THE MAJORITY OF ROBOT PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN UTILIZED BY THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. THE FACILITIES OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE MAJOR THREE AUTOMAKERS, IN MOST CASES, REPRESENT SOME OF THE SAFEST FACILITIES WITHIN THE MANUFACTURING COMMUNITY. DUE TO THE VOLUME AND NATURE OF THE AUTOMAKERS' MANUFACTURING EFFORT, COUPLED WITH YEARS OF SAFETY STANDARDS AND REFINEMENT OF SAFETY PRACTICES, SAFE, SUCCESSFUL ROBOT APPLICATIONS WERE MANY AND THE INCIDENCES OF INJURY WERE FEW. WITH THE EVER-INCREASING AVAILABILITY OF ROBOT PRODUCTS TO GENERAL INDUSTRY, SOME DISTURBING TRENDS ARE APPEARING WITH RESPECT TO MANUAL WORKER SAFETY IN AND AROUND ROBOT WORK CELLS. MANY MEDIUM AND SMALLER-SIZED COMPANIES LACK THE EXPERIENCE OR IN-HOUSE ACUMEN REQUIRED TO EVALUATE THE SPECIAL SAFETY NEEDS THAT ARE INTRINSIC WITH A ROBOT AUTOMATION SYSTEM. ROBOTS ARE OFTEN MISTAKENLY VIEWED AS INTELLIGENT MACHINES THAT ARE NOT CA