New and Emerging Hazards for Health and Safety within Digitalized Manufacturing Systems

Francesco Costantino, Andrea Falegnami, Lorenzo Fedele, Margherita Bernabei, Sara Stabile and Rosina Bentivenga
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Francesco Costantino: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Andrea Falegnami: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Lorenzo Fedele: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Margherita Bernabei: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Sara Stabile: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL (Istituto Nazionale Assicurazione Infortuni sul Lavoro), Piazzale Giulio Pastore 6, 00144 Rome, Italy
Rosina Bentivenga: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL (Istituto Nazionale Assicurazione Infortuni sul Lavoro), Piazzale Giulio Pastore 6, 00144 Rome, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 19, 1-35

Abstract: The Fourth Industrial Revolution is radically reshaping the procedures and the manufacturing environments through the digitalization process. The digitalization process can change according to the context and to specific solutions, and it is able to modify manufacturing systems and production areas. All the employees are directly affected by the transformation of the working environment, manufacturing tools, and working conditions and by the increasing need for new competencies. In this context, it is crucial to identify new and emerging hazards concerning the health and safety of the employees to ensure a conscious and safe digital transformation for everyone involved. In this regard, the paper presents the state of the research and defines seven areas of interest for a safe and harmless digital transformation for the employees, drawing attention to the hazards in the different technological areas. The state of the research unveils the absence of detailed analysis to identify specific hazards of 4.0 technologies. Therefore, every specific 4.0 technologies is analyzed by an extensive review to provide a comprehensive matrix of new and emerging hazards for health and safety within digitalized manufacturing systems. The results can help manufacturing organizations to perform robust risk assessments for worker when introducing specific 4.0 technologies.

Keywords: health and safety; Industry 4.0; digital transformation; smart factory; workers; risk management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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