is a Certified Professional Ergonomist with over 20 years of professional EHS experience in the industrial and warehousing sectors. Vincent is currently the Global Sr. Manager for North American Ergonomics Engineering in Workplace Health and Safety at Amazon. Vincent leads a team of Ergonomists that develop engineering solutions for include over 1 million workers fulfilling and delivering customer orders from hundreds of locations and covering millions of miles on the road and in the air. Vincent’s achievements at Amazon focus on leading efforts to continuously improve physical workstation and software design. Vincent previously held Ergonomics and technical safety roles with increasing throughout the automotive supply chain.

Vincent holds a B.Sc. from the University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada). He Serves as a mentor assisting interested applicants navigate the process to become a certified ergonomist.

Nikki Taylor White just celebrated 16 illustrious years with Amazon this past September. She has worked in many businesses to include but not limited to; Operations, Continuous Improvement, Logistics, Process Design and the Amazon Robotics Fulfillment Network over the course of her career. She was also an integral part of the growth that is Amazon AIR for two years as a Regional Director in the US. Continuously seeking the next challenge and opportunity to make large impact at scale; in January of 2022, Nikki decided to move to Amazon’s Corporate Worldwide Health and Safety organization (WHS), currently headed by Global VP Sarah Rhoads. Nikki is currently the Global Director of Ergonomics at Amazon to encapsulate all businesses and countries. Nikki has a large and globally diverse team of Certified Ergonomic Professionals, Design Engineers, Sr. Program and Policy Managers, Change Managers and Research Scientist. Nikki’s contribution to WHS and Global Ergonomics over the past year+ have been celebrated and it’s just the beginning! As an overarching vision her teams’ mission is to utilize data, design, and technology to continuously improve each process path and working environment across, NA, EU and ROW.  Directly aligning and contributing to the Leadership Principles of Striving to be Earth’s Best Employer and Success and Scale Bring Broad Responsibility. Including standing up entirely new divisions of Global Ergonomics in 2024; Solutions and Development, as well as Global Partnerships. Her amazing team is already on track to beat her leadership level goals for end to end design, ergonomic process changes; including deployment of both algorithmic and physical changes across buildings in NA and EU. Nikki is also an accomplished public speaker both on her on brand and representing her role at Amazon. She was chosen to speak at the National MBA business conference in Dallas Texas, in 2024.  Multiple Panels at the Amazon sponsored Boss Women Media 2022 and 2023 women in tech BBA(Black Business Accelerator) campaigns, the 2024 HER Story Women’s Summit for the ReFramed Glassware Line, and most recently at the International Women in Business Summit, in Springfield, MA. Internally Nikki is a go to speak and has participated in over 10 leadership presentations and addresses across amazon to our top leaders and large associate base. Nikki is Media and PR trained and has been a part of Amazon’s rich culture of celebrating the best of what it is to work here. Nikki is also a belier in continued personal Development and Diversity and is CEO of her own company Ruby Taylor Enterprises Inc, with multiple property holdings in NA.

Nikki earned a full academic scholarship from Ford Motor Company, graduated with a Baccalaureate of Science from the College of Engineering, Architecture, and computer Science at Howard University. While at Howard she also joined her beloved, Alpha Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. She then received her Masters of Science in Engineering Management from the University of Michigan. Born and raised in the motor city of Detroit, prior to amazon Nikki was a member of the Chrysler Institute of Engineers (CIE) and worked as a Design and Release Engineer, Quality Engineer, and Plant Supervisor at Chrysler Automotive Corporation for five years. Her life’s priority is her 6-year-old daughter Delilah.

In her own words, I am so excited to once again be in a new Amazon chapter. The passion I have for the safety, health, and vitality of the amazing workforce we have just leans and aligns my principles with the goals of 2024 and far beyond in the Global Health Space.