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FS 2016 – Collaborative Robots
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P a g e
UK HSE guidance
Published in 2012, a Health & Safety Executive (HSE) Research Report,
(RR906) - Collision
and injury criteria when working with collaborative robots
, also offers some useful guidance.
The introduction to the HSE report states that “this study explored the safety, reliability and
evidence for the force limits defined by the draft TS 15066, and of the methods for testing
them. It also addressed whether the proposed approach in the draft TS 15066 is likely to
adequately protect people from the risks. Risk assessment of potential collision scenarios,
human reliability and behaviour issues, and equipment failure modes and rates are
discussed, as is the adequacy of personal protective equipment against collision injuries.”
The report identifies several areas that the HSE considers need more consideration within
ISO/TS 15066. For example, it concludes that the psychological, behavioural and
organisational aspects affecting the level of human-robot collision risk, along with the effects
of human movement velocities, are not strongly represented in ISO/TS 15066. The HSE also
points out that the frequency of injury is not included in the criteria for acceptable collision
limits.
The cobot sees the dawn of robotic systems that can safely interact with human workers
while effectively performing simple industrial tasks. While the advent of the cobot offers
exciting possibilities for industry, some end-effectors may create hazards, especially as
contact between the collaborative robot and the operator can lead to the possibility of
collision.
It is therefore vital that a complete risk assessment is undertaken before a cobot is deployed,
as you would with any machinery in the workplace. This must cover the intended industrial
workplace, with the basis for this risk assessment being EN ISO 10218 Parts 1 and 2,
alongside the Machinery Directive.