The risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E) is an important tool for identifying occupational risks and ensuring the safety and health of employees. New technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can support this process. But what can AI really contribute? And where are the limits?

What AI can do for the RI&E

AI can be valuable in collecting and structuring information. Consider:

  • Scan policies, procedures, reports, and accident records and identify risks and root causes per department/activity.
  • Recognizing patterns in absence categories, reports, or near misses.
  • Summarizing documents, such as works council minutes, annual health and safety reports, or reports from the confidential advisor.
  • Check whether the occupational hygiene strategy has been followed (substitution โ†’ collective โ†’ technical โ†’ organizational โ†’ PPE).
  • Devising scenarios to identify potential risks.
  • Proposing measures for each risk and providing insight into the possible "undesirable consequences" of those measures.
  • Scan measures for SMART formulation.

In other words: AI can organize information faster and make it more complete.

What AI cannot (and should not) do

Nevertheless, there are clear limits. AI can provide support, but it can never completely replace professionals.

  • AI can advise, but cannot "test" or "approve" an RI&E. The professional remains ultimately responsible for reliability, completeness, and timeliness.
  • AI does not see or understand the workplace, workplace culture, or variations in practice.
  • AI does not make moral or organizational choices. Weighing interests and accepting residual risk are human tasks.
  • AI knows a lot, but it also makes mistakes in versions or interpretations. (Legal) checks remain necessary.
  • AI works with the data you put into it: critically examining the origin and completeness of the data is a prerequisite.
  • AI learns and operates based on the data and knowledge available at that moment. However, standards, processes, and teams are constantly changing within organizations.

In short: AI can do a lot, but context and interpretation are often lacking. For that reason, the role of humans remains essential.

AI supports, the professional decides

AI can help to gather information more quickly and organize it clearly. However, a good RI&E always requires professional knowledge, experience, and context. Only a professional can:

  • assess which risks really carry significant weight within an organization;
  • making choices when faced with conflicting interests;
  • identify what is not in the data but is happening on the work floor;
  • assess whether measures comply with laws and regulations and are practicable.

Want to know more?

New technologies such as AI can help gather information. We see this as a supporting tool. However, the real work lies in interpretation and assessment by experienced professionals. Do you have any questions about this or would you like to know how we can support your organization? Take a look at this page or feel free to contact us.