Occupational health and safety management system, robotics, and the adjustment of labor structure

BackgroundAchieving a productive coexistence between robotics and human labor without compromising operational efficiency is a key challenge for enterprises. While various solutions have been suggested, Occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) is frequently overlooked.ObjectiveThis study investigates the impact of OHSMS on the application of industrial robots in manufacturing firms, with a particular focus on its role in balancing automation transformation and employment stability.MethodsA two-way fixed effects model is employed to examine the impact of OHSMS on the application of industrial robots. The findings are further validated through a series of robustness checks, mechanism analyses, and heterogeneity analyses, which also shed light on the underlying mechanisms.ResultsThe results show that OHSMS significantly promotes industrial robot adoption among manufacturing firms, and this finding remains robust across a range of robustness checks. Mechanism analyses suggest that this effect operates through increased cost pressure and eased financing constraints. This effect is particularly pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises, labor-intensive firms, firms with higher levels of corporate social responsibility, and less competitive industries. Notably, this OHSMS-driven automation maintains overall employment levels while reducing reliance on highly skilled personnel through enhanced human-robot collaboration.ConclusionsThis study provides new theoretical insights into how internal institutional management shapes technology adoption pathways and offers empirical evidence supporting firms' efforts to balance efficiency and social responsibility during technological upgrading.