Title : Can Robots Save Workers? The Effects of Robots on Workplace Injuries and Workers' Health in Korea

Author : Hyejin Kim(BOK)

This paper examines the effect of robots on workplace injuries and workers’ health outcomes in South Korea. Using the administrative data on workplace injuries, we find that one standard deviation increase in robot exposure reduces workplace injuries by 8% with respect to the mean. The effects are stronger for more severe cases such as permanent disability (-16.9%). This effect can be explained by the reallocation of workers towards less physically intensive tasks. Also, local labor market areas more exposed to robots show a reduction in the fraction of low-skilled workers reporting poor health. There is no evidence of significant effects for high-skilled workers who are less likely to be exposed to the penetration of robots.