Harnessing digitalisation and AI for a safer and healthier workplace

A group of workers in a factory station focus on their work.

Across Australia, regulatory actions highlight the importance of structured health and safety management systems. Many workplace incidents stem from the absence of well-defined processes to identify and mitigate physical and psychological risks.

The rapid advancement of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how we work, offering opportunities and challenges in occupational health and safety (OH&S). As we observe the UN World Day for Safety and Health at Work, we explore how AI, automation, and smart digital systems contribute to safer workplaces while addressing the potential risks they introduce.

UN World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2025: AI and digitalisation in the workplace

The theme for this year’s UN World Day for Safety and Health at Work, “Revolutionising Health and Safety: The Role of AI and Digitalisation at Work,” focuses on the impact of emerging technologies on worker safety. AI-driven solutions, automation, big data analytics, and smart digital systems are reshaping OH&S, offering new ways to predict, prevent, and respond to risks in real time.

As organisations adopt these technologies, they gain powerful tools for enhancing safety. For example, Natural Language Processing (NLP) can analyse workplace safety reports to detect emerging risks, enabling proactive responses that reduce workplace incidents.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is also examining how advanced robotics, machine learning, exoskeletons, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and the Internet of Things (IoT) are affecting workplace safety. While AI-driven decision-making and digital management systems can improve efficiency, care must be taken to ensure they don’t introduce new risks to worker well-being – particularly in mental health.

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The transformative impact of AI and digitalisation on workplace safety

From AI-powered robotics to predictive analytics and IoT, workplaces are undergoing a technological revolution. These advancements offer notable benefits, including:

Enhanced Safety Measures: AI-driven analytics can predict hazards before they cause harm, and smart wearables can monitor workers’ vitals to reduce fatigue-related incidents.
Automation of High-Risk Tasks: AI-powered machinery can take on hazardous jobs in sectors such as manufacturing and mining, reducing workers’ exposure to dangerous environments.
Operational Efficiency Gains: Data-driven decision-making enables organisations to optimise resources and streamline processes, improving overall productivity.

However, alongside these benefits, digitalisation and AI introduce new health and safety risks – particularly in the area of psychosocial hazards.

Psychosocial hazards in the digital workplace

While digitalisation can reduce physical risks, it may also exacerbate psychosocial risks – issues that affect mental health and well-being. Mental health was identified as a rising megatrend in the 2018 CSIRO Workplace Safety Futures report, with psychological injury claims making up 6% of workers’ compensation claims at that time^[1]https://www.csiro.au/en/news/all/news/2018/april/six-megatrends-workplace-health-safety. This figure rose to 9% in 2021-2022^[2]https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/media-centre/media-release/new-report-psychological-health-australian-workplaces and 10.5% in 2022-2023^[3]https://www.healthatwork.net.au/blog/safe-work-australia-statistics-show-a-mentally-unwell-workforce.

The introduction of digital technologies can contribute to psychosocial risk through:

Work Intensification: AI-driven systems may increase productivity expectations, leading to stress and burnout.
Job Insecurity: Employees may experience anxiety about job displacement due to automation.
Reduced Human Interaction: AI-managed workforces and remote work structures may contribute to social isolation.
Excessive Monitoring: AI-driven performance tracking may create a culture of mistrust, negatively impacting job satisfaction.

The CSIRO report also notes that technology-related stress – arising from constant learning curves, digital fatigue, and lack of consultation – can significantly impact mental health, leading to increased claims and compensation costs.

How ISO 45003 helps address psychosocial risks

ISO 45003 is the first global standard for managing psychological health and safety at work. It provides guidance for organisations on how to prevent work-related stress, anxiety, and burnout while fostering a culture of well-being. Key aspects include:

Identifying Psychosocial Risks: Encourages proactive assessment of stressors related to workload, job security, and workplace relationships.
Implementing Preventative Measures: Recommends strategies to improve work design, leadership communication, and employee engagement.
Continual Monitoring and Improvement: Supports organisations in tracking psychological health indicators and making data-driven adjustments to work conditions.

By integrating ISO 45003 principles into OH&S strategies, organisations can safeguard psychological health as they digitally transform.

Identifying and managing psychosocial risks

To maintain a psychologically healthy workplace, organisations should proactively identify and address psychosocial hazards through:

Regular engagement with workers (e.g., employee surveys) to assess stress levels and job satisfaction.
Open communication channels where workers can report concerns without fear of retaliation.
Monitoring workloads to prevent unrealistic performance expectations.
Clear job roles and responsibilities to reduce stress and confusion.

Strategies to mitigate psychosocial risks

There are many strategies available to manage psychosocial risks, and it’s critical that strategies are designed in consultation with the workers impacted by the hazards to ensure that they’re fit-for-purpose. Broadly speaking, employers can implement various strategies to ensure digitalisation does not compromise psychological health:

Flexible Work Arrangements: Support hybrid work models that balance remote and in-office work.
Mental Health Support: Provide access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and mental health resources.
Training and Upskilling: Equip employees with digital skills to reduce fears of job loss and increase adaptability.
Ethical AI Governance: Implement policies ensuring AI is used fairly and transparently, without excessive surveillance.

Small, practical steps to support psychological health and safety at work

A healthy workplace doesn’t require large-scale initiatives; small, continual improvements can have a meaningful impact. These can include:

Daily Check-Ins: Encourage team leads to check on employees’ well-being regularly.
Encourage Breaks: Promote structured breaks to reduce stress and screen fatigue.
Recognition and Appreciation: Acknowledge employee achievements to boost morale.
Digital Detox Periods: Limit after-hours emails and notifications to prevent burnout.
Supportive Leadership Training: Equip managers with skills to foster a psychologically safe work culture.
Set AI Transparency Guidelines: Ensure employees understand how AI is used in their work and decision-making processes.
Promote Social Connection: Organise virtual or in-person team-building activities to counteract isolation in digital workplaces.
Empower Employees with Autonomy: Allow flexibility in task management to reduce stress from rigid workflows.
Encourage Movement: Promote standing desks, walking meetings, or stretch breaks to reduce sedentary stress.
Provide Digital Well-being Training: Educate employees on managing screen time, digital distractions, and healthy technology use.

Conclusion

AI and digitalisation can revolutionise OH&S but only if worker well-being remains at the core of how these technologies are applied.

The CSIRO’s 2018 report highlighted the importance of mental health in workplace safety, warning of rising stress and poor outcomes associated with psychological injury. By embedding psychosocial risk management into OH&S strategies and leveraging ISO 45003, organisations can harness the potential of technology while building safer, healthier, and more resilient workplaces for the future.

At Risk Training Professionals, we support organisations in addressing these emerging risks. Through training aligned with ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety and ISO 45003 Psychological Health and Safety and other relevant standards, we help build cultures where mental health is seen, supported and safeguarded.

Enrol in our 2-day Psychological Health and Safety at Work course

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