Robot-Related Workers' Compensation Claims in Ohio, 2001-2020.

BACKGROUND

Increased robot adoption and advancements in robotics have led to the emergence of robotic arms for collaborative applications that work alongside humans, increasing direct human-robot interaction. This shift highlights the need to address new safety challenges posed by emerging robotic technologies. Currently, there is limited research on robot-related injuries.

METHODS

Robot-related workers' compensation claims from 2001 to 2020 were identified using a keyword search from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OHBWC) database. Descriptive analyses were conducted on this claims dataset.

RESULTS

From 2001 to 2020, 1076 robot-related claims were identified, with 85% medical-only claims (medical care only and/or ≤ 7 days away from work). Most claimants were male (74.2%), and 51.1% were 25-44 years old. More than half of the claims were due to contact with objects and equipment (57.9%), followed by overexertion and bodily reaction (20.6%). Most injuries occurred in the manufacturing sector (75.1%), followed by the service sector (14.7%). The claims resulted in over $8.3 million in costs. Of this figure, 91% was incurred due to lost-time claims ($7.6 million). Almost 30% of claims included diagnoses from multiple diagnosis groups. Most claims involved working with robotic arms for collaborative applications (75.7%) in a shared workspace.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotics is rapidly evolving to remove workers from hazardous environments and reduce risks from hazardous, repetitive, and manual tasks, but it may introduce new workplace hazards. There is a need to study robot-related injuries, identify high-risk exposures, and develop sector- or application-specific comprehensive safety approaches for safer implementation of robots in the workplace.