TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTH & SAFETY
our environments and workplaces will involve increasing levels of automation, informatics, robotics, sensors and mobile devices. However, this does not mean that all jobs will be replaced wholesale as human skills and interventions will remain central to many, many tasks.
“IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE RANGE AND CAPABILITY OF HUMAN
BEHAVIOUR IS UNDERSTOOD AND CONSIDERED AT THE DESIGN STAGE.”
THS SB
What could be the impact of robotics and automation on health and safety?
Good automation can mean that robots are used to carry out high hazard tasks, such as handling toxic
materials, heavy objects or carrying out some intricate manufacturing processes. This will help reduce the risk of error and could protect workers from preventable fatal and non-fatal accidents. This could also change how certain jobs are assessed and may make the process of risk assessments more straightforward.
HUMANS VS ROBOTS
Steve Barraclough, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors, tells us how robotics and
automation must take advantage of human factors thinking.
First there was a wariness about computers, then a suspicion of the internet and, remember the ‘millennium bug’? At the time, these technical innovations caused much anxiety and panic but the reality is that a variety of new jobs and ways of working were created. In some cases, this has meant that high-risk jobs could be carried out more safely, reducing the risk of human error.
Technology is integral to our lives but attitudes to new developments can still often be rather negative. In a recent survey of 1,300 UK working adults, 32% of respondents believed their jobs would be automated within 10 years and 10% felt this will happen in the next two years.
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How do you feel about the public fears surrounding the introduction of new technology?
Fears about new technology are not exactly anything new and will probably continue as long as technological advancements are made. It is inevitable that
Sometimes these benefits are not been communicated as well as they might. Through our own research we discovered that industry professionals admit that there is often resistance from employees when implementing new automation. This may be because there can still be a strong belief in our society that robots will just steal jobs. Supporting an automated environment creates the need for demanding and important jobs to get the best from the technology.
THS SB
THS SB
THS SB
How will considering human factors help the implementation of robotics and automation in
the workplace and in turn, improve health and safety?
It is essential that the range and capability of human behaviour is understood and considered at
the design stage.
Who has responsibility in the workplace of advocating the benefits of automation?
Employers have a key responsibility to highlight the benefits of automation: more competitive
businesses generate and sustain jobs in the long run, after. This was reflected when CIEHF collaborated on a research project with CV-library. Interestingly, four out of five manufacturers felt more should be done to promote the benefits of technology to all employees.
What should employers do to promote the benefits of automation and robotics?
Highlight the benefits robots could bring, including employee upskilling, which will lead to new
opportunities for people. Overall, employers need to play a part in painting the picture that the integration of robots can have a positive impact on health, safety and operational efficiency.
www.ergonomics.org.uk www.tomorrowshs.com
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