World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2025: Role of AI and digitalisation

The ILO's 2025 safety report highlights how AI and digitalisation are transforming occupational safety while also warning of new risks from automation and surveillance

Imagine a workplace where accidents are predicted before they happen, hazardous conditions are flagged instantly, and workers’ well-being is monitored in real time. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation, this vision is fast becoming a reality.

 

To mark World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2025, the International Labour Organization (ILO) released a new report titled Revolutionising Health and Safety: The Role of AI and Digitalisation at Work.

 

The report highlights how digital technologies are transforming safety and health practices across the world. 

 How AI is changing safety and health at work

 

The ILO report shows that AI-powered technologies, from smart wearable sensors to machine learning systems, are helping employers predict risks, prevent injuries, and create healthier workplaces.

• Smart monitoring: Automated systems can now detect dangers like gas leaks, signs of worker fatigue, or unsafe equipment usage much faster than traditional inspections. This allows for quicker action and can save lives.
• Better training: Digitalisation is also making safety training more accessible.
• Virtual and extended reality (VR/XR): VR simulations are helping workers, especially in high-risk industries like construction and mining, to practise safety drills in realistic, immersive settings without facing real-world dangers.
• Automation: Reduces physical and mental strain, supports disaster recovery, and improves efficiency.
• Algorithmic management: Can help personalise work schedules, ensure fair task distribution, and detect harassment risks early.

 

“Digitalisation offers immense opportunities to enhance workplace safety. Robots can take over hazardous ‘3D jobs’ — those that are dirty, dangerous and demeaning,” said Manal Azzi, team lead on Occupational Safety and Health Policy at the ILO.

 

“Automation can free workers from repetitive tasks, allowing them to take on more meaningful work. But we must ensure these technologies are introduced carefully, without creating new risks,” she added. 

New risks to watch out for 

While digitalisation offers many advantages, the ILO warns it also brings new challenges that need careful management:

• Human-robot interaction risks: Injuries may occur if robots malfunction or behave unpredictably.
• Cybersecurity threats: As workplaces become more connected, failures or hacking can put workers’ safety at risk.
• Poor home working conditions: In India, for example, only 16 per cent of homeworkers have a dedicated workspace, raising concerns about long-term strain and injuries.
• Mental health concerns: Continuous digital monitoring, algorithm-driven targets, and pressure to stay constantly connected can lead to stress and burnout.
• Over-reliance on automation: Excessive dependence on AI could reduce human oversight, making it harder to catch errors before they cause harm.
• Hidden risks in digital supply chains: Workers mining raw materials for tech products or handling e-waste often face unsafe, overlooked conditions.

 

The ILO stresses that digital transformation must always centre on human well-being, with workers playing an active role in designing safer systems. 

India’s efforts to protect workers in a digital future 

The report also praises India’s proactive steps to manage the occupational safety and health (OSH) challenges emerging from digitalisation.

 

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has launched awareness programmes, working with industry groups to sensitise businesses to the risks and responsibilities of AI adoption.

 

India’s National Policy on Safety, Health and Environment at the Workplace also emphasises the need for using safe, clean technologies and computer-aided risk assessment tools to tackle modern workplace hazards.

 

As industries continue to evolve, the thoughtful adoption of digital tools could lead to safer, more resilient workplaces. However, the ILO cautions that technology must support, not replace, human judgment in managing workplace safety.

 

“Workers should be at the centre of digital transformation, not just as users, but as co-designers of safer, healthier work systems,” the report concludes.   For more health updates and wellness insights, follow #HealthWithBS