Industrial robots provide quite a number of benefits to whoever decides to use them but they can also be a source of a number of risks as well. This is why you always need to be prepared for any potential danger that could arise from robotic operations. You can be able to successfully do this by conducting a risk assessment session for robotic safety.
The robotic safety risk assessment will most of the time involve knowing the source of the risk and the possible outcomes of the risk then the ways in which you can deal with that potential risk. This assessment is usually the first step towards the achievement of robotic safety for your premises. This risk assessment process can be summed up into just two steps which are risk evaluation and risk analysis.
Of the two steps, risk analysis is the process that is more involved because in order to conduct it one will have to follow three different steps which are first figuring out the scope of your robotic machinery in order to determine its limits, two looking for the possible hazards which could arise during production and last but not least, making an estimate of the identified hazards. By following these steps, you can be able to conduct a proper risk assessment for your industrial robots. The following are some potential sources of hazards that arise from robots.
Unauthorized access
When you allow just anyone to have access to the robots, then there is a possibility that a person who has no knowledge whatsoever about how robots function will try to operate the robot and there is no telling what harm could arise from that. Therefore, it is paramount that you have protocol that spell out the people with access to the robotic machines so that you can avoid incidents. As a matter of fact, you should consider putting the robots in restricted areas if possible, and this will further help to prevent unauthorized access to the robots.
Improper installation
How installation takes place is extremely crucial and so you need to ensure that this process is carried out by professionals. In case the professionals who delivered and conducted the installation of the robot the first time are unavailable, you need to have workers who are well trained and who know their way around the robot, so that they can do it. Otherwise, the wrong set up of your robot could lead to potential danger due to the fact that there will be a change from the original design, and there is no telling of the kind of strain that this could cause to the machine; that would end up making it to have malfunctions.
Mechanical and control errors
The failure of mechanical parts is not always taken into account so it can remain in that condition for a while and that is a source of hazard. In the same way, an error might occur in the controlling of hardware and software, and if the robotic control system shows signs of being faulty, the working environment may result into being potentially risky. This is especially if the machines have a close proximity to humans, so any errors must not just be noted but taken care of with immediate effect.
Human mistakes
When a human makes a mistake when handling robotic machines it is something very normal and expected, as mistakes are a part of human nature. However one always has to be prepared for such an occurrence whether it happens during programming, preventive maintenance or teach pendant control.
Operators have to be aware of the many ways in which they can put themselves in harm’s way, and subsequently how to avoid making such mistakes. However if a mistake does end up happening, they should be in a position to know how they should act and how to not only get themselves out of harm’s way but also to diffuse the situation.
