Robot Safety on Site

Robots belong in the construction phase plan

On UK projects, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 already provide the framework a robot has to fit into. HSE's guidance L153 explains that the regulations apply to the whole construction process on every project, and that clients, principal designers, principal contractors and contractors each carry duties. Treat a robot like any other significant item of plant: the principal contractor should know when it arrives, where it will work, how it interacts with other trades and how it will be recovered if it fails. Record those points in the construction phase plan, update them as the robot moves between areas, and brief every trade working nearby rather than only its operator.

Exclusion zones that move with the work

A robot's danger area shifts as it works, so a fixed fence set out in the morning is rarely enough. Mark a working zone that covers the machine's full reach, including arms, booms and any load it carries, plus a margin for stopping distance, and decide how that zone moves with the task. Barriers, floor markings, light curtains and spotters each suit different jobs. This applies to a remote demolition machine such as the Brokk 200 as much as to a walking scanner like Spot with HoloBuilder. Ask the maker for its recommended clearances, how the robot detects people, how quickly it stops and whether it restarts by itself, then rehearse the pause signal at induction.

Standards for autonomous earth-moving machines

When a machine drives or digs without anyone in the cab, ask which standard its maker designed to. ISO 17757:2019, Earth-moving machinery and mining: autonomous and semi-autonomous machine system safety, sets safety requirements for those machines and for the systems and infrastructure around them, including hardware and software, across the machine's life. It does not cover remote control on its own, so a tele-operated machine needs a separate answer. Ask for the maker's risk assessment, the parts of the standard it claims to meet and the site conditions it assumes, such as boundaries, communications and supervision. Then compare those assumptions with your own site before the machine comes off the lorry.

Competence covers operators and everyone nearby

Operator training is only half of competence on a robotic site. L153 describes competence in terms of the skills, knowledge and experience each dutyholder needs, and in the United States, 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2) requires employers to instruct each employee in recognising and avoiding unsafe conditions in their work environment. Apply both ideas widely. The operator needs the maker's training and a record of supervised hours, while labourers, supervisors and visitors need to recognise the robot's working zone and know how to stop it. Keep a register of who is trained on which machine, refresh it whenever a software update changes how the robot behaves, and add the robot to toolbox talks.

Sources and further reading

• Managing health and safety in construction: Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Guidance on Regulations (L153) — Health and Safety Executive (UK).
  HSE legal guidance on CDM 2015: duties of clients, designers and contractors, competence and the construction phase plan.
• ISO 17757:2019 Earth-moving machinery and mining: autonomous and semi-autonomous machine system safety — International Organization for Standardization.
  Safety requirements for autonomous and semi-autonomous earth-moving machines and the systems and infrastructure they rely on.
• 29 CFR 1926.21: Safety training and education — US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (eCFR).
  OSHA's general construction training duty, including teaching each worker to recognise and avoid unsafe conditions.

Common questions

Who is responsible if a construction robot injures someone?

That depends on the facts. The contractor using the robot, the principal contractor managing the site, the maker and any hire company can all carry duties. Agree in writing who maintains, operates and supervises the machine, and check that each party's insurance covers robotic plant.

Does a construction robot need its own risk assessment?

In practice, yes. Existing assessments are unlikely to cover a new machine's hazards, such as automatic movement, remote operation or recovery after a fault. Review them with the maker's information before the robot arrives, and update method statements for every trade working alongside it.