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In the manufacturing world, we are all too used to focusing on ‘Safety’. The yellow lines on the floor, the emergency stop buttons, and the safety light curtains. But a major shift is happening. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has sent a clear message: Health is now just as important as Safety.

A recent warning from Make UK has highlighted a sobering reality for UK manufacturers. Failure to address workplace health isn't just a matter of staff wellbeing; it’s a business risk that could lead to substantial fines, criminal prosecutions, and even total shutdowns.

At Cobots Online, we believe that collaborative robots are one of the most effective tools available to help manufacturers meet these stringent new standards while still boosting productivity. 

HSE 2024/25 Statistics: The Economic Impact of Workplace Ill Health

The latest HSE data is a wake-up call for UK businesses. In 2024/25, 1.9 million workers suffered from work-related ill health, an increase of 200,000 from the previous year. And the impact on the UK economy is staggering; with 30 million working days lost, £14 billion annual cost to the country, and £33 million in HSE fines issued in 2024 alone (with half related specifically to health).

As Make UK points out, health risks are often “silent’. Unlike a trip hazard, dangerous task, and machine entanglement, health issues like repetitive strain or chronic stress can take years to manifest. By the time the symptoms appear, the employer may already be liable for prosecution. 

Using Collaborative Robots to Meet Health and Safety Requirements 

The HSE’s new ten-year strategy focuses on six priority areas: manual handling, display screen equipment, COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health), noise, mental health and stress. Collaborative robots and automation solutions offer a direct solution to a number of the most critical physical and mental health challenges:

Manual Handling and Repetitive Strain: Manual handling remains a leading cause of musculoskeletal disorders. Asking a human to spend 8 hours a day palletising heavy boxes, tending a CNC machine, or performing repetitive screwdriving tasks is a recipe for long-term injury. 

Cobots are designed to take over these dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks. By automating the heavy lifting and repetitive motions, you remove the physical strain from your workforce, directly addressing one of the HSE’s primary inspection points. 

Mental Health, Stress and Anxiety: One of the most shocking statistics from the HSE report is that 964,000 cases of workplace illness were due to stress, depression, and anxiety. 

While many fear a cobot will steal jobs, with automation being the true job-killer, the reality is quite the opposite. Stress in manufacturing environments often stems from high-pressure, monotonous work where humans feel like they’re “part of the machine”. 

By deploying cobots to handle the monotonous, mind-numbing, repetitive tasks, employees can be upskilled to manage the technology, engage in problem-solving, and take on more rewarding, varied work. The shift from manual labour to cobot operator can significantly improve job satisfaction and reduce burnout.

Noise and COSHH: Welding fumes, chemicals, and high-noise grinding are all too familiar in manufacturing sites across the UK. Cobots can be used to distance human workers from these immediate hazard sources. As cobots do not require expensive PPE, they are a primary control measure for COSHH compliance in welding and chemical dispensing environments.

Collaborative Robots Solutions for Health and Safety

At Cobots Online, we have developed specific automation solutions designed to remove your workers from the danger zone.

CNC machine tending is a classic example of a high-risk health environment, involving repetitive reaching, lifting, and awkward postures. CoboTend takes the strain out of machine tending, specifically designed to reduce physical stresses, improve wellbeing, and provide agile protection that allows you to move the mobile cobot to wherever the need arises.

Welding is undoubtedly one of the most hazardous professions in manufacturing, which is why we designed CoboWeld to protect welders from fumes and fatigue. With the ability to automate repetitive welding paths, Coboweld mitigates exposure to hazardous materials, delivers 24/7 precision without the physical toll on the human body, and allows your best welders to train the cobot for mundane welds while they focused on the interesting, skilled work.

Preparing for Your Next Inspection

HSE inspectors are no longer just looking at your guards and gates. They are now proactively asking:

• What health hazards are you addressing?
• What controls do you have in place?
• How do you know these controls are working?

Investing in cobot automation provides a definitive answer to these questions, showing a proactive commitment to modernising your health and safety strategy. 

Improving Your Bottom Line

There is no question that the risks to manufacturers are becoming more obvious and immediate. SMEs can no longer afford to wait until a staff member develops a chronic condition or an inspector walks through the door.

At Cobots Online, we help manufacturers of all sizes integrate collaborative technology that protects their most valuable asset: their people. By automating hazards, you aren't just avoiding fines - you’re building a more resilient, happy, and productive workforce. 

Is your factory ready for the HSE’s new strategy? Contact Cobots Online to find out how a cobot can transform your workplace health and safety standards.