Dr. Matt Law
Director, Work to Zero
National Safety Council
Human-Robot Collaboration: Physical, Psychosocial, and Organizational Risks Associated with Cobots
Learning objectives
• Discuss recent innovations and adoptions of human-robot collaboration technologies, their purpose, and the intended impacts to work and safety.
• Evaluate novel risk factors associated with human-robot collaboration that have been identified in recent research, including physical hazards, psychosocial hazards, and organizational considerations.
• Strategize methods for proactively addressing risk factors associated with human-robot collaboration, and discuss emerging research opportunities for field application.
Presentation Description
Collaborative robots, or cobots, are increasingly being used to improve productivity and reduce the risk for humans normally engaged in hazardous or highly manual processes. However, human-robot collaboration has introduced novel risk factors unique to the implementation of cobots. These risk factors include those associated with physical hazards, psychosocial hazards, and organizational management considerations. Additionally, previous research points to the fact that worker engagement plays a critical role in the success of implementation, including addressing normative beliefs, job relevance, the demonstration of results, and risk perceptions. This presentation will explore crucial concepts for organizations to consider to protect and engage workers who will be working directly with or in close proximity to cobots in the workplace.
Matt Law is a professional associated with the National Safety Council (NSC), a leading nonprofit dedicated to eliminating preventable injuries and deaths in workplaces, on roads, and in communities. In his role, Law contributes to initiatives that promote safety awareness, risk reduction, and the development of practical tools to improve health and safety outcomes.
With experience in occupational safety and program development, he has been involved in efforts to support organizations in strengthening their safety cultures and implementing effective prevention strategies. His work often includes collaboration with industry leaders, policymakers, and safety professionals to address emerging risks and share best practices.
Law is known for his pragmatic approach and ability to translate complex safety concepts into actionable guidance. He plays a part in advancing NSC programs that focus on areas such as workplace safety, impairment prevention, and data-driven decision-making.
Through his contributions at the National Safety Council, Matt Law supports the organization’s mission to save lives and prevent injuries by fostering safer environments across industries and communities.