Robots Can Make Workplaces Safer But They Bring New Risks, Too

No longer the stuff of science fiction, robots are helping manufacturers work smarter, and their use is surging as businesses invest in Industry 4.0 capabilities.

More than 34,000 new robots were installed in the United States in 2021, a 14 percent increase over the previous year, and the metal and machinery industry increased its new robotics installations by 66 percent, according to the International Federation of Robotics.

It’s no wonder that their use is on the rise: Since automakers began using industrial robots to streamline vehicle assembly lines in the middle of the 20th century, the machines have evolved to do significantly more—and cost less.

Today, robots can handle repetitive tasks with great speed and precision while reducing the chance of injury to workers but having them labor side-by-side with humans can create new hazards, too.

Here’s what you need to know about the risks and rewards:

How Robots Protect Workers

Eliminating Ergonomic Injuries

Using robots for tasks that require repetitive motions, such as twisting or hammering, reduces injuries to human workers from wear on muscles, tendons, joints and other body parts. These musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs, can include sprains, strains, tears, hernias, carpal tunnel syndrome and back pain. In 2020, over 247,000 work-related MSDs were reported to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median time away from work for these cases was 14 days, compared with 12 days on average for non-MSD workplace injuries.

Reducing Injuries from Falls and Heavy Lifting

Employees often have accidents while lifting heavy objects or working at elevated heights. In fact, businesses reported more than 255,000 injuries and seven deaths related to lifting, pulling and other types of overexertion in 2020. Robots, however, can lift and move considerably heavier objects than a single human can. And when work is needed high above the ground, robots can often do it, reducing the chance of falls, which have accounted for nearly 50,000 workplace injuries and 680 deaths in a single year, according to the National Safety Council.

Handling Hazardous Environments

When humans work in dangerous locations, they risk all kinds of injuries if they don’t take proper safety precautions, such as wearing ear plugs in loud environments or wearing the proper gloves to protect their hands from caustic chemicals. Robots can work with chemicals, extreme temperatures, high noise levels, dust and other hazards without risk of bodily harm, freeing workers for less hazardous roles.