Forensics ergonomics in Spain. Research priorities by the Delphi technique

Area of Science:

• Forensic Ergonomics
• Legal Ergonomics
• Occupational Risk Prevention

Background:

• Ergonomics offers services to the justice system through expertise in occupational risk prevention.
• Legal Ergonomics, also known as forensic ergonomics, is recognized by law within the framework of Civil Procedure.
• Spain has documented experiences with Legal Ergonomics since 1995, indicating significant development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate actions required for the widespread adoption and use of Legal Ergonomics in legal trials.
• To enhance effective decision-making in the future development of Forensic Ergonomics.

Main Methods:

• Employing consensus methods, specifically the Delphi survey technique.
• Utilizing an iterative, multistage process designed to transform individual opinions into group consensus.
• Applying ergonomics as a technique to facilitate participation among judges, lawyers, and expert ergonomists.

Main Results:

• The Delphi survey is a flexible group facilitation technique commonly used in health and social sciences.
• There is limited current use and practice of ergonomics to facilitate expert participation in legal contexts.
• The study aims to identify strategies for broader implementation of forensic ergonomics in judicial proceedings.

Conclusions:

• Further development of Legal Ergonomics requires enhanced decision-making through consensus methods like the Delphi survey.
• Increased utilization of ergonomics in legal settings can improve the participation of all involved experts.
• This research seeks to promote the wider application of forensic ergonomics within the justice system.