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Lucy and the Chocolate Factory: Warehouse Robotics and Worker Safety

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dc.contributor.authorRavindran, Kiron
dc.contributor.authorBurtch, Gordon
dc.contributor.authorGreenwood, Brad
dc.contributor.funderEuropean Union’s Erasmus+
dc.contributor.rorhttps://ror.org/02jjdwm75
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-25T15:15:50Z
dc.date.available2025-03-25T15:15:50Z
dc.date.issued2023-03-20
dc.description.abstractWe examine the implications of robotics for warehouse worker safety. While warehouse automation has the potential to reduce injuries by eliminating high-risk tasks, it may also increase injuries among remaining non-automated tasks, due to reduced task variety and an accelerated pace of work. Our findings provide evidence of both effects: warehouse robotics are associated with a 40% decrease in severe injuries but a 77% increase in non-severe injuries. We provide subsequent evidence that the rise in non-severe injuries is at least partially attributable to the increased pace of work at robotics facilities. The implications of our findings for regulators, policymakers, workers, and firms are discussed within.
dc.description.fundingtypeThis paper forms part of the ‘CLA’ project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Erasmus+ research and innovation programme under the Jean Monnet Actions in the field of Higher Education: Centres of Excellence grant agreement No. 101048112.
dc.description.peerreviewedyes
dc.description.statusPublished
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.citationBurtch, G., Greenwood, B. N., & Ravindran, K. (2024). Lucy and the chocolate factory: warehouse robotics and worker safety. George Mason University School of Business Research Paper. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4389032.
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4389032
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14417/3675
dc.journal.titleGeorge Mason University School of Business Research Paper
dc.language.isoen
dc.page.total48
dc.publisherSSRN
dc.relation.departmentInformation Systems & Technology
dc.relation.entityIE University
dc.relation.projectID101048112
dc.relation.schoolIE Business School
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
dc.rights.accessRightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.en
dc.subject.keywordRobotics
dc.subject.keywordAutomation
dc.subject.keywordWorker Safety
dc.subject.keywordLogistics
dc.subject.keywordFulfillment
dc.subject.keywordWarehousing
dc.subject.keywordDifference-in-differences-in-differences
dc.titleLucy and the Chocolate Factory: Warehouse Robotics and Worker Safety
dc.typeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.version.typeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dspace.entity.typePublication
relation.isAuthorOfPublicationec436d63-dae4-423d-9355-3e46fe8640cc
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscoveryec436d63-dae4-423d-9355-3e46fe8640cc
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