Login / RegisterCarol Pollack-Nelson
Owner, Independent Safety Consulting
Dr. Pollack-Nelson is a human factors psychologist specializing in consumer product safety.
She works as a consultant and researcher, providing guidance to all stakeholders on product safety issues including anticipation of product design hazards, foreseeable use scenarios, age grading, supervision practices and injuries, warning label design and effectiveness, and instructional design.
In addition, Dr. Pollack-Nelson conducts independent research on consumer product safety issues and is the author of numerous peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters. Prior to working as an independent consultant, Dr. Pollack-Nelson served as a Senior Engineering Psychologist in the Division of Human Factors at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
She is an independent advocate for consumer product safety. And has petitioned the CPSC numerous times on a variety of issues, many of which affect children. These include petitions on: Window Coverings for the strangulation hazard; Gas Fireplaces for the severe burn hazard; Home Elevators for the crush hazard; and Play Yards. Her advocacy efforts are entirely data-based; they are never generated or on behalf of any stakeholder group.
Dr. Pollack-Nelson is actively involved in professional societies including the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society where she is the past Chair of the Children’s Issues Technical Group. From 2020 through 2022, she served on the Board of Directors for ASTM Int’l. She is a past Board President and member of the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization (ICPHSO). Carol is actively involved in the development of voluntary standards. She is currently a Vice-Chair on ASTM’s Executive Committee and is the subcommittee co-chair for the voluntary standard on magnets and the past chair of subcommittees on liquid laundry packets and portable pools. She is on an oversight committee of the ANSI/WCMA window covering standard and was on UL’s Consumer Advisory Council for 11 years.
Dr. Pollack-Nelson is the recipient of a number of safety-related awards including the prestigious ASTM Award of Merit, the A.R. Lauer Safety Award from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, the CPSC Chairman’s Circle of Commendation Award, ASTM’s Consumer Award, and the Ross A Koeser Achievement Award from ICPHSO.
