Unlike conventional machinery, robots lack the intelligence of a human operator. In the event of a programming error or hardware malfunction robots have the potential to unexpectedly move large distances at a high rate of speed, posing a serious danger to operators or maintenance personnel.
You might recall last year the fatal accident involving a self-driving Tesla. It reinforced the need to be vigilant even as we are assured (or assure ourselves) that “the machine will handle it.”
Happy New Year. As we start afresh in 2017 I wanted to share my recent editorial in the British journal, Occupational Medicine, “Occupational health issues in the USA”. The article highlights some of the occupational safety and health issues identified as needing attention by the industry sector groups of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA).
When she wasn’t employed as a temporary worker at a Cusseta manufacturer that stamps metal parts for Hyundai and Kia vehicles, Regina Allen Elsea was making final plans for her wedding and looking forward to a new life with her future husband.
Robots are everywhere these days – from tackling robots on football practice fields to assembly lines to warehouse retrieval systems to surgical operations. At this year’s American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Expo, which kicked off officially Monday in sunny Baltimore, ISHN talked to one expo vendor, RoboVent, about the invasion of robots into the welding field.
A man has been killed by a robot at a car parts factory in India.
The 24-year-old worker was reportedly adjusting a metal sheet being welded by the machine when he was stabbed by one of its arms.
The 24-year-old worker was reportedly adjusting a metal sheet being welded by the machine when he was stabbed by one of its arms. Ramji Lal, from Uttar Pradesh, had been working at a SKH Metals factory in Manesar for around 18 months when the accident happened on Wednesday, the Times of India reported.
Robots are used in increasing numbers in the workplace and in society in general. As their numbers and capabilities increase, observers have urged that scientists, engineers, and policymakers explore the implications of robotics for society, to ensure that the rise of robots will not spell “doom for humanity” as some critics have warned [1].
An increasing number of jobs once performed by humans are now performed by robots. Most incidents of injury occur during activities such as maintenance, programming, and adjustments of robots. To avoid such incidents, employers should consider the following fundamental areas for safety improvements.
RIA continues its work on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) committee for Industrial Robot Safety’s Technical Specification TS 15066 for guidance on collaborative robot operations. This specification will provide additional guidance on the safe deployment of collaborative robot operations, which are described briefly in ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012 Parts 1 and 2.
