David Gilkey - Department of Safety, Health and Industrial Hygiene

Associate Professor
Science & Engineering (S&E) 315
Phone: 406-496-4895
E-mail: E-mail David Gilkey

Biography

Dr. David Gilkey is a Professor at Montana Technological University in Butte, MT, USA. Dr. Gilkey earned his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Southern California Health Sciences University and Ph.D. from Colorado State University with a focus on occupational and environmental health, safety, industrial hygiene, and ergonomics. He is a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE), Safety Professional (CSP), and Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS/RS). He recently became a Certified XL Tribometrist (CXLT) and NSFI Walkway Auditor Certificate Holder (WACH). Dr. Gilkey has authored and/or coauthored 55 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, more than 60 articles in trade journals, and provided four book chapter contributions in the areas of ergonomics, occupational safety, and environmental health. His research has recently included investigating the slip resistance of walkway surfaces. He has been conducting research in construction safety climate for many years. He has also worked in mining safety climate research with an emphasis on assisting companies in developing interventions to improve safety in their operations. He also methods to enhance safe work practices in agriculture where recreational off-road vehicles (ATV and UTV) are used in farm and ranch operations.

Non-Research Academic Interests

Dr. Gilkey loves teaching occupational and environmental health. Student interaction is the high point in each day. His door is always open to students. He teaches both undergrads and graduate students as well as advising them on course work, seeking internships, navigating employment and succeeding in the world. Dr. Gilkey believes that every teacher should be committed to inspiring students to become lifelong learners.

Career in Brief

Prior to coming to MT Tech, Dr. Gilkey was a professor at Colorado State University for 20 years. Before his career in higher education, he was a practicing doctor of chiropractic for 15 years in San Jose, CA. Dr. Gilkey specialized in occupational health and orthopedic conditions.

Courses Taught

Dr. Gilkey teaches new course Slips, Trips and Falls: Evaluation and Prevention (OSH 391), Environmental Health (OSH 424), Ergonomics (OSH 454), Principles of Epidemiology (IH 542), Advanced Environmental Health and Biological Site Safety (IH524), and Ergonomics for Industrial Hygienists (IH 568). Dr. Gilkey also provides guest lectures by invitation in other undergraduate and graduate courses.

Personal Interests

Dr. Gilkey enjoys riding his motorcycle in the Rocky Mountains. He takes frequent trips from Butte to Whitehall and neighboring small towns. He is a hunter and loves shooting muzzleloaders. He participates in rendezvous wearing period dress of the early American explorers and the ways of the Mountain Man. Dr. Gilkey likes building stuff in the garage and playing with his dog Honey Bear. He and his wife Holly live in Butte and have assimilated nicely into the community.

Research and Outreach

His most recent research is focused on slips trips and fall evaluation and prevention, he has also completed work in mining safety culture evaluation and characterization in Montana. Dr. Gilkey is also actively involved in construction safety culture research with an emphasis on evaluating differences between Latino and Non-Latinos workers. He has also been active in translational (R2P) research looking at methods to enhance safe work practices in agriculture where ATVs and UTVs are used in agricultural operations.

Selected Publications

Cal Snow, Cody Hays, Sarah Girard, Lorri Birkenbuel, Daniel Autenrieth, and David Gilkey. (2024). Slip resistance evaluation of 10 indoor floor surfaces. IgMin Research. Article ID: igmin199, doi https://dx.doi.org/10.61927/igmin199 

Madelyn Mariegard, BS, GSP and David P. Gilkey, D.C., Ph.D, CPE, CSP. (2024). Evaluating Ergonomic Risk for Nurses During Patient Transfers: A Pilot Study. World Safety Journal, XXXIII, 1, 25-34.

Darren Gieseck, MS, William Brazile, Ph.D., CIH, CSP, Margaret Gutilla, DrPH, Daniel Autenrieth, Ph.D., CIH, CSP, and David Gilkey, D.C., Ph.D., CPE, CSP. (2024). Employee Noise Exposure and Octave Band Analysis in a Manufacturing Setting. World Safety Journal, XXXIII, 1, 1-24.

Nick Kruzich, BS, GSP and David Gilkey, D.C., Ph.D., CSP, CPE. (2023). Manual Materials handling & Spinal compression: A Pilot Study. World Safety Journal, XXXII, 4, 32-54. DOI: Manual Material Handling & Spinal Compression: A Pilot Study (zenodo.org)

Hannah Oggerino, MS, GSP, Dan Autenrieth, Ph.D., CIH, CSP, Blaine Berrington, Ph.D., and David Gilkey, D.C., Ph.D., CSP, CPE. (2023). A Pilot Study in Healthcare: Salivary Cortisol Levels and Burnout. World Safety Journal, XXXII, 4, 18-31. DOI: A Pilot Study in Healthcare: Salivary Cortisol Levels and Burnout (zenodo.org)

Neves, H., Brazile, W., and Gilkey, D. (2018). ATVs and Agriculture: A Systematic Review. (In-Press ACTA SCIENTIFIC Agriculture Research).

Lagerstrom, E. Gilkey, D., Magzamen, S., Stallones, L., and Rosecrance, J. (2016). Understanding risk factor patterns in ATV fatalities: A recursive partitioning approach. Journal of Safety Research, 59, 23-31.

Lagerstrom, E. Hibiske, S., Gilkey, D., Rosecrance, J. (2015). A Case Study: The Development of Safety Tip Sheets for ATV use in Ranching. Safety, Special Issue - All-Terrain (ATVs, Quad Bikes) and Off-Highway (ROVs, UTVs, SSVs, LSVs, LUVs, MUVs, XUVs). Safety, 1, 84-93; doi: 10.3390/safety1010084

Lagerstrom, E., Gilkey, D. Elenbaas, D. Rosecrance, J. (2015). ATV-related injuries in Montana 2005-2012. Special Issue - All-Terrain (ATVs, Quad Bikes) and Off-Highway (ROVs, UTVs, SSVs, LSVs, LUVs, MUVs, XUVs) Safety, 1(1), 59-70; doi:10.3390/safety1010059.

Paulsen, R., Gallu, T., Gilkey, D., Riser, R., and Rosecrance, J. (2015). Inter-rater reliability of Strain Index and OCRA checklist task assessment in cheese processing. Applied Ergonomics, 51, 199-204. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2015.04.019

Outreach

Dr. Gilkey is interested in supporting Total Worker Health and Wellness. He has dedicated the past 40 years to supporting the health and well-being of workers. He became the Health Links Ambassador for Montana in 2018.

Health Links is a nonprofit based in the Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health.

A safe workplace is a happy and productive workplace, and Health Links assists employers with assessing their needs and developing a plan to become a Certified Healthy Workplace.

Health Links offers step-by-step strategies and tools help with assessments, planning, and evaluations. Their trained experts will help employers make their workplaces healthier through promotion of Total Worker Health ® and refinement of safety programs. Please read more Health Links.