Robots: challenges & opportunities

Bridget LeathleyCMIOSH, CPsychol

Credit: Jeannie McMillan Banham © Safer Choice Ltd 2019

This handout includes notes from the talk, as the slides on their own do not contain much text. Videos have been replaced with URLs so you can find them yourselves. In some cases, I’ve made suggestions of where to look for information, rather than repeat my interpretation of that information. There are some extra links at the end.

Negative images

Credit: Jeannie McMillan Banham © Safer Choice Ltd 2019

Robots

Robots

Credit: Jeannie McMillan Banham © Safer Choice Ltd 2019

1)Robots will have lots of benefits to the workplace, including to health and safety 2) If you want a successful career in OHS for

the next 3 decades you need to make sure you upskill, and educate yourself about what robots can do and to risk assess them.

Which is a robot?

Which is a robot?

What is a robot?

‘automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose manipulator programmable in three or more axes’ (ISO 8373:2012)

‘can be programmed, has sensors, and mobility, as a result of which it is able to carry out a task autonomously’ (TNO)

’it senses, and it thinks, and it acts’

(Gill Pratt, Toyota Research Institute)

Too hazardous for humans

• Confined spaces, including nuclear

• Work at height

• Hostile environments eg wind turbines, offshore

• Underwater and underground

• Space

OHS hazards

• Musculo skeletal disorders (MSD)

• Vibration and noise

• Respiratory and other health hazards

Types of robots

Cell Collaborative

Credit: Jeannie McMillan Banham © Safer Choice Ltd 2019

www.produktionsmanagement.iao.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/produktionsmanagement/de/documents/LBR/Studie-Leichtbauroboter-Fraunhofer-IAO-2016-EN.pdf

Best reference for this is:

Coexistence

Credit: Fraunhofer IAO

Safe zone

Slow down zone

Stop zone

Ask yourself:What if the stop zone is too big? Too small?What is the purpose of the slow down zone?

Increased cooperation

Synchronised Cooperation

Credit: Fraunhofer IAO

Don’t stress about the difference between these two, but note importantly the overlap between the two work areas. There is a shared work area that both worker and robot can inhabit. In once case, at different times, in the other case at the same time, but in both cases with the robot sensing the user

Inherent safety for co-operation

• Force

• Mass

• Speed

• Sensors

• Edges

• Corners

• Padding

What do you need to manage if you let the robot out of the box? Can you think of anything else?

Box +

Viridor

• AI vision and grab

✓Reduce MSD

✓Reduce exposure to waste hazards

www.bulkhandlingsystems.com/viridor-invests-max-ai-robotic-sortingwww.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/bhs-unveils-robot-sorting-system-mrfshttps://youtu.be/Q7tE_vNYzzU (full video)

Underground

Robot ‘mole’

✓Avoid disruption

✓Reduce vibration

✓Reduce traffic hazards

✓Reduce confined space work

www.gov.uk/government/news/robots-to-fix-underground-pipes-and-help-cut-roadworks

Coexistence

Amazon

• Robots have own space

• People meet robots at fixed locations

• Safety functions if people in robot space

✓ Reduce MSD

✓ Reduce WAH

Credit: Amazon

thesaferchoice.co.uk/resources/17-resources/25-robots-at-amazon-uk

Co-operative (with cows)

Agriculture

Milking robots have been established for some time:

• Reduced cost of food production

✓ Reduce long hours for farmers

✓ Reduce zoonoses

✓ Reduced use of chemicals for cleaning

www.online-sciences.com/robotics/automatic-milking-or-robotic-milking-advantages-and-disadvantages/

Coexistence

✓ 95% less chemicals

✓ 90% less energy

✓ Avoid contact with hazardous substances

✓ A ‘friend to worms & bees’

✓Neural network

‘Dick’ Precision weed killer micro-spray; burn or crush

Credit: The Small Robot Company, Wiltshire www.smallrobotcompany.com

Cooperation

KUKA for BMW manufacturing

• Adaptable

• Pressure sensitive

✓ Reduce awkward postures

✓ Reduce vibration

✓ Reduce repetitive movements

Credit: Kuka.com

www.youtube.com/user/KukaRobotGroup

Cooperation - construction

Decorating

HausBot www.wallpaintingrobot.com

✓ Reduce WAH

✓ Reduce MSD

✓ Reduced respiratory hazard

Other construction

• Inspection

• Bricklaying www.construction-robotics.com/sam100/

? But are they trip hazards???!

Social robots – but is it a robot?

Weight loss coach

• Encourages input of calories and exercise

• Provides tips

• Eyes follow you around the room….

Autom

Intuitive Automata - MIT

https://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/home-robots/autom-robotic-weight-loss-coach-now-affordable-on-indiegogo

People interacting with Autom™ were much more likely to stick with their diet for longer. The average time someone used the robot (51 days) was nearly twice as long as with paper (27 days) and about 40% longer than with the computer (36 days).

Social robots

Milo

- children with autismwww.robots4autism.com

Human Support Robot

Credit: Toyota

https://phys.org/news/2018-08-robots-tools-partners.html

www.pr.uni-freiburg.de/pm/2018/roboter-als-rehabilitationshelfer

See also:

Which will you be?

Active learner? Safety dinosaur?

Credit: NASA

Credit: James Appleby © Safer Choice Ltd 2019

Mary Jackson

Learning plan

• Exhibitions in your sector

• ‘Open labs’ eg MTC

• Articles

Saferchoice.co.uk ‘Resources’

• Websites:

robots.ieee.org

robott-net.eu

innovateuk.blog.gov.uk

edo.cloud (COMAH)

• YouTube – search ‘robot’

Credit: Jeannie McMillan Banham © Safer Choice Ltd 2019