Description
Date: 16 October, 2026, 13.00 UTC.
Estimated Time: 1 hr
Language: English
Summary of the lecture
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a significant occupational health challenge in steelmaking, particularly in roles involving manual handling, repetitive work, force and awkward postures. Effective ergonomic risk management is essential for protecting employees, improving work design and reducing the operational impact associated with MSD-related absence.
Traditional ergonomic assessments such as REBA, RULA and OWAS can require considerable time and specialist input, making continuous or large-scale assessment difficult. Mobarakeh Steel Company developed Ergonomica AI to support faster and more consistent ergonomic risk assessment using standard CCTV or mobile video.
The system combines artificial intelligence, computer vision and ergonomic expertise to identify high-risk postures and support preventive action. By enabling simultaneous assessment without wearables, Ergonomica AI offers a practical example of how digital tools can complement participatory ergonomics and specialist assessment in industrial environments.
In 2024, Mobarakeh Steel Company reported a 42.41% reduction in major MSD-related sick leave days, while assessment time decreased by more than 80% and the number of evaluations increased tenfold. The case highlights how technology, specialist knowledge and workforce involvement can work together to strengthen occupational health management in steel operations.
What you will learn:
- Recognise common ergonomic risk factors in steelmaking activities.
- Understand how AI and video analysis can support ergonomic risk assessment.
- Explore how methods such as REBA, RULA and OWAS can be incorporated into automated assessment.
- Understand the role of ergonomic expertise in system design and validation.
- See how assessment results can support workstation redesign, tool modifications and other preventive actions.
Speaker Introduction
Parnian Ilbag
HSE Coordination Specialist, Mobarakeh Steel Company
Parnian Ilbag is an HSE Coordination Specialist at Mobarakeh Steel Company and holds an MSc in Occupational Health and Safety Engineering. Her work focuses on HSE coordination, occupational health projects, risk assessment, auditing, training and the improvement of HSE systems.
She has experience in integrated management systems, process safety, incident analysis and organisational excellence assessment. Her professional interests include practical HSE improvement, systems thinking and the use of digital tools to support workplace health and safety.
Mojtaba Keshavarz
Ergonomics Laboratory Specialist, Mobarakeh Steel Company
Mojtaba Keshavarz is an Ergonomics Laboratory Specialist at Mobarakeh Steel Company, with an M.Sc. in Ergonomics from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. His professional experience spans physical, cognitive and macroergonomics, with a particular interest in laboratory-based assessment, ergonomic testing and the application of technology to workplace ergonomics.
Drawing on his experience in industrial and laboratory ergonomics, Mojtaba initiated the concept of applying artificial intelligence and computer vision to ergonomic assessment, which led to the development of Ergonomica AI. He has played a key role in defining the system’s ergonomic requirements, selecting relevant indicators and body keypoints, developing assessment logic for methods such as REBA, RULA and OWAS, and contributing to validation against human assessments.
