Occupational Safety and Health Equity Impacts of Artificial Intelligence: A Scoping Review

Elizabeth Fisher, Michael A. Flynn, Preethi Pratap and Jay A. Vietas ()
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Elizabeth Fisher: Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Michael A. Flynn: Division of Science Integration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA
Preethi Pratap: Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Jay A. Vietas: Division of Science Integration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 13, 1-28

Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to either reduce or exacerbate occupational safety and health (OSH) inequities in the workplace, and its impact will be mediated by numerous factors. This paper anticipates challenges to ensuring that the OSH benefits of technological advances are equitably distributed among social groups, industries, job arrangements, and geographical regions. A scoping review was completed to summarize the recent literature on AI’s role in promoting OSH equity. The scoping review was designed around three concepts: artificial intelligence, OSH, and health equity. Scoping results revealed 113 articles relevant for inclusion. The ways in which AI presents barriers and facilitators to OSH equity are outlined along with priority focus areas and best practices in reducing OSH disparities and knowledge gaps. The scoping review uncovered priority focus areas. In conclusion, AI’s role in OSH equity is vastly understudied. An urgent need exists for multidisciplinary research that addresses where and how AI is being adopted and evaluated and how its use is affecting OSH across industries, wage categories, and sociodemographic groups. OSH professionals can play a significant role in identifying strategies that ensure the benefits of AI in promoting workforce health and wellbeing are equitably distributed.

Keywords: artificial intelligence; future of work; algorithmic bias; algorithmic integrity; health equity; occupational safety and health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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