Recently, a tragic incident occurred in South Korea at the production site of the Donggoseong Export Agricultural Complex: a company employee died due to a robot error.
The victim of this terrible tragedy was a 40-year-old man who worked for a robotics company. At the time of the incident, he was inspecting a robotic sensor at a vegetable distribution center.
During this time, the robot malfunctioned while lifting and placing boxes of peppers on a pallet, preventing the employee from being properly identified. The robot grabbed the worker and crushed him against a conveyor belt.
As a result, he suffered serious injuries to his head and chest and was immediately taken to hospital. Unfortunately he passed away shortly afterwards.
Police plan to launch an investigation into the incident and possible negligence by the factory’s safety managers.
Representatives of the Donggoseong Export Agricultural Complex have already expressed their condolences to the family of the deceased and called for the establishment of an “accurate and safe” robotic control system in production.
The incident appears not to be the first of its kind in South Korea. In March this year, a man in his 50s suffered serious injuries after being trapped by a robot at a car parts factory.
This incident also brings to mind the recent words of renowned entrepreneur Elon Musk, who predicted that humanoids, similar to Terminator robots, would eventually be able to climb trees and search buildings in search of their owners.
In light of these recent incidents, questions about robot safety are more urgent than ever.
