Assessing the risks of applying artificial intelligence to occupational safety

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15587/2706-5448.2025.339322

Keywords:

artificial intelligence, occupational safety, risk management, ethics, legal responsibility, automation

Abstract

This paper explores the opportunities, advantages, and risks of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into occupational health and safety management systems. It is noted that the use of intelligent technologies contributes to improved workplace safety by enabling automatic monitoring of working conditions, detection and prediction of hazardous situations, and real-time analysis of workers’ behavior. The potential of AI is demonstrated in identifying safety violations, monitoring the use of personal protective equipment, responding to dangerous events, and organizing preventive actions. Special attention is given to technical, legal, ethical, and organizational risks associated with AI implementation in industrial settings. The study analyzes risks related to AI-based systems in occupational safety using the example of a food processing plant with an automated packaging line. An incident involving worker injury due to the AI system’s failure to detect human presence in the manipulator zone is examined. The application of the FMEA method identified key risk sources: failure to detect a person in the hazardous zone (RPN = 270), lack of integration between AI and emergency stop systems (RPN = 192), and loss of communication between modules (RPN = 140). All risks exceeded the RPN > 100 threshold, indicating high priority. The relevance of a multisensor approach, implementation of fail-safe protocols, and redesigning human–machine interaction architecture is substantiated. A comparison is made between the FMEA (failure modes
and effects analysis) method and the PTSR (Probability – Time – Severity Risk), which incorporates the time factor of hazard exposure, increasing risk assessment accuracy in dynamic environments. A combined risk management approach is proposed, integrating preventive analysis (FMEA) and real-time operational evaluation (PTSR), which enhances safety control effectiveness when using adaptive AI systems.

Author Biography

Viacheslav Berezutskyi, National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”

Doctor of Technical Science, Professor

Department of Occupational and Environmental Safety

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Assessing the risks of applying artificial intelligence to occupational safety

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Published

2025-10-30

How to Cite

Berezutskyi, V. (2025). Assessing the risks of applying artificial intelligence to occupational safety. Technology Audit and Production Reserves, 5(2(85), 26–32. https://doi.org/10.15587/2706-5448.2025.339322

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2(85) (2025): Information and control systems

Section

Systems and Control Processes

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Copyright (c) 2025 Viacheslav Berezutskyi

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