In a tragic incident reported by Yonhap news agency, a robot in South Korea caused the death of a 40-year-old robotics company worker at an agricultural produce distribution center. The man, who was inspecting the robot’s sensor at the facility in South Gyeongsang, was mistakenly identified by the machine as one of the boxes of peppers it was handling. The malfunctioning robot’s arm seized the man, pushing him against a conveyor belt and resulting in fatal injuries to his face and chest.
Following this incident, local authorities are preparing to launch an investigation into potential negligence by the safety managers at the distribution center. An official from the Donggoseong Export Agricultural Complex, the entity owning the plant, emphasized the need for a “precise and safe” system in a statement to the Daily Mail.
The victim had reportedly stepped in to conduct tests originally scheduled for November 6. This tragic event raises concerns about the safety protocols in place when working with advanced robotic systems, prompting a call for more stringent safety measures.
This unfortunate incident is not an isolated case, as similar occurrences have been reported in the past. In March of the same year, a 50-year-old South Korean man suffered severe injuries after being trapped by a robot at an automobile parts manufacturing plant. Additionally, in July, footage surfaced of a chess-playing robot breaking a child’s finger during a match in Russia. The robot’s confusion with the child’s quick movements resulted in the injury, leading to discussions on enforcing safety rules in human-robot interactions.
These incidents underscore the importance of implementing robust safety protocols and precise systems to prevent tragic accidents involving human-robot collaboration.