Robots in the workplace

In popular fiction, robots have long labored alongside humans, sometimes harmoniously and sometimes disastrously (depending on the requirements of the plot).

• Robots typically have powerful, heavyweight automated arms that perform tasks such as welding, painting or assembly within the confines of an enclosure.
  
  
• Risk assessments are crucial to safe and successful implementation of robots in the workplace.
  
  
• Employers thinking of adopting collaborative robotic systems should bear in mind that workers may have concerns about their safety or job security.
  
  
• Robots can help prevent injuries or adverse health effects such as musculoskeletal disorders and cuts to human workers.
  
  In this capacity, automated systems offer considerable safety benefits to human workers. “Robots can help prevent injuries or adverse health effects resulting from working in hazardous conditions, Some examples are musculoskeletal disorders due to repetitive or awkward motions, or traumatic injuries (for example, in poultry processing, where cuts are common). They can also prevent multiple hazards in emergency response situations such as chemical spills.”
  Besides keeping workers out of harm’s way, robots also can minimize risks stemming from human error.
  safety considerations involved in establishing a collaborative robot system.