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RoboticsRobot Cell Hazards
Twenty flashcards on how industrial robots work, where their energy hides and how real robot accidents happened.
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20 cards
- What are the main parts of an industrial robot system?
- The manipulator, the control system (controller), the teach pendant and an end-effector such as a gripper.
- What is a teach pendant?
- A portable control device used in manual mode to teach the robot its tasks.
- What kinds of power drive industrial robots?
- Electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic; electrically powered robots are by far the most common.
- What air pressure typically feeds pneumatic end-effectors?
- Typically 80-90 psi.
- Where can hazardous energy hide inside a robot system?
- In internal parts such as capacitors, springs and pressurized cylinders.
- Why is an electric robot easier to stop in an emergency?
- It can be stopped or powered down more safely and faster than a pneumatic or hydraulic one.
- When do many robot accidents happen?
- During non-routine work such as programming, maintenance, testing, setup or adjustment, not normal operation.
- What are the main robot hazard groups?
- Struck-by and caught-between, crushing, projectiles, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, slips and falls, and environmental.
- What can a ruptured hydraulic line cause?
- A high-pressure cutting stream, whipping hoses, and an arm dropping when pressure is lost.
- Can a small, light robot still be dangerous?
- Yes: even robots with payloads as low as 6-1/2 pounds (3 kilograms) can be used in very dangerous applications.
- What is the classic direction-of-movement mistake?
- The worker commands left and the robot moves right, because its pose differs from the worker's view, as with an overhead mount.
- According to OSHA, what is the most common worker problem around robots?
- Over-familiarity: the worker steps into a hazardous position while programming, troubleshooting or maintaining.
- Why is entering the restricted space hazardous?
- The worker may not know the hazards, the safeguards in place or whether they are active.
- How does time pressure lead to robot injuries?
- Rushing can skip safety functions, maintenance steps and shutdown or startup steps, and miss where coworkers are.
- A robot struck a worker during programming. Name one listed cause.
- No teach pendant with an enabling device, the worker did not know the program, or poor visibility.
- A coworker tripped the power switch and the robot struck a maintenance worker's hand. What would have prevented it?
- Lockout/tagout applied correctly, so the robot could not be repowered.
- A worker cleaned a photobeam sensor in automatic mode and was struck. What is the lesson?
- No servicing in automatic mode unless safeguarding stops the robot and blocks restart; lockout/tagout must be considered.
- A worker was pinned against a post during automatic operation. What was the cause?
- Weak perimeter guarding let the worker into the safeguarded space without causing a protective stop.
- Does OSHA have a standard written only for robotics?
- No. There are currently no specific OSHA standards for the robotics industry.
- Which consensus standard covers industrial robot safety in the U.S.?
- ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012, Parts 1 and 2: the U.S. adoption of ISO 10218-1 and 10218-2.
Official sources
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
OSHA Technical Manual, Section IV Chapter 4: Industrial Robot Systems and Industrial Robot System Safety
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Safety and Health Topics: Robotics - Overview
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