David M. Fortenbaugh

Dr. Fortenbaugh is a consultant and project manager for projects related to product liability, premises safety, and accident reconstruction. He specializes in the human factors and biomechanics/injury aspects of accidents. He has extensive experience in multidisciplinary studies of automotive, marine, consumer, and industrial products. Dr. Fortenbaugh has evaluated the human interaction with sports and fitness equipment, medical devices (e.g. wheelchairs and walkers), and climbing products (e.g. ladders and stepstools). He has examined issues of workplace safety, warnings and instructions, and human motion analysis including occupant kinematics. He has conducted dozens of surrogate studies and product evaluations and over 100 slip, trip, and fall investigations.

Prior to joining ESi, Dr. Fortenbaugh worked extensively with athletes and medical professionals for over 10 years to improve human performance and reduce injury. His previous research focused on biomechanical analysis of both basic and sports-specific movements, effectiveness of surgical techniques through cadaver testing, and clinical outcomes following orthopedic surgery. Dr. Fortenbaugh has presented his research findings at numerous national and international scientific conferences and has published more than a dozen peer-reviewed journal articles. He also serves as a journal article reviewer and in leadership roles in several professional societies and is active in safety standards development.