Every deployment starts with risk assessment
Responsible robot deployment requires a strong focus on EHS.
Each site has its own layout, elevators, routines, staff behavior, resident groups and safety requirements.
PPM supports risk assessment in accordance with ISO 12100 as part of pilot preparation and deployment, ensuring that the robot is introduced in a safe and responsible manner.
Building layout
Corridors, doors
and elevators
Resident areas
Staff routines
Residual risk
Risk assessment turns robot deployment into a controlled process
The goal is not to find reasons to avoid automation. The goal is to understand where and how the robot can operate safely, predictably and with real value.
A structured risk assessment helps identify safety risks, define risk-reduction measures, and integrate these into the nursing home’s EHS procedures.
What should be assessed?
- Building layout and physical constraints
- Corridors, doors, elevators and waiting areas
- Resident areas and vulnerable user groups
- Staff routines and handover points
- Emergency situations and fallback procedures
- Transport containers, load height and blind zones
- Operational procedures and training requirements
- Residual risk after control measures are defined
A structured approach to risk assessment
Identify hazards
Map where unwanted situations could occur: corridors, elevators, resident areas, crossings, doors and loading points.
Analyse risks
Evaluate probability, potential consequences and who may be affected, including residents with reduced mobility or cognition.
Define measures
Adjust routes, speed, operating times, staff routines, training and fallback procedures to reduce risk.
Review operation
Continuously evaluate safety, gather feedback from staff, and update the nursing home’s EHS procedures accordingly.
Risk areas that matter in nursing homes
A risk assessment in a nursing home must cover the entire physical area, including the environment in which the robot will operate.
The key question is not simply whether the robot can complete its route, but whether safety is ensured throughout the entire journey — from start to finish.
Residents and mobility
Wheelchairs, walkers, reduced balance, slow movement and unpredictable reactions.
Elevators and waiting zones
Shared waiting areas where the robot, staff, residents and visitors may be close to each other.
Containers and blind zones
Transport containers, load height and robot geometry that may affect visibility and clearance.
Emergency situations
Alarms, blocked routes, urgent staff movement, technical issues or unexpected resident behavior.
Operational procedures
When the robot operates, how staff interact with it and how a mission can be stopped or overridden.
Training requirements
Practical training for care staff, service staff and local superusers before daily operation.
Site-specific, not generic
The risk assessment must reflect the actual building and the actual workflow. Once risk-reduction measures have been implemented, the remaining residual risk should be clearly identified, accepted, and linked to practical procedures, staff training, and the operation of the robot.
Prepare the site before the robot becomes part of daily operation
PPM helps nursing homes map risk areas, define control measures, prepare staff and evaluate residual risk before INGUNN is scaled.