Assessment of Emerging Risks – is the INCDPM Method, Appropriate for the Assessment of Emerging Risks?

Abstract

The rapid evolution of digital technologies has involved a series of important changes throughout society, in everyday life, but also in the evolution of organizations. Organizations' adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies has also given rise to the emergence of new and emerging risks for worker safety and health. These risks reflect the changes in the work environment driven by automation, extended connectivity and the introduction of cutting-edge technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and others into the organization's processes. In order to minimize the impact of these digital technologies on workers, it is essential to carry out the procedure of identifying and assessing potential occupational risks before the implementation /introduction of new digital technologies. Identifying risks, clarifying their nature in detail, identifying potential impact and likelihood of materialization, is an essential process for identifying and effectively implementing risk response strategies, ensuring that organizations manage risks in an adaptive and strategic way. Several tools, methods and work methodologies are available to identify, analyze and assess occupational injury and disease risks to which workers are exposed. The purpose of this study is to carry out a careful analysis of the method for assessing the risks of occupational injury and illness elaborated by the National Research and Development Institute for Labor Protection "Alexandru Darabonț" from Bucharest, Romania - to identify the limitations and disadvantages of the method, for determine whether it is appropriate for assessing new, emerging risks linked to recently introduced processes and technologies in the context of organizations' integration of digital technologies.