Safe human-robot collaboration in construction: A conceptual perspective

• Published in: Journal of safety research Vol. 86; pp. 39 - 51
• Main Authors: Sun, Yuan, Jeelani, Idris, Gheisari, Masoud
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2023
• Subjects: Collaborative robots; Construction; Human-robot interactions; Safety; Construction; Human-robot interactions; Safety; Collaborative robots
• ISSN: 0022-4375; 1879-1247
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2023.06.006

•Small mobile robots are becoming increasingly popular in construction.•Small mobile robots raise novel occupational safety issues that need to be evaluated.•No previous research examined the impact of small mobile robots on workers’ safety.•This conceptual paper identifies and categorizes various risk posed by small mobile robots.•Study outcomes can be used in creating guidelines for safe operations of small mobile robots.
Introduction: Small mobile robots have become increasingly popular in the construction domain over the last few years. They are stable on rough terrains, can walk over small obstacles, climb stairs, and carry various sensors or arms to perform diverse functions and sub-tasks required to complete construction-related tasks. Saving time, improving accessibility to difficult or unsafe spaces, and reducing costs while accomplishing construction tasks are some of the benefits of using small, mobile robots in construction. However, serious concerns about new workplace hazards could arise from having mobile robots on the jobsite. Unfortunately, no study has attempted to evaluate these risks, especially in the construction domain. Therefore, there was a significant need to develop a holistic understanding of the direct and indirect risks of mobile robot applications in construction. Method: In this paper, we used inferential and Virtual Reality (VR) visualization techniques to: (1) construct conceptual visualizations of proximal and distant human-robot interaction within the construction context; and (2) identify potential safety challenges of robots, which were categorized into three groups: (a) physical risks, (b) attentional costs, and (c) psychological impacts. These identified safety challenges were then validated and ranked by a group of construction safety and robotic experts who had knowledge and experience using such robots in construction. Practical Applications: The outcomes of the study provided a detailed understanding of how robots might adversely affect workers’ safety and health. The study outcomes could also be ultimately used in creating regulatory and administrative guidelines for the safe operations of small mobile robots in construction.