Preparing Your Site

Space and floors

Walk the route the robot will take, from the delivery door to where it will work. Check door widths, lifts, ramps, steps and floor surfaces, and note anything uneven, slippery or cluttered. Humanoids are designed for human spaces, but each model has its own limits on slopes, stairs, gaps and floor types, so compare your site against the specification. Mark out a clear working area with room for people to pass safely, and decide where the robot will rest, charge and be stored when it is not in use. Share photos and dimensions with the provider in advance.

Power, network and storage

Find out how the robot charges, how long charging takes and what power supply it needs, then identify a suitable socket or charging point near the working area. If the robot needs Wi-Fi or a mobile connection for control, updates or remote support, test coverage where it will operate and agree access with your IT team. Plan secure overnight storage, ideally somewhere dry and lockable, and confirm whether the transport case needs to stay on site. Small details like these are often what delays the first day.

People and procedures

Name a site lead who owns the rental, a small group of trained operators, and someone responsible for safety. Brief everyone who will work near the robot on what it does, how to stop it, and who to call if something goes wrong. Update your risk assessment for the space and the task, and agree rules for visitors or the public if they will be nearby. Plan the first day: delivery time, setup, a supervised test run and a short handover. A calm, well-prepared start gives the rental its fairest chance of answering the questions you rented it to answer.

Sources and further reading

• Robotics: Standards — Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
  Summarises which OSHA rules on floors, electrical safety and machine guarding apply where robots work.
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER): overview — Health and Safety Executive.
  Explains duties for equipment used at work, whether owned or not, and for anyone supplying it for hire.
• Robotics: Hazard Recognition — Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
  Points to OSHA and NIOSH material on how people are hurt around robots, including during maintenance work.

Common questions

What should I share with a rental provider before delivery?

Photos, floor plans and dimensions of the route and working area, power and network details, and a description of the task and the audience.

Do I need a risk assessment for a rented robot?

It is good practice. Update your assessment for the specific space, task and people involved, and agree how the robot is stopped and incidents are handled.