Robot Causes Workplace Accident

Published on Sep 27

An accident involving a manufacturing robot at a car plant has raised questions over the safety of automated machinery.

An engineer, working at the Castle Bromwich premises of Dura Automotive Body and Glass Systems UK entered the enclosure of a construction robot. The highly qualified engineer regularly reviewed the progress and functioning of the robots at the car plant to ensure quality control.

However, an investigation by the courts has reveled that unsafe practice was ‘common’ and humans regularly work alongside robots  without following correct safety measures. Dura Automotive Body and Glass systems company were ruled to have carried out insufficient risk assessment and that procedures at the plant needed to be reviewed.

An official from the health and safety executive official explained: “There was a culture of violation in this factory and it is very sad that it took an almost fatal accident for the company to identify this.”

Dura has been  fined £30,000 plus £20,000 costs. As part of their bid to improve safety in the work place, the company has now installed large viewing panels to reduce workplace accidents involving robotic workers.