Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Research Biography
Building on a background in applied health sciences (prosthetics and orthotics), Dr O’Keeffe has worked in diverse roles focused on human factors, ergonomics and workplace health and safety. Valerie's experience spans health and safety policy development and enforcement, management systems consultancy and auditing, research, ambulance and disability services, clinical and occupational rehabilitation, and training and education, where she has worked for SafeWork South Australia, SafeWork Australia and SAI Global Assurance Services.
As a researcher, Valerie's current projects apply human factors, ergonomics and organisational psychology as vehicles to promote successful and sustainable technology adoption at work. Her aim is to improve individual and organisational performance through greater inclusivity, health and safety, and business capability. Previous projects have examined worker performance in the service industries including the influence of job quality and design on worker, business and customer outcomes. Valerie has an interest in job design, particularly the management of psychosocial hazards and the prevention of psychological injury at work, also researching the regulation of and policy frameworks for managing psychosocial risks at work.
Supervision
- Registered
Research Areas
- Business
Supervisory Interests
- Workplace injury
- Workplace behaviours, legal implications
- Human Machine Interface and Human Factors
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 1 No Poverty -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 15 Life on Land -
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions -
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals
Fingerprint
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- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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LGA South Australia Leadership and Behavioural Management Review
O'Keeffe, V. & Neall, A., 13 Mar 2026, Flinders University. 112 p.Research output: Book/Report › Confidential report
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Rapid review and environmental scan of evidence on adequate support and supervision ratios for isolated support work (span of control)
Gough, C., Robinson, S., George, S., Milte, R., O'Keeffe, V., Fisher, A., Alexander, J. & Burton, J., 19 Aug 2026, 83 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
Open Access -
Towbar production line optimisation utilising cobot welding (Final summary report).
Manning, K., Jang, R. & O'Keeffe, V., 3 Jun 2025, Clovelly Park, SA : Flinders Factory of the Future. 74 p.Research output: Book/Report › Confidential report
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Being Safe from and with Robots: Work Health and Safety in the Age of the Intelligent Machine
O'Keeffe, V. & Howard, S., 2024, The Future of Work: Global Trends, Challenges and Policies with an Australian Perspective. Cebulla, A. (ed.). United States of America: Routledge, Taylor & Francis, p. 117-150 34 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
Forming a view: a human factors case study of augmented reality collaboration in assembly
O'Keeffe, V., Jang, R., Manning, K., Trott, R., Howard, S., Hordacre, A.-L. & Spoehr, J., 2024, In: Ergonomics. 67, 12, p. 1828-1844 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile17 Citations (Scopus)170 Downloads (Pure)
Projects
- 5 Finished
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RFP DHS Span of Control Research Project Flinders University Response
Robinson, S. (Chief Investigator (Project Lead)), Goodwin-Smith, I. (Chief Investigator), George, S. (Chief Investigator), Milte, R. (Chief Investigator), O'Keeffe, V. (Chief Investigator), Alexander, J. (Chief Investigator), Fisher, A. (Chief Investigator), Gough, C. (Chief Investigator) & Burton, J. (Chief Investigator)
15/12/25 → 31/08/26
Project: Research
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Leadership and behavioural management research and engagement project
O'Keeffe, V. (Chief Investigator (Project Lead)), Howard, S. (Chief Investigator) & Neall, A. (Chief Investigator)
15/07/25 → 30/01/26
Project: Research
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Investigating an effective cobot adoption in probe manufacturing processes
Manning, K. (Chief Investigator (Project Lead)), Walker, S. (Associate Investigator) & O'Keeffe, V. (Associate Investigator)
19/02/25 → 19/02/26
Project: Research
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Harmful Behaviours in the Workplace
O'Keeffe, V. (Chief Investigator (Project Lead)), Howard, S. (Associate Investigator), Neall, A. (Associate Investigator), Cebulla, A. (Associate Investigator) & Hordacre, A.-L. (Associate Investigator)
3/04/24 → 12/06/24
Project: Research
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Safe Work Australia Literature Review on Harmful Behaviours in the Workplace
O'Keeffe, V. (Chief Investigator (Project Lead)), Hordacre, A.-L. (Chief Investigator), Howard, S. (Associate Investigator), Neall, A. (Associate Investigator) & Cebulla, A. (Associate Investigator)
27/03/24 → 28/06/24
Project: Research