Landscape of Artificial Intelligence Use for Occupational Health and Safety Practice in Two Canadian Provinces

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Artificial Intelligence Applications
• Workplace Technology Adoption

Background:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) offers transformative potential for modernizing occupational health and safety (OHS) practices.
• Empirical data on the extent and drivers of firm-level AI utilization in OHS remains limited.
• Understanding AI adoption is crucial for evidence-based implementation in OHS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of AI use in OHS practices across Canadian firms.
• To identify firm-level characteristics associated with AI adoption in OHS.
• To explore the relationship between perceived AI impact and its utilization in OHS.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 810 OHS professionals in British Columbia and Ontario, Canada, conducted in summer 2024.
• Data collection on firm-level AI use for OHS, descriptive characteristics, and OHS attributes.
• Multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with AI use in OHS.

Main Results:

• Twenty-nine percent of firms reported using AI for OHS.
• Larger firms, those with hybrid work arrangements, and those with high workplace hazard exposure showed increased odds of AI adoption.
• Positive perceptions of AI's impact on OHS were significantly associated with firm-level AI use.

Conclusions:

• AI adoption in OHS appears concentrated in hazardous industries and firms with favorable conditions for technological integration.
• Further research is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of AI in OHS settings.
• Findings underscore the need for guidance on evidence-based AI implementation in occupational health.