Adopting Robotic Technology Can Help Mitigate the Risk of Workplace Accidents
If you want to make a genuine impact on your organization’s safety culture, invest in the prevention of accidents at work by prioritizing health and safety.
A risk-free workplace is your most valuable asset, so keep employees safe on the job and care for their wellbeing.
You can rely on various technologies to prevent work-related accidents in your company, promoting process optimization, safety, and quality control.
With the rapid adoption of robotic technology, there are new hopes (and challenges) for occupational safety, meaning you can avoid or lessen injuries to workers.
Robots can carry out tasks alongside human co-workers, so they don’t spell doom for humanity, so as to say.
Robotic Technology Has Become the Backbone of Industrial Environments
Robots are deployed in increasing numbers in warehouse and factory settings, running alongside other machines, such as CNC machines and conveyor belts.
The complexity of the tasks performed by robot systems and their degree of autonomy has been slowly but surely rising since the introduction of the first industrial robot in the 1900s.
Industrial robots are robots automated for manufacturing, capable of movement on three or more axes.
Generally speaking, these systems are capable of autonomous operation in unfamiliar environments, executing mundane, repetitive, or dangerous tasks at rapid speeds with high precision.
Common applications of industrial robots include but aren’t limited to packaging, assembling, quality assurance, and lifting.
Given that more robots come in direct contact with human staff members, concerns regarding their safety have been raised.
For the sake of clarifying, robotic systems don’t pose a danger to human workers because their movements are fixed, so there’s little or no random motion.
Working with robots poses less risk as compared to working with humans. As robotic technology continues to advance, it’s expected that more companies will join the ranks and adopt robotics, looking forward to exciting developments.
The Benefits This Technology Brings to Workplace Safety Programs Can’t Be Overlooked
A workplace safety program prevents injuries, illnesses, and deaths, not to mention it can alleviate the suffering and financial hardship such events can cause employees, their families, and employers.
A worker injured on the job is limited to seeking recovery by filing an accident at work claim, but for every rule, there’s an exception.
These days, people are well-informed about their basic rights owing to the flow of information from websites such as Personal Injury Claims UK (https://www.personalinjuryclaimsuk.org.uk/).
No matter who files a lawsuit against your company, it can cost you a lot. It’s a drain on your energy, time, resources, and emotions.
Robots can be used to improve workplace safety, eliminating employees’ exposure to hazards altogether.
Besides traditional industrial robots, there are now collaborative robots, professional service robots, and mobile autonomous robots that can be used in a wide range of enterprises.
In the following paragraphs, we’ll present the main safety-related benefits of robots.
Taking on Dangerous Jobs
Although uncommon, dangerous jobs are paramount for organizational functioning, meaning that someone has to do them.
Construction jobs are some of the most dangerous – workers must avoid falling from heights, being let down by faulty equipment, and becoming aware of the risk of electrocution.
Robotic systems can improve safety by doing work that’s especially dangerous, making construction sites more efficient for project managers.
Having a robot around to cover shortages can also reduce the strain on untrained staff. Needless to say, the deployment of robots in more complex and dynamic environments requires longer testing times.
Mining careers have long been regarded as dangerous because workers run the risk of breathing in dust, toxic gasses, and other fumes.
Equally, it’s necessary to address perilous hazards like cave-ins, explosions, and extreme temperatures, so mining is a physically and mentally demanding profession. The question now is: How can robots help?
Well, robotic technology, which can take the form of automatic excavation, self-driving vehicles, and AI safety monitoring systems, gives miners more time to focus on their work, therefore reducing accidents from pressure-driven errors.
Minimizing the Risks Stemming from Human Error
More often than not, human error is the result of lack of experience, poor training, and work overload. It’s to blame for roughly 90% of accidents at work, which highlights the deeper problems existing in the system.
To prevent and/or reduce the occurrence of accidents and incidents, your organizations must work towards reducing human error, not making the system more tolerant.
Automation improves productivity by reducing human error. A robot can’t fall asleep, so there’s no risk of injury or death; sleep deprivation can also affect other aspects of job performance, such as productivity and meeting goals.
Eliminating Musculoskeletal Disorders and Repetitive Strain Injuries
The work environment can contribute to disorders that affect the back, shoulders, upper limbs, and lower limbs, namely carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, tendonitis, and tension neck syndrome.
Repetitive or strenuous work can be painful and uncomfortable, and it only gets worse. Employees’ exposure to risk factors for injuries/disorders can be eliminated by substituting human labor for a collaborative robot.
Collaborative robots are a type of robotic automation designed to work hand-in-hand with employees in a shared space. They’re equipped with sensors to avoid collisions, shutting down if an unplanned contact occurs.
Robot systems are optimized for tedious, repetitive tasks; even if the task is changed slightly, the robot is still able to complete it. Robot technologies can relieve workers of mundane, unhealthy, unpleasant duties.
Advances in artificial intelligence, machine vision, and cognitive computing enable machines to be aware of their surroundings and perform various tasks, slowing down or ceasing operations to mitigate potential accidents and injuries.
It’s hoped that the trend continues because a workplace accident is one too many, so do your best to improve the safety of your employees by implementing robot applications.
Conclusion
The widespread adoption of robotic technology is revolutionizing many industries and will likely reshape aspects of our lives. Using robots in the workplace can result in increased efficiency, reduced errors, and better accuracy.
Thus, if you’re looking to reduce the number of accidents at work, the latest autonomous technology can be of help.
Main image by Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels