OSHA Works to Boost Awareness of Robot-Related Hazards

A two-year alliance was recently created by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Robotic Industries Association (RIA) to draw attention to occupational hazards presented by industrial robots and emerging robotic technologies.

As the technology’s use grows in the country, the alliance will educate the public on best practices for controlling exposures to mechanical, electrical, and other hazards that robotic systems present to humans, according to a Nov. 2 DOL press release. The group will also identify potential areas of NIOSH research.

“More than 1.5 million industrial robots are operating in factories worldwide, and another 1 million are expected to be installed by 2019,” Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt said in a statement. “As robotic applications continue to expand, recognizing the safety and health needs of workers who operate and service these systems is vital.”

The RIA was established in 1974 and is America’s only trade organization representing the domestic robotics industry, according to OSHA’s release.

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