Prevention of occupational risks has become a strategic priority for companies aiming to protect employee health while keeping production flowing. In recent years, exoskeletons have surged in use to reduce muscle strain in physically demanding jobs. Companies have also sought to identify which roles most benefit from these devices and which tasks fit best for each position. A collaboration between the Valencian Biomechanics Institute (IBV) and regional companies—supported by local initiatives—focuses on promoting exoskeleton adoption in industry to foster healthier and more productive work environments.
The project, named Innowork, receives funding through the Valencia Institute for Business Competitiveness (Ivace). Its purpose is to advance research on preventing contractures and musculoskeletal disorders by delivering practical tools that help organizations integrate these devices effectively.
In this effort, the IBV is developing a practical guideline to help firms determine which jobs could improve working conditions with appropriately selected exoskeleton models. The guide will include a protocol to guide selection and implementation and a verification process for the device after deployment.
However, the work does not stop at integration. From a preventive standpoint, techniques are required to assess the impact of exoskeletons. The institute is developing a biomechanical model that allows technicians to estimate how much muscle unloading occurs when these devices are used in specific tasks.
According to Mercedes Sanchis, director of Occupational Health and Welfare at IBV, traditional assessment methods do not quantify the reduction in ergonomic risk achieved by using an exoskeleton. They can, however, predict how muscle activity or joint load changes with the device. To validate the model, laboratory tests with exoskeletons are planned.
Monitoring techniques
In parallel, updated procedures for evaluating ergonomic risk will be implemented. Monitoring will use sensors or cameras to collect data for subsequent analysis. Protocols will help companies interpret these records and translate them into concrete actions that prevent musculoskeletal disorders.
“Given that this irregularity remains a leading cause of sick leave, worker safety and health must be a priority for every company,” Sanchis notes. Real-time monitoring tools are valuable for tailoring tasks to the capabilities of the people who perform them. The research aims to introduce necessary changes that keep ergonomic risk at tolerable levels and ensure safer, healthier workplaces.
In this vein, an IBV spokesperson adds that such monitoring benefits extend across all job types, enabling organizations to adjust roles to match the workforce’s characteristics and to implement targeted interventions that reduce risk.
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The initiative involves collaboration with companies from various sectors within the Valencian Community. Partners include SPB, a cleaning services company; Panamar, a pastry producer; Zummo Innovaciones Mecanicas, a juice vending machine manufacturer; Colevisa, a restaurant and catering firm; Traditional meals, a prepared foods producer; F. Martínez, a meat processor; Grefusa, a snack and nut producer; Becsa, a construction company; and Tetma, a waste management firm. These collaborations illustrate the broad interest in applying exoskeleton technology across industries to enhance health and performance at work.
In Alicante province, the first partners selected were the toy manufacturer Famosa and Chocolates Valor. Both explain from La Vila Joiosa that they joined the project to test whether exoskeleton use genuinely benefits occupational health, especially for workers who perform heavy lifting and load handling. The overarching aim is to prioritize worker safety, prevent accidents, and improve working conditions by eliminating risks wherever possible.
For Famosa, based in the Las Atalayas industrial area of Alicante, the challenge is aligned with ongoing cargo handling and a highly automated logistics center, underscoring the real-world relevance of the project across typical industrial environments. The collaboration demonstrates a practical pathway for reducing physical strain through intelligent equipment choices and robust assessment protocols, backed by ongoing validation and measurement efforts.