Multimodal capabilities in the numerous AI apps allow users to upload photos and files, interact via voice, and receive responses in natural speech. In this article, we demonstrate how photo analysis can be used as an effective tool for hazard identification and safety planning.
Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) Risk Assessment
According to the Center for Construction Research and Training, MSDs account for 20% of all non-fatal injuries in construction in the U.S. Despite their huge impact on construction worker health and safety, MSDs often get overlooked on the job site.
Barriers to properly assessing MSD risk and implementing appropriate controls include difficulty determining MSD risk, resistance to changing work processes, and slow adoption of new technologies. ChatGPT’s photo analysis feature provides at least a partial solution to the first barrier listed, giving supervisors and safety professionals a user-friendly method of assessing MSD risk by simply taking pictures.
Case Study
To assess MSD risk, we must first understand the risk factors that lead to these types of injuries. Fortunately, most OHS regulatory bodies publish excellent information on identifying MSD risk and how to control the risk of injury. In our jurisdiction, a section of our OHS regulation is dedicated to ergonomics.
The section contains a list of factors you must consider when assessing a task that carries the risks of a worker developing an MSI (in British Columbia, Canada, we refer to these injuries as musculoskeletal injuries). For this article, we found a list of ergonomics risk factors on the ergonomics page of OSHA’s website.
Some of them include:
- "Exerting excessive force. Examples include lifting heavy objects or people, pushing or pulling heavy loads, manually pouring materials, or maintaining control of equipment or tools.
- Performing the same or similar tasks repetitively. Performing the same motion or series of motions continually or frequently for an extended period of time.
- Working in awkward postures or being in the same posture for long periods of time. Using positions that place stress on the body, such as prolonged or repetitive reaching above shoulder height, kneeling, squatting, leaning over a counter, using a knife with wrists bent, or twisting the torso while lifting.
- Localized pressure into the body part. Pressing the body or part of the body (such as the hand) against hard or sharp edges, or using the hand as a hammer.
- Cold temperatures. In combination with any one of the above risk factors may also increase the potential for MSDs to develop. For example, many of the operations in meatpacking and poultry processing occur with a chilled product or in a cold environment."
We’ll start by copying our selected ergonomics risk factors into the custom instructions section of ChatGPT. The process is straightforward once you find where to turn them on. Here’s how our custom instruction looks in this instance:
Fig 1. Inputted custom instructions (ChatGPT)
What you can’t see in the bottom dialogue box is the rest of OSHA’s MSD risk factors and our request that AI suggest ways to reduce the risk of injury that align with the hierarchy of hazard controls.
Upload a Photo
Now that ChatGPT has some context about who we are and what we want the program to do with the provided photos, it's as simple as snapping the photo or uploading one from our photo library.
We recently observed some workers building a retaining wall at a construction site. We snapped a photo.
Fig 2. Workers building a retaining wall - Mirogoj Cemetery site
We have provided the entire chatlog below so you can see the total output, and the AI thoroughly explains its analysis of the photo in the context of the MSD risk factors.
Output Log
Beyond MSDs
We used MSD risk factors to demonstrate how ChatGPT's new photos feature makes assessing workplace hazards relatively simple. What we like about this feature is how you can combine it with custom instructions to create a customizable tool that will consider the context of the legal framework within your jurisdiction.
In essence, the technological advancements and updates to the AI apps are significant steps toward enhancing occupational health and safety practices. The ability to harness the power of AI photo analysis offers users a bridge between traditional risk assessment methods and advanced technology. The best part is that ChatGPT's native features include this capability, meaning there is no need to pay for additional third-party software.
