As an official partner of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), the Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES) proudly supports the 2023–2025 Healthy Workplaces Campaign: Safe and healthy work in the digital age. This initiative highlights the growing role of smart digital systems in improving occupational safety and health (OSH) across Europe.
From an ergonomics and human factors perspective, smart digital technologies—such as wearable devices, sensor networks, AI-driven analytics, and virtual reality training platforms—have significant potential to enhance workplace safety, health, and well-being. These tools enable early identification of ergonomic risks, provide real-time data on physical strain and environmental hazards, and support timely interventions. They are especially valuable in high-risk industries and for vulnerable worker groups, including older employees and those with specific health conditions.
However, digital systems must be implemented according to user-centred design principles to be practical and ethically sound. FEES stresses the importance of involving workers and their representatives in designing, deploying, and monitoring these technologies. Transparent communication, responsible data management, and training are essential to building trust and acceptance. When workers understand and influence digital tools, safety, satisfaction, and engagement improve significantly.
At the same time, we must remain vigilant about the challenges posed by digitalisation. Over-reliance on automation, excessive monitoring, lack of usability, and insufficient training can lead to new psychosocial risks such as stress, cognitive overload, and mental fatigue. Smart systems should always complement, not replace, traditional OSH strategies like ergonomic workplace design, inclusive organisational policies, and direct human support.
As FEES, we advocate for integrating digital innovation with ergonomic principles to create safe, inclusive, and sustainable workplaces. We call on our member societies, researchers, practitioners, and partners to actively contribute to this campaign by sharing knowledge, good practices, and critical reflections on the human-centred use of smart technologies in OSH.
Explore the EU-OSHA campaign: https://healthy-workplaces.osha.europa.eu
