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Millions of Australians put their bodies on the line every day to keep some of the nation's essential industries moving — and the physical toll is mounting. Joint, ligament and muscle injuries lead the way in serious workers' compensation claims, and the numbers are climbing, according to a new Safe Work Australia report. The annual snapshot reveals such claims rose to 53,000 in 2022-23, up from 49,300 the previous year. Musculoskeletal claims are also on the rise. In the chilled rooms of Australia's meat-processing plants, Chris Fitzgerald is one professional investigating how technology could turn the trend around. The ergonomist watches as workers strap on the Iron Hand — a high-tech glove linked via cables to a powered backpack. The device, known as an exoskeleton, uses fingertip sensors to boost grip strength. It assists when performing tasks that require high grip including consistent knife use for skinning, trimming, and vertical and table boning. "[In] sheep processing, they'll process one every 6 seconds or so. With beef, it's probably closer to once a minute," he said. "It's repetitive. There's not a lot of relief from that." It is part of an Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) project exploring how technology could help reduce injuries in one of the country's most physically demanding sectors. Starting with 20 devices designed to support the hands, back and legs, Mr Fitzgerald has narrowed the list to six models — with promising feedback. "I've had people with lacerated tendons say, 'My hand feels normal [after wearing it],'" he said. The AMPC is sharing the data with abattoirs to help guide future decisions. But with some exoskeleton gloves costing more than $15,000 each, companies will need to weigh the benefits, from worker comfort to productivity gains through reduced strain and injury. Flat out with flat pack Retail giant Ikea has already gone global with exoskeletons, rolling out more than 400 units across 14 countries last year to reduce warehouse injuries and fatigue. The company says the technology helps minimise the physical toll of heavy lifting and repetitive motion, allowing workers to finish shifts with "more energy". Gold Coast physiotherapist Brad Beer sees both promise and pitfalls in the rise of robotic assistance. "It's very early days," he said. "They offer potentially great promise in allowing workers to be more efficient, potentially less injury-prone, [and] potentially have a greater lifespan at work, but there can be downsides potentially as well. "It's important to note that force is absolute. It doesn't disappear. The body just shifts it to other areas." But while Mr Beer said careful integration was essential to avoid creating new types of strain injuries, he remained optimistic. "In many ways, it's an exciting time to be alive. We've never seen such rapid technological change. "There'll be a move with AI-driven exoskeletons that absolutely are autonomous with the human body." The AI-enhanced worker That future may already be taking shape, at least in Europe. In May, robotics firm German Bionic unveiled Exia, which it called "the world's first exoskeleton powered end-to-end by true augmented AI". Built on billions of motion data points from logistics, health care and manufacturing, the device can reportedly offer up to 38 kilograms of lift assistance while continuously learning from its user. "Exia doesn't merely respond or even just think — it actually learns," CEO Armin G. Schmidt said. Back in Australia, Mr Beer said there was no need to fear a robotic takeover. "There's a fair degree of apprehension and fear that these things will take over," he said. "They won't take people's jobs, but they'll augment them and help them." He has seen firsthand the toll a manual job can have on a person. "My father had his working career in the meat industry," Mr Beer said. "Certainly, meat processing is probably one of the more demanding professions anyone could have. "Having seen that firsthand, the exoskeleton integration has potentially great promise in an industry like that."
