How can you assess the safety and ergonomics of your robot?

1 Identify hazards

The first step in assessing the safety and ergonomics of your robot is to identify the potential hazards that it may pose or encounter. Hazards can be classified into four categories: mechanical, electrical, thermal, and chemical. For each category, you should list the possible sources, effects, and scenarios of harm. For example, a mechanical hazard could be a sharp edge, a pinch point, or a moving part that could cut, crush, or hit a person or an object. You should also consider the frequency, severity, and likelihood of each hazard.

2 Evaluate risks

The next step is to evaluate the risks associated with each hazard. Risk is a measure of the probability and consequence of a hazard occurring. You can use a risk matrix to rank the risks from low to high based on their impact and likelihood. A risk matrix is a table that assigns a score or a color to each combination of impact and likelihood. For example, a high impact and high likelihood risk could have a score of 9 or a red color, while a low impact and low likelihood risk could have a score of 1 or a green color. You should prioritize the risks that have the highest scores or colors.

4 Test performance

The fourth step is to test the performance of the robot and the controls. Testing means verifying that the robot and the controls work as intended and do not introduce new hazards or risks. You can use various methods and tools to test the performance, such as simulations, experiments, inspections, audits, or feedback. For example, you can use a simulation software to model the behavior and interactions of the robot and its environment, an experiment to measure the force or speed of the robot's movements, an inspection to check the condition and functionality of the robot and the controls, an audit to evaluate the compliance and effectiveness of the controls, or feedback to collect the opinions and experiences of the robot's operators or users.

5 Monitor outcomes

The fifth step is to monitor the outcomes of the robot and the controls. Monitoring means observing and measuring the results and impacts of the robot and the controls on the safety and ergonomics of the robot and its human partners. You can use various indicators and metrics to monitor the outcomes, such as incidents, injuries, errors, productivity, satisfaction, or comfort. For example, you can use an incident report to record and analyze any accidents or near misses involving the robot, an injury report to document and assess any physical or psychological harm caused by the robot, an error report to identify and correct any mistakes or malfunctions of the robot, a productivity report to evaluate the efficiency and quality of the robot's tasks, a satisfaction survey to gauge the attitude and perception of the robot's operators or users, or a comfort scale to measure the physical and mental well-being of the robot's human partners.

6 Improve continuously

The sixth step is to improve continuously the safety and ergonomics of your robot. Improving means learning from the previous steps and making changes or adjustments to the robot and the controls to enhance their performance and outcomes. You can use various methods and tools to improve continuously, such as root cause analysis, action plan, feedback loop, or benchmarking. For example, you can use a root cause analysis to find and address the underlying causes of any problems or issues with the robot or the controls, an action plan to set and track the goals and actions for improvement, a feedback loop to collect and implement the suggestions and recommendations from the robot's operators or users, or a benchmarking to compare and learn from the best practices and standards in the field of robotics.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?