Digitalization as a developer of occupational safety in the Finnish food and drink industry

Abstract

The thesis aims to find out what kind of effects digitalization has on occupational safety and work accidents in the food and drink industry. The study also aims to find out what kind of technological means are used to improve occupational safety, and whether digitalization creates added value from the perspective of occupational safety. Digitalization is strongly present in people's everyday life. Both leisure time and various industries are in the edge of a major change. Digitalization offers great possibilities and opportunities to develop, but with it, challenges, complexity, and competition also increase. The food and drink industry largely consists of the basic principles of the process industry, and repetitive tasks can be a significant part of the job description. Occupational safety plays an even greater role in the strategy of organizations, and companies invest significantly in it. Occupational safety is an important aspect in the food and drink industry, and accidents at work occur more in the food and drink industry than in industries in general. The thesis consists of five chapters. The first paragraph is an introduction. This part describes the background and purpose of the study, as well as the research questions and structure in more detail. The second chapter is the theoretical background, and it focuses on digitalization, occupational safety, and the food and drink industry. The third chapter describes the methodology used in the study and how the research material was collected. The fourth chapter describes the results of the study. The fifth and last chapter contains analysis, conclusions and discussion of the topic based on the research results and theoretical framework. In addition, the chapter describes the limitations of the study and potential future studies. The study was conducted as a qualitative study and the main data was collected for the study using a semi-structured questionnaire that was sent to Finnish food and drink industry organizations. Based on the answers of eleven professionals in the field, an analysis of the topic was built. A theoretical framework was collected to strengthen the research based on the literature of the subject area and previous studies. After analysis, the results of the thesis were as follows. Digitalization can bring added value to occupational safety in the food and drink industry, and with it, organizations can achieve better occupational safety. However, its implementation alone is not enough to improve occupational safety, rather it provides tools for success. Its correct application is important, and a critical assessment of its necessity is mandatory. Digitalization must be supported and its acceptance among all employees is essential for success. Changing attitudes to positive ones plays a critical role in the implementation of digitalization and thereby also in improving occupational safety. Technological tools bring added value to occupational safety, but they must be used correctly in order to maximize the benefit. The biggest reasons for non-implementation are lack of resources, uncertainty about benefits, aging employees, layout and factory conditions, and a negative attitude.