Independent Expert WITNESS from a Chartered Ergonomist Northern Ireland & UK

Julie Rainey provides independent expert witness services for employer's liability claims, workplace injury litigation and occupational disease cases across Northern Ireland and the UK. With specialist expertise in manufacturing and office Ergonomics, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs), repetitive strain injuries (RSI) and workplace design, she delivers objective analysis and comprehensive expert reports for personal injury legal proceedings.

Common case types include carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), tenosynovitis, epicondylitis (tennis elbow, golfer's elbow), and other occupational injuries arising from assembly line work, production environments, manual handling operations and office DSE work. Expertise covers both claimant and defendant cases in industrial accident claims and employment tribunal proceedings.

All expert witness work is personally conducted by Julie Rainey MSc C.ErgHF MIHFES, our Director and Chartered Ergonomist & Human Factors Specialist with proven industry experience at Humanscale, Aston Martin and Airbus UK.

Expert Credentials: Julie Rainey MSc C.ErgHF MIHFES MIEHF

Professional Status

  • Chartered Ergonomist & Human Factors Specialist (C.ErgHF) - achieved 2025

  • MSc Engineering Psychology with Ergonomics (Heriot-Watt University)

  • Registered Member of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors (MCIEHF)

  • Registered Member of the Irish Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (MIHFES) - achieved 2020

Industry Experience

  • Former site Human Factors Ergonomist, Aston Martin (South Wales)

  • Former Ergonomics Specialist, Airbus UK

  • Ergonomics Consultant, Humanscale

  • Specialist in manufacturing, production line and advanced manufacturing environments

  • Office and DSE assessment specialist

Areas of Specialist Expertise

Manufacturing and Production Ergonomics: Assembly line work assessment, production line injury evaluation, repetitive task analysis, advanced manufacturing environments (aerospace, automotive).

Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs): Work-related musculoskeletal disorders causation and prevention, work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs), upper limb disorders (ULDs), employer's liability claims.

Specific Conditions: Repetitive strain injuries (RSI) including carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), tenosynovitis, epicondylitis (tennis elbow, golfer's elbow), De Quervain's tenosynovitis, trigger finger, upper limb disorders, tendonitis, bursitis, lower back pain from manual handling.

Workplace Assessment: Manual handling risk assessment and injury causation, Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessment and compliance, workstation design and layout evaluation, repetitive task risk assessment.

Legal and Regulatory Expertise: Employer's liability claims, task analysis, Health and Safety at Work regulations compliance, Ergonomics standards assessment (BS EN ISO).

Case Types & Expertise

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) & Upper Limb Disorders (WRULDs/ULDs)

  • Work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs)

  • Repetitive strain injuries (RSI)

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)

  • Tenosynovitis and De Quervain's tenosynovitis

  • Epicondylitis (tennis elbow, golfer's elbow)

  • Upper limb disorders (ULDs) including tendonitis and bursitis

  • Trigger finger

  • Lower back pain and manual handling injuries

  • Work-related neck and shoulder disorders

Workplace Environments & Occupational Injuries

Manufacturing and Production:

  • Assembly line repetitive strain injuries

  • Production line work-related musculoskeletal disorders

  • Factory injury assessment

  • Repetitive task workstation evaluation

  • Causation analysis

Office and Professional Settings:

  • Display Screen Equipment (DSE) workstation assessment

  • Office-based work-related upper limb disorders

  • Keyboard operator RSI and carpal tunnel syndrome

  • Homeworking environment assessment

Manual Handling Operations:

  • Manual handling injury causation

  • Lifting-related back injuries

  • Loading and unloading injury assessment

  • Warehouse and logistics operations

Legal Applications

  • Employer's liability claims for occupational disease

  • Personal injury litigation

  • Industrial accident causation and liability

  • Employment tribunal cases

  • Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecutions

  • Work-related ill health assessment

  • Compliance assessment with Health and Safety at Work regulations

  • Ergonomics standards compliance evaluation

Services for Solicitors ⚖

Initial Case Assessment

  • Free 10-minute telephone consultation to discuss case suitability

  • Services and fees document provided on request

Workplace Investigation & Assessment

  • Independent site inspections and workplace evaluations

  • Objective measurements and photographic documentation

  • Task analysis and Ergonomics risk assessment for WRULDs, MSDs and RSI

  • Repetitive task and manual handling assessment

  • Review of workplace policies and risk assessments

  • DSE workstation compliance evaluation

Expert Reports

  • Comprehensive written reports prepared to court standards

  • Analysis of causation and Ergonomics risk factors in work-related MSDs

  • Assessment of work-related upper limb disorder (WRULD) causation

  • Evaluation of employer's liability and duty of care

  • Assessment of compliance with relevant Ergonomics Standards, regulations and best practice

  • Clear, evidence-based conclusions

  • Reports suitable for both claimant and defendant cases

Court Attendance

  • Attendance at court to present findings

  • Expert testimony and cross-examination

  • Case conferences and joint expert meetings

Who We Work For

We provide expert services for:

  • Claimant solicitors representing injured workers

  • Defence solicitors representing employers and insurers

  • Single joint expert appointments instructed by both parties

  • Work accepted for legally aided cases

We maintain complete impartiality and provide objective expert opinion regardless of instructing party.

Why Instruct Julie Rainey

Specialist Manufacturing & Office Expertise
Proven experience in automotive (Aston Martin) and aerospace (Airbus UK) manufacturing environments combined with office ergonomics expertise (Humanscale) enables comprehensive assessment across both industrial and office workplace settings. Direct experience with assembly line work, production environments and DSE workstations provides practical understanding of work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) causation.

Chartered Professional Status
Chartered Ergonomist status (C.ErgHF) represents the highest level of professional competence in Ergonomics, independently assessed by the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors.

Northern Ireland Based
Local presence in Newtownards enables responsive service, cost-effective site visits across Northern Ireland and understanding of regional workplace practices. Readily available for court attendance at Northern Ireland courts and tribunals.

Objective Expert-based Opinion
Provides objective, evidence-based expert opinions suitable for both claimant and defendant instructions in employer's liability litigation, maintaining professional impartiality throughout.

Contact Julie Rainey

To receive our Services & Fees document or discuss a case, get in touch.

Initial consultation: Free 10-minute telephone discussion