Network for Regulatory Innovation in Safetytech (NRIS)

Industrial Safetytech (IS) is an evolving field aiming to enhance workplace safety through innovative technologies. Despite advancements, workplace injuries have plateaued, evident in 38,211 serious accidents reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2021/22, costing an estimated £660 million in the Construction sector. The maturation of AI, robotics, and mobile computing provides a unique opportunity for IS to revolutionize workplace health and safety, but substantial obstacles need addressing.

Technology providers in construction and heavy-civils industries face challenges from fragmented operational environments, cultural norms, and regulatory uncertainties. Regulatory alignment stands as a significant barrier influencing decision-making in technology procurement and sales. To understand the intricate relationship between regulation and technology adoption, the HSE and Safetytech Accelerator (STA) initiated the first Industrial Safetytech Regulatory Sandbox in 2023\.

This ground-breaking project aimed to identify regulatory barriers obstructing technology adoption in construction, fostering collaboration among regulators, tech providers, and contractors for accelerated innovation. The Sandbox involved teams working on six technologies, uncovering insights into the impact of un-systematic interfaces with HSE regulations on robotic design applications and the potential of advanced hearing protection systems to influence reasonable practicability standards.

Participants emphasised the necessity for closer collaboration among regulators, contractors, and tech companies to overcome adoption barriers. Building on the Sandbox's success, there is appetite to establish a national network of regulatory experts facilitated by STA. This network would engage through round-tables, briefing notes, and an online forum, actively engaging with technology providers to evaluate and trial their products, dismantling barriers to sector entry.

Collaborative sprints within the network, involving representatives from regulators, contractors, and tech companies, will generate actionable insights. These insights will enable tech providers to align products with contractors' needs, assist regulators in adapting to emerging technologies, and empower contractors to make informed decisions based on regulatory perspectives. The proposed network builds on the Sandbox's outputs, fostering working standards, recommending changes to reasonable practicability, identifying adoption barriers, and promoting knowledge sharing.

The network's focus extends beyond knowledge sharing to practically accelerating technology. Pilots chosen by the group will explore and eliminate regulatory barriers, inform future regulatory strategy, and set industry standards. Each pilot will benefit all three parties, propelling technology into the industry and positioning regulators at the forefront of adaptability to novel solutions.

During the design phase workshops with STA, HSE, industry, and tech will co-create a strategic implementation plan, covering vision, objectives, key activities, governance and communication strategies.