Risk Assessments: Getting started

The article included details about the standards, current developments, common misconceptions, and some key definitions.  It also provided links to risk assessment reference materials and training available in the industry, including the Association for Advancing Automation and TUV Rheinland.

The blog post was well received, but we still heard comments about how hard it was to get started.  Much of the available material jumped right into the details, and it was difficult to get knowledgeable participation from the broader manufacturing and production teams.

UR is here to help – with the introduction of two new Risk Assessment e-Learning modules in the online Universal Robots Academy.  The modules introduce key safety concepts in a very clear and understandable format, including:

·         Classes of Hazards
·         Frequency of Occurrence
·         Probability of Injury
·         Avoidance Options
·         Severity of Injury

Training is interactive and utilizes multimedia throughout, including animated graphics, voice over, charts and graphs, and closed captioning.  A Risk Assessment Template is also provided to help you capture all required information.

Because defining Frequency, Probability and Avoidance categories is a subjective judgement call, the training modules walk through the logic for each of those decisions.  And risk reduction / risk mitigation methods are explored throughout both modules.

After introducing the fundamentals, the second module takes the students through a real, detailed example of a palletizing cell.  Students are asked to identify all risk areas in the cell and fill out a risk assessment chart for each.  Then the student’s risk assessment is benchmarked against the assessment of experienced safety professionals, giving immediate feedback, and reinforcing learnings.  In each case, risk mitigation recommendations are shown in detail, including instructions on how to implement those recommendations.

Completing both modules will take the average student approximately 50 minutes.  And like all UR Academy courses, a certificate of participation will be provided, helping students to document their increased knowledge in the area of collaborative robots.

If you are an automation professional, the Risk Assessment modules in the UR Academy are a great first step in learning about cobot safety.  And it’s an easy way to introduce others on the production team to the safety concept, enabling them to participate and contribute to the risk assessment process.