Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors

Right now, safety engineers still do most of the work themselves, though AI tools can help. For example, AI-powered cameras and drones are being used on construction sites and factories. These systems watch for hazards – spotting if a worker forgets a helmet or walks into a dangerous zone – and send real-time alerts ^{[1] [2]}.

Virtual reality training uses AI to safely practice risky tasks ^[1]. But most accident investigations, program reviews, and plan checks still need human judgment. A recent review found almost no studies proving that AI tools alone reduce injuries ^{[3] [1]}.

In short, today’s AI is a helpful assistant. It can sift through data or watch a job site, but it can’t replace a person’s experience or conversations. Inside reports or employee interviews, people notice subtle clues that AI might miss.

So for now, these jobs are being augmented by technology, not fully automated.

Whether companies use these AI tools depends on many factors. Big firms face expensive safety fines if there’s an accident, so they see AI as a way to prevent problems ^{[4] [2]}. AI systems promise constant 24/7 monitoring, which is hard for human teams alone ^[4].

If the technology is available and affordable, businesses can use it alongside engineers to catch risks early. However, building and testing reliable AI systems also costs money and time. Smaller companies might hesitate if they can’t afford it.

Workers and managers may also trust humans more for the critical job of keeping people safe. In general, this field moves carefully – errors can be deadly – so AI is adopted gradually. Over time, as tools get cheaper and more trusted, we expect safer AI “helpers” will become common, always teamed with human experts.