Question

b) The responsibility for safeguarding a robotic cell falls on the user. One of the standards address is safeguarding devices to be used. The workcell is divided into three safety zones. Describe briefly these working zones.

Answer 1

Safety Factors

Robots removes the need for humans to perform certain dangerous and harmful operations

Robots themselves can also create dangerous conditions and threaten human safety

Essential that robot users and manufacturers recognize the potential hazards and implement safeguards to eliminate them.

Robot safety

The earliest statement regarding robotics safety may be credited to the famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. He may not have been a recognized authority in the field of robotics safety, but at the age of 21, in 1942, he wrote the three laws of robotics which are still lofty design standards (Asimov and Fredkel, 1985):

1.	(1) A robot must not harm a human being, nor through inaction allow one to come to harm.
2.	(2) A robot must always obey human beings, unless that is in conflict with the first law.
3.	(3) A robot must protect itself from harm, unless that is in conflict with the first or second law.

Historically, one of the fundamental reasons for using robots in industrial applications was to remove human operators from potentially hazardous work environments. The hazards in the workplace included heat, noise, fumes, radiation, toxic atmosphere, physical dangers and other health hazards. Since the passing of Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) (Hamilton and Hancock, 1986) in 1971, worker safety has become a significant factor in promoting the substitution of robots for human labor in dangerous work environments. Although robots may liberate humans from hazardous working conditions, they also bring about safety concerns. The Machine Tool Trade Association (1982) guidelines stated that a working robot can be a potential hazard to personnel under certain circumstances. Nevertheless, robot safety was in the front line of robotics technology during the 1980s. In fact, the bulk of literature had been published (i.e. 287 articles) between 1982‐1988, with a record number of 60 articles in 1985 alone. The probability of serious robot accident occurrence and legal actions has forced manufacturers and users to a quick adoption of safety devices and regulations. The need for system safety was highlighted by a $10‐million lawsuit awarded to the family of a worker killed by an industrial robot in 1983 (Computerworld, 1983). A breakdown of publications on robot safety for various categories is given in Figure 4

For more detail

(https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/13552510210439784?fullSc=1&)