The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) are working together, along with government and industry, to support the safe and responsible adoption of robotics in the workplace.
The project, launched at London Tech Week in June, has been co-designed with industry to give companies clarity on regulatory requirements, and support businesses to increase the use of robotics.
The HSE will partner with Automate UK and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to create practical guidance on how collaborative robots (cobots) can safely work alongside humans – combining industry good practice with HSE regulatory expertise.
The first stage, which will be launched this summer, will deliver regulatory clarity for ‘cobots’. It will give industry confidence in how they can ensure robots can work safely alongside humans.
Andrew Curran CBE, HSE’s Director of Science and Chief Scientific Adviser, said that guidance and advice can give employers the confidence to innovate safely and provide a platform for new technology to improve productivity and enable growth.
“We understand that despite there being no barrier to adoption in health and safety law there is a fear of non-compliance, which is limiting adoption. Therefore, we’re committed to working with the Regulatory Innovation Office and industry partners to deliver the first joint HSE and industry guidance on the use of ‘cobots’ to address this barrier and improve business confidence.”
