Cobots are your workplace besties — flexible, efficient, and always on task. But to keep them from becoming workplace hazards, you’ll need a cobot risk assessment.
The point? To create a safe work environment where both bots and humans can work together.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- What is a cobot risk assessment?
- Key steps
- Common hazards and how to get around them
- The cobot safety compliance checklist
- How technology improves cobot safety
- Standard Bots’ role in safe automation
What is a cobot risk assessment?
A cobot risk assessment is a systematic review of your safety compliance checklist to ensure everything functions as it should when working with collaborative robots.
Unlike old-school industrial robots that stay in cages, cobots share spaces with humans — which makes safety a lot trickier.
That’s where assessments come in: They flag hazards, minimize risks, and make sure everyone walks out with all their fingers intact.
Some collaborative robot safety standards to keep in mind:
- ISO/TS 15066: The cobot Bible. Its guidelines lay out force limits, safe distances, and more.
- ISO 10218-1/2: Covers general safety for robots and their systems, so cobots don’t go rogue and end up accidentally splitting someone’s head.
Skipping a proper risk assessment? Prepare for fines, downtime, or, worse, a workplace accident.
Key steps for a correct cobot risk assessment
Breaking down a cobot risk assessment sounds boring, but it’s pretty straightforward. You’re basically making sure the robot doesn’t accidentally slap someone or turn into an expensive hazard.
Here’s how to tackle it:
- Spot the dangers: Look for pinch points, clunky movements, or anything that screams “lawsuit waiting to happen.”
- Rate the risk: Ask yourself — what’s the worst that could happen, and how likely is it? If the answer is “ouch” or “very,” it’s time to step in.
- Fix the problem: Add safety gear, tweak speed settings, or install sensors that stop the cobot from overstepping its boundaries. Think: smart cobot, safe team.
- Keep tabs on it: Risks change, so don’t just do this once and call it a day. Check back regularly to make sure the cobot stays in line.
Common hazards (and ways to get around them)
Collaborating with robots sounds cool until you think about what could go wrong — and trust us, you don’t want to find out the hard way.
Here’s how to dodge disaster:
- Pinch points and collisions: Cobots and humans share close quarters, which means there’s always a risk of hands, fingers, or worse getting caught in the wrong place.
Solution: Add safety sensors, barriers, and force-limiting features to prevent collisions. And keep your hands where you can see them.
- Unintended movements: Robots don’t have "oops" moments, but programming errors or malfunctions can lead to unexpected behavior — not ideal when there’s welding or heavy lifting involved.
Solution: Regular software updates and fail-safes that pause operations during errors are your best friends.
- Workspace overlaps: Cobots might overstep into human zones (and vice versa), increasing the risk of accidents.
Solution: Clearly defined work areas and automated zoning keep everyone in their lane — literally.
The stakes if you don’t play it safe:
Failing to address these hazards isn’t just risky — it’s expensive. Non-compliance with safety standards like ISO/TS 15066 and ISO 10218-1/2 could lead to steep fines, shutdowns, or worse, workplace injuries. Worse yet, OSHA might come knocking — and trust us, that’s one visit you don’t want.
They charge a whopping $16,550 for most violations. Yet can go up to $165,514 for repeated infractions. Which are oddly specific fines. (And kind of worrying.)
Cobot safety compliance checklist
Safety compliance means keeping your team safe, your operation smooth, and regulators off your back.
Don’t sleep on these essentials:
- Analyze risks per ISO/TS 15066: Break down every hazard — from pinch points to accidental collisions — and rate them on severity and likelihood. It’s not overkill; it’s keeping your operation legit.
- Design for safety (ISO 10218-1/2 approved): Install barriers, force sensors, and emergency stops to meet collaborative operation standards. Your cobot should stop before it gets within handshake distance.
- Validate performance: Test the cobot’s safety systems to make sure they actually work. This includes collision detection, speed limits, and emergency stop response times.
- Document everything: Keep records of your risk assessment, safety measures, and training protocols. If regulators come knocking, this paperwork saves your bacon.
Check out this downloadable checklist to see a great example by the Centre for Work Health and Safety in New South Wales, Australia.
The role of advanced technologies in cobot safety
Cobot safety is way past the “just don’t bump into anyone” stage — advanced tech is where it’s at. Think cobots that aren’t just safe but proactive about keeping things that way.
Some ways tech is making that happen:
- AI and machine learning: These systems predict safety risks like a fortune teller for factory floors. Cobots can slow down if someone gets too close or take a detour to avoid a hazard entirely. It’s the future of safety, and it’s already here.
- Force-limiting sensors: These sensors keep cobots from playing rough. If they feel resistance — like a human arm in the way — they either stop or ease up faster than you can say "Watch out."
- Real-time monitoring: Vision systems and motion trackers keep an eye on the workspace, spotting issues before they become accidents. It’s like a robotic buddy that’s always got your back.
- Cloud-based safety software: This tech takes safety to the next level, monitoring cobot activity across multiple sites and offering instant insights. If there’s an issue, you’ll know about it before it becomes a problem.
Where these technologies rock:
- Auto factories: AI helps cobots anticipate worker movements, which prevents accidental run-ins during assembly.
- Aerospace production: Force-limiting tools let cobots handle expensive, delicate materials without causing damage.
- Warehouses: Dynamic vision systems help cobots adjust paths on the fly as people or objects move around.
Standard Bots: Making cobot safety effortless
Standard Bots doesn’t give clients a cookie-cutter solution; they tailor every safety feature to fit your unique needs, making risk assessment feel less like a pain and more like a win.
Here’s why Standard Bots gets it:
- Safety that fits your setup: They customize safety measures to your workspace, making sure cobots and people work together without a hitch.
- Expert help, no headaches: From setting up safety features to optimizing performance, their team has you covered every step of the way.
- Smarter tech, safer cobots: With built-in force sensors and machine vision, RO1 by Standard Bots lets you collaborate safely, no cages required.
- Training that sticks: Practical, hands-on training makes your crew confident in working with cobots, no engineering degree needed.
- Budget-friendly protection: They deliver affordable solutions that don’t cut corners, so safety isn’t something you have to think twice about.
Summing up
Cobot safety means creating a workspace where people and machines collaborate with no hitches.
A solid cobot risk assessment means: Smooth operations, fewer accidents, and smarter automation.
And when it comes to cobot safety, the difference between doing it right and cutting corners can be the success of your entire operations — which is why you’ll want to keep reading.
Next steps with RO1 by Standard Bots
If you’re ready to embrace automation that’s affordable, safe, and powerful, RO1 is the six-axis cobot that can take things to the next level.
- Budget-friendly power: RO1 offers best-in-class capabilities at half the cost of comparable robots. Leasing starts at just $5/hour.
- Strong & accurate: With ±0.025 mm repeatability and an 18 kg payload, RO1 handles everything from assembly and welding to material handling effortlessly.
- AI-driven & user-friendly: Featuring AI comparable to GPT-4, RO1’s intuitive, no-code setup makes programming jobs quick and easy for any skill level.
- Safe design: With machine vision and force-limiting sensors, RO1 works confidently alongside your team — no cages, no worries.
Start your journey toward smarter, safer automation today with a risk-free, 30-day trial.
.png)