FACE Investigations Make Recommendations to Improve the Safety of New Types of Robots

July 31, 2019 by Todd Schoonover, PhD; Christina Rappin; Randy Clark; Stephanie Stevens, MA; and Dawn Castillo, MPH

U.S. companies are installing robots in record numbers (1). These include traditional industrial robots separated from human workers by cages and cells, as well as emerging robotics technologies that include robots designed to work alongside and in the same space as human workers.

From a health and safety perspective, the proliferation of robotics technologies across various industries can be viewed as both positive and potentially concerning. While new technologies may be used to remove a worker from hazardous tasks thus reducing injuries, working closely with robots such as in a warehouse or on a construction site, may pose different hazards. These issues are discussed in the blogs: NIOSH Presents: An Occupational Safety and Health Perspective on Robotics Applications in the Workplace and A Robot May Not Injure a Worker: Working safely with robots.