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From robots to algorithmic management, automation is quietly reshaping occupational safety and health practices around the world. Are we paying enough attention or are we fearful of the potential risks?
How has your perception of AI shifted in the past few years — optimistic, cautious, or somewhere in between?
As the post-pandemic world accelerated digitalisation, most conversations around AI have focused on productivity, hiring, and remote work. But beyond the boardroom and the back office, a quieter revolution is unfolding — one that’s redefining workplace safety and employee wellbeing.
A new report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), titled Revolutionising Health and Safety: The role of AI and digitalisation at work, explores how AI, robotics, and automation are reshaping occupational safety and health (OSH) across industries. From assisting in surgeries to taking on hazardous ‘3D jobs’— dirty, dangerous, and demeaning — these technologies are easing physical strain, enhancing health monitoring, and optimising operations.
The report explores the OSH implications of the following technologies and processes:
- Changing work arrangements, including telework and digital labour platforms
- Automation and advanced robotics
- Smart OSH tools and monitoring systems
- Extended and virtual reality
- Algorithmic management of work
Changing work arrangements through digitalisation
As affirmed in the report, the COVID-19 pandemic fast-tracked the shift to digital work, with telework and hybrid arrangements becoming the new norm. Advances in collaboration tools have made remote work more efficient, whilst digital labour platforms have expanded rapidly — reshaping traditional employment and enabling both online and location-based services.
From content moderation to food delivery, millions now engage in platform-based work worldwide. As work structures evolve, so too do opportunities to enhance occupational safety and health — through smarter systems, safer environments, and more proactive approaches to worker wellbeing.
How new work arrangements are improving health & safety at work
- Flexibility for workers
- One of the key benefits of remote work is the flexibility it offers, allowing workers to tailor their schedules and tasks to suit individual needs. Digital technologies enable work to be performed anytime, anywhere — eliminating commutes and freeing up time for personal growth and family life. This flexibility not only reduces stress and supports mental health but also encourages creativity, skill development, and a healthier balance between professional and personal responsibilities. Greater autonomy often translates into higher job satisfaction and overall wellbeing.
- Promotes inclusion
- Digital platforms also promote inclusion by opening up employment opportunities for marginalised groups, such as people with disabilities, older adults, and those with caregiving responsibilities. By removing geographical and institutional barriers, these platforms enable individuals who may struggle to access traditional job markets to participate in the workforce. Remote and flexible work options eliminate the need for commuting or navigating inaccessible environments, fostering a more inclusive and equitable world of work.
- On the other hand, there is no denying the fact that remote and platform-based work arrangements pose significant challenges for ensuring a safe and healthy working environment. Without direct oversight or regular risk assessments, hazards such as poor ergonomics, environmental risks, and inadequate safety measures can easily go unnoticed.
Platform workers, often operating in less regulated settings, may have limited protection, and the growing number of self-employed individuals frequently fall outside the scope of existing OSH regulations. As business models evolve and algorithmic management becomes more common, maintaining safety standards and adequate OSH protections becomes increasingly complex.
Some other risks include:
- Eye health is a growing concern in today’s digital work environment, especially for individuals who spend two or more continuous hours on screens. Extended screen time can lead to digital eye strain, while prolonged exposure to high-intensity blue light may disrupt sleep cycles and potentially harm retinal cells, increasing the risk of long-term vision issues.
- Organisational and psychosocial risks associated with prolonged remote work include employee burnout, emotional exhaustion, psychological strain, reduced job performance, high turnover, and diminished sense of professional accomplishment — often stemmed from factors such as:
- Increased workload and work place
- Loss of job control and autonomy
- Social isolation and poor work-life balance
- Violence and harassment
Automation and advanced robotics
Automation and advanced robotics are revolutionising workplace safety and efficiency across industries by automating both physical tasks, such as assembly and hazardous operations, and cognitive processes, such as decision-making and data analysis.
Technologies like robotic arms, drones, exoskeletons, and collaborative robots (cobots) enhance productivity while reducing workers’ exposure to dangerous tasks. AI plays a key role in automating processes, from health monitoring to customer service, transforming sectors even in traditionally low-tech industries.
However, while these innovations improve safety and efficiency, they also bring significant changes to the job market, with automation potentially displacing millions of jobs, particularly impacting women in sectors like business process outsourcing.
How automation and robotics are improving safety and health at work
- Robots can help to remove workers from high-risk environments and exposures
- Robots are increasingly used to replace workers in 3D jobs.
- Some ways robots can perform dangerous tasks safely include:
- Lifting very heavy and medium-heavy objects
- Stirring 2,000°C molten metal
- Collecting and packaging radioactive waste
- Working in contaminated and dusty environments
- Repeated physical motions
- Unmanned aerial vehicles, such as autonomous drones, can be used to perform operations autonomously in areas where human intervention is dangerous, difficult, expensive or physically intensive
- Robots and drones can assist in emergencies, collect data, and perform dangerous tasks such as working at heights or in hazardous environments. In agriculture, drones are used for pesticide application, reducing workers' exposure to harmful chemicals linked to cancers, poisoning, and neurological damage.
- Robotic systems can support workers to reduce physical strain
- Robotic systems are increasingly used to reduce repetitive or strenuous tasks across various sectors by helping to alleviate exposure to strong forces, awkward postures and repetitive movements – key factors linked to musculoskeletal disorders. By taking over repetitive, manual and mentally unstimulating tasks, robots allow workers to focus their energy on more strategic and creative aspects of work.
- Exoskeletons are wearable robotics used to enhance, augment or assist the user’s posture, motion or physical activity in jobs involving manual work or physical effort. Studies show that exoskeletons significantly reduce muscle activity and strain, particularly in the back and legs, during material handling tasks.
- Reducing repetitive and boring tasks
- Automation and AI systems are transforming workplaces by eliminating repetitive tasks, reducing workloads, and lowering stress. These technologies can automate clerical work, streamline customer service, and ease healthcare professionals' tasks, allowing them to focus on more complex responsibilities.
- AI can also enhance job control by providing workers with more autonomy and access to information, potentially moving them into higher-level roles with more decision-making power, with studies showing that these advancements can make work more meaningful and improve job satisfaction.
While robots excel at handling hazardous tasks, workers tasked with maintaining or repairing these machines may face new risks. Similarly, while the automation of both cognitive and physical tasks can greatly enhance OSH, improper assessment and management of these technologies could introduce unforeseen hazards.
Some risks include:
- Common safety risks associated with workplace robotics include issues with human-robot interaction, inadequate safety protocols, mechanical or programming failures, and human error. These factors can lead to accidents and increase physical and mental strain on workers.
- Ergonomic risks arise when using robots and exoskeletons, especially if workers adopt poor posture or perform repetitive movements. These can lead to muscle strain, fatigue, and long-term pain. If not properly fitted or designed — especially without considering gender differences — these devices could potentially worsen rather than reduce physical stress.
- Robots and exoskeletons can introduce noise and vibration hazards which could potentially contribute to hearing damage and musculoskeletal discomfort if not well-designed.
- Batteries in these technologies may overheat or release corrosive materials, posing chemical risks of burns and exposure to workers.
- The introduction of automation and advanced robotics may bring new psychosocial risk factors that can impact workers’ mental health, job satisfaction and
overall wellbeing. Some key risks relate to the following:- Job control
- Work pace and workload
- Task design
- Social isolation
- Inequalities and discrimination
- Job insecurity and career development
Smart OSH tools and monitoring systems
Smart digital systems, including wearables, sensors, UAVs, and AI analytics, are enhancing workplace safety by continuously monitoring ergonomic risks, environmental hazards, and workers’ health data. Widely used in high-risk sectors, these technologies enable immediate alerts and early intervention, helping prevent injuries and support safer, healthier work environments.
How smart OSH monitoring is improving safety and health at work
- Workplace environmental sensors and AI-driven systems
- AI-driven safety systems use data from environmental sensors, video surveillance, and digital monitoring tools to proactively manage workplace risks. These technologies detect hazards, monitor worker well-being, and provide timely alerts and interventions — supporting both physical safety and mental health, while reducing the risk of accidents, burnout, and overwork.
- Smart wearable devices
- Smart wearable devices monitor workers’ health and safety, tracking physiological signs such as heart rate, body temperature and stress levels, as well as environmental factors such as air quality and noise level, enable real-time risk detection and instant alerts, allowing for swift preventive action.
- Wearable technologies help mitigate common workplace hazards, including slips, trips, falls and exposure to harmful substances. Devices equipped with accelerometers detect improper posture and movements, alerting workers to unsafe lifting techniques and ergonomic risks.
While wearable devices and smart monitoring systems improve worker safety, they also pose potential risks that must be carefully managed. These tools should not replace efforts to eliminate hazards at the source. Over-reliance on them may lead to risk tolerance, especially when negative health indicators aren't immediately visible.
Focusing too much on acute risks can also shift attention away from chronic issues, like long-term health conditions or repetitive strain injuries. Although wearables can track signs of fatigue or heat stress, they do not address root causes such as excessive work hours or psychosocial stressors.
Some risks include:
- Safety risks such as water infiltration into sensor-based wearable devices may lead to short circuits or electrical shocks, leading to system malfunctions or data transmission errors, causing a delay in alerts and increase the risk of accidents should workers overly rely on automated warnings instead of maintaining situational awareness.
- User comfort and acceptance are critical to the effectiveness of wearable technologies, as devices that are bulky, poorly designed, or uncomfortable can lead to non-compliance. Usability is further challenged by sizing issues, especially when designs fail to account for gender and body-type differences. Prolonged use may also cause physical discomfort, fatigue, or feelings of helplessness — particularly during technical failures or outages.
- Organisational and psychosocial risks can stem from wearable devices that distract workers and increase stress through constant monitoring and surveillance. These tools may create pressure to meet health or performance metrics, reinforcing cycles of overexertion. Complex alerts can add cognitive strain, further impacting focus and wellbeing.
- Privacy and ethical concerns arise when monitoring technologies track workers’ movements and physiological data. While meant to enhance safety, these systems can lead to constant surveillance, automated penalties, and loss of trust. Issues around consent, data use, storage, and sharing further heighten the risk of misuse and stress in the workplace.
Extended and virtual reality
Extended reality (XR), particularly virtual reality (VR), is gaining traction as a powerful tool for occupational safety and health (OSH). By simulating real-world environments, these technologies offer immersive training experiences, enhance hazard identification, and support safer workplace planning — reducing risks before tasks are performed in real life.
How extended and virtual reality are improving safety and health at work
- Transforming OSH training
- Immersive virtual environments allow workers to acquire new skills quickly and retain knowledge more efficiently, thereby providing a better trained and more competent workforce through immersive, interactive experiences for high-risk environments that are difficult to simulate theoretically, such as emergency response, fire training and working at heights.
- Per the report, studies show that 40% of learners using VR have reported an increase in confidence in comparison to classroom learners, and a 35% improvement in e-learners acting on what they had learned.
- Enhancing hazard identification
- XR is becoming a valuable tool for workplace risk assessment and hazard identification. By creating virtual models of work environments, it allows safety professionals to spot potential risks before physical work starts, especially in challenging or hazardous areas like confined spaces and high-risk industrial sites. This proactive approach to safety planning helps reduce accidents and enhance overall workplace safety.
- Using XR and VR for safe remote operations
- XR and VR technologies enable workers to perform remote tasks, such as machine maintenance and operating hazardous equipment, by simulating real work environments, therefore reducing the need for physical presence in dangerous settings and minimising exposure to high-risk environments. As a result, XR enhances accident prevention, supports safer workflows, and enables quicker emergency responses, particularly in sectors like mining, construction, and heavy industry.
The use of XR technologies can introduce several OSH risks that need to be carefully managed.
Some risks include:
- VR headsets may block visibility, increasing the risk of collisions or tripping over obstacles.
- VR use can disorient, impair balance and coordination, raising the risk of slips, trips and falls.
- Eye health risks from prolonged use of AR and VR screens, can lead to eye strain, fatigue, and sleep deprivation, while the light from these screens may also damage the retina and cause heterophoria.
- A high volume of data or content may lead to cognitive overload and related damage.
- AR and VR technologies can trigger acute stress due to technological complexity, digital skill gaps, and information overload.
- High rates of modulation in VR headset light are a risk factor for seizures in individuals with photosensitive epilepsy.
Algorithmic management of work
Algorithmic management (AM) uses digital technologies like big data, machine learning, and wearable devices to allocate, monitor, and evaluate work tasks and performance. Common in digital labor platforms, AM has also spread to industries such as warehousing, transportation, and healthcare. By automating or supporting functions once performed by human managers, AM enables real-time decision-making and metrics-driven evaluations.
How algorithm management is improving safety and health at work
- AM systems have the potential to promote worker engagement and satisfaction by focusing on support rather than control
- AM systems have the potential to boost worker engagement and satisfaction by focusing on support rather than control. By incorporating elements like gamification and aligning tasks with employees' preferences, these systems create a more engaging and fulfilling work environment.
- When workers are involved in task allocation and their preferences are considered, job satisfaction and performance improve. Additionally, AM systems streamline decision-making and reduce repetitive tasks, lowering stress and supporting managers in fostering a positive workplace culture.
- AM systems can improve work-life balance by optimizing scheduling practices.
- AM systems can enhance work-life balance by optimising scheduling practices. By ensuring workers are not overburdened and providing adequate time off, these systems help maintain operational efficiency without compromising employee wellbeing.
- Furthermore, AM systems promote fairness by distributing tasks equitably based on data, reducing perceptions of favouritism or unfair workloads, which are common sources of workplace stress.
- AM can promote skill development
- AM systems can pinpoint skill gaps and suggest personalized training plans, enabling workers to adapt to technological changes. This proactive approach not only alleviates anxiety about job security but also boosts confidence, fosters empowerment, and supports long-term career development.
- AM systems have the potential to address workplace violence and harassment
- AM systems can help identify issues like cyberbullying by analysing communication patterns and detecting inappropriate behaviours.
The implementation of AM can create OSH challenges that require careful assessment and mitigation.
Some risks include:
- Safety risks may arise from cybersecurity threats, as data breaches or hacking incidents could compromise automated safety controls, potentially causing unexpected malfunctions or exposing workers to hazardous environments due to faulty AI-driven decision-making.
- Ergonomic risks arise from the sedentary nature of algorithmically managed tasks, particularly in desk-based roles, as prolonged sitting and strict algorithm-driven schedules that limit movement can lead to poor posture, muscle stiffness, and an increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders such as back and neck pain.
- The use of AM systems can introduce organisational and psychosocial risks which may impact mental health, job satisfaction and overall well-being. Some key risks include:
- Job control and autonomy
- Workload and work pace
- Task design and career development
- Social isolation
READ MORE: Talent, digital transformation, and business resilience among key priorities for APAC leaders today
Infographics / Revolutionising health and safety: The role of AI and digitalisation at work
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