Robotic Industries Association announces new alliance with OSHA, NIOSH

Alliance aims to enhance robot expertise within OSHA and NIOSH, improve awareness of workplace hazards of traditional industrial robots and emerging collaborative systems, and identify needed research.

By MMH Staff    October 25, 2017         

Robotic Industries Association announces new alliance with OSHA, NIOSH

Robotic Industries Association

Email Sign Up

Get news, papers, media and research delivered. Sign up for our free newsletters.

Stay up-to-date with news and resources you need to do your job. Research industry trends, compare companies and get weekly market intelligence with Robotics 24/7.

Robotics 24/7 newsletter
Robotic Industries Association announces new alliance with OSHA, NIOSH

Robotic Industries Association

The Robotic Industries Association (RIA), North America’s robotics trade group, has signed an alliance partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

OSHA has established alliances with a number of industry groups to share expertise and knowledge about safety practices in the industries involved. The OSHA/NIOSH/RIA Alliance will focus on communication and education about best practices in robot safety.

“RIA has a long history of helping to keep workers safe around industrial robotics,” said Jeff Burnstein, president, RIA. “We developed the first American national robot safety standard, R15.06, in 1986 and we’ve kept it up-to-date since then. This new alliance with OSHA and NIOSH will help us to continue advancing worker safety as more robots enter the workplace.”

The goals of the OSHA/NIOSH/RIA Alliance are enhancing technical expertise about robotics within OSHA and NIOSH; improving awareness of workplace hazards associated with traditional industrial robots and the emerging technology of human robot collaboration (HRC) installations and systems; and identifying research that may be needed to help reduce workplace hazards.

“The robotics industry has a great track record of safety dating back to 1961 when the first industrial robot was installed,” said Carole Franklin, director of standards Development, RIA. “We’re trying to make sure every integrator and user of robotics in the country is aware of the best practices described in our R15.06 standard. This new partnership with OSHA and NIOSH will certainly help us in that effort.”

The Alliance will foster technical exchange and information sharing among RIA members, OSHA, NIOSH, employers, and workers concerning hazards that may be present around industrial robot systems. It will also facilitate the sharing of information about how best to control exposure to such hazards during operations involving human interaction with the robotic systems in workplaces. Alliance participants will collaborate to develop technical training, resources, and tools for OSHA staff, NIOSH researchers, employers, and workers.

Robotics Safety in the Workplace

Occupational safety experts must be well aware of the dangers and safety protocols needed to ensure the safety of all workers. Getting a bachelor's degree in work-related safety can be a great step towards any of several occupational safety and health careers, including a leader in a workplace setting that uses robotics.

 

Latest in Warehouse

Latest in Industrial Automation

Article Topics

Industrial Automation   Collaborative Robots   Software   Cloud and Edge   News   Automation   Cobots   Education and Training   Ergonomics   NIOSH   OSHA   Robotic Industries Association   Safety   Technology   Warehouse  

All topics

Editors' Picks

The future of CFD is connected, automated, and AI-enabled
The future of CFD is connected, automated, and AI-enabled

From geometry preparation to AI-assisted analysis, integrated CFD workflows…

Festo gets a grip on AI-based picking
Festo gets a grip on AI-based picking

Software-based GripperAI manages mixed picking through basic geometry

How Beckhoff Automation’s EtherCAT and controllers power Dexterity’s Mech ‘superhumanoid’ robot
How Beckhoff Automation’s EtherCAT and controllers power Dexterity’s Mech ‘superhumanoid’ robot

Safety, communication and motion control components enable smooth operation

Automate 2026: Forklifts, physical AI, vision systems and more from day three in Chicago
Automate 2026: Forklifts, physical AI, vision systems and more from day three in Chicago

North America’s largest robotics and automation event winds down