OSHA industrial robots
OSHA Industrial Robot Safety (29 CFR § 1910.212 and Technical Manual Chapter 4)
United States · 29 U.S.C. § 654(a)(1); 29 C.F.R. § 1910.212
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- April 28, 1971
- Applies to
- U.S. employers using industrial robots or robotic systems
- Enforced by
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSHA does not have a robot-specific standard, but uses its general machine-guarding rule and the General Duty Clause to require employers to protect workers from industrial robots. Its Technical Manual Chapter 4 incorporates the ANSI/RIA R15.06 robot safety standard as the de facto benchmark for guarding, presence-sensing, and lockout/tagout around robotic cells and collaborative robots ('cobots').
Who is protected: Workers operating, maintaining, or working alongside industrial robots and cobots
Legal detail
29 C.F.R. § 1910.212 (general machine guarding); OSH Act § 5(a)(1) general duty clause, 29 U.S.C. § 654(a)(1); OSHA Technical Manual (OTM) Section IV, Chapter 4 'Industrial Robots and Robot System Safety' incorporates ANSI/RIA R15.06 and ISO 10218-1/-2.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | United States |
|---|---|
| Level | Federal |
| Strength | Moderate |
| Enacted | December 29, 1970 |
| Citation | 29 U.S.C. § 654(a)(1); 29 C.F.R. § 1910.212 |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | OSHA civil penalties up to $16,550 per serious violation; up to $165,514 per willful/repeated violation (2025 levels) |
| Topics | AI hiring and employment · consumer protection |
| Agency page | OSHA Technical Manual Section IV, Chapter 4 — Industrial Robots and Robot System Safety |
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