ANN ARBOR, MI—"Risk assessment is the cornerstone of machine safety," says Jeff Fryman, director of standards and development for the Robotic Industries Association (RIA). "OSHA expects you to be able to produce documentation that supports your safeguarding strategy."

To help support companies’ safety strategies, RIA—along with Design Safety Engineering Inc.—has released Version 2.0 of the Robot Risk Assessment software package on CD-ROM. The program provides a guide for risk assessment and includes an expanded library of risk assessment methodologies. Also new is a set of industry-specific dictionaries, more options for task-based assessments, enhanced drop-down menus and a user tutorial.

Version 2.0 also lets users focus immediately on hazards. This feature is particularly applicable for organizations just beginning their risk assessment activities and for early design concepts where tasks are not well defined.

A free trial download is available on the RIA website by visiting www.roboticsonline.com.