Don't trust robots!
No, this isn't about a sci-fi robot takeover.
This is about over-confidence. One of the main issues in working with robotic devices is becoming so familiar with their repetitive movements that workers begin to think they can trust them. Injuries occur when workers move into a robot's zone of movement, either for maintenance or programming purposes.
The key to working safely with industrial robots is distance. Always respect the guarded area of a robotic device. If such an area ever needs to be entered, the device must be either shut down completely or put into training mode where an engineer has complete control over the movements.
Awareness of the robotic task is also key. Any unusual vibration or sound from the device should be immediately reported.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
