Top 5 Technologies To Use To Advance Workplace Safety
For many entrepreneurs, a severe injury is a remote possibility, meaning it’s not worth worrying about. Others are convinced there’s no way to get around spending on safety for workers, so they consider debt even if their wallets are overextended. The world of work has changed dramatically over the years. Every job carries an element of risk, but the magnitude of risk varies across jobs, sectors, geographic regions, and individuals. Workplace safety is more important than ever, so it’s wiser to be cautious and careful than to be hasty and so something you might later regret. You have a duty of care to make sure, as far as possible, people’s health, safety, and welfare are preserved while at work.
When technology is mentioned in the context of business, discussions revolve around enhancing productivity or streamlining communication. Nevertheless, technology for health and safety is gaining more traction owing to the emphasis placed on organisations to comply with EHS regulations. Specific knowledge can be applied to prevent accidents and make the workplace safer, and improvement can be seen in one year after technology implementation. Some digital advancements supporting workplace safety are the Internet of Things and smart systems, which rely on sensors and other data-collecting devices. We’ll let you discover other technologies that you’ll like very much.
- Voice Recorders
A voice recorder is a digital, handheld device that converts audio to MP3, which can be transferred to another device, such as a computer. It can be used to record the audio environment for accidents and incident investigation purposes. Until recently, little effort has been made to increase the efficiency of recording data, although electronic data recording has been available for some time. Many professionals record information on paper and later enter it into a PC. There’s no denying the fact that a voice recorder isn’t the fanciest piece of technology, yet it can be beneficial, as you can remember the small details.
You can record your observations during safety inspections if you have a headset or a similar device. In the case of findings, you’re able to figure out the root cause of the anomaly(ies) and fix the corresponding issue. The inspection report provides the evaluation results from a qualitative and subjective standpoint. You, and others on your team, can examine every corner of the facility without using a clipboard, so you don’t need an extra pair of hands. The very act of recording your impressions helps clarify your thoughts and remember what you’ve encountered. You’ll have more details and information than you know.
- Drones And Robots
Unmanned aerial or terrestrial vehicles, drones for short, have recently emerged as an essential safety technology, being sent into hazardous areas like confined spaces (tunnels, storage tanks, etc.). If you run a construction or manufacturing company, you can use drones to minimise workers’ exposure to falls and other risks by continually monitoring operations. On the other hand, robots reduce the need for people to perform repetitive motion tasks, which can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, reduce the number of injuries associated with lifting heavy objects, and eliminate worker fatigue. Technological advances allow for greater diversity in the workplace as far as robotic systems are concerned.
- Online Training
Workplace safety training enables employees to recognise hazards and correct them. Even if your organisation is focused on office work, there’s still the risk of tripping over wires. Such an incident can result in just about anything, ranging from embarrassment to lawsuits. Covering every subject can be challenging, particularly when you must schedule a time that works for everyone. Making the switch to online training is a better way to engage workers on safety topics, who get the experience on the full screen. Online training accommodates different lifestyles and work arrangements. Employees will be up to date with the latest procedures in your industry, and if they have any questions, they can reach out to the trainer via email.
- EHS Software
Smartphone apps are one of the easiest ways to take advantage of technology to assess, monitor, improve, and improve workplace safety. EHS software has grown in usage over the past decades, and deciding to do the same will drastically transform how you handle health and safety information. Errors are sometimes inevitable, but an EHS solution can reduce the injury rate by as much as 50% after one year of implementation. With a mobile app, you can get your on-site or field teams to respond quickly to safety issues, no matter where they are. You enjoy fantastic analytics that you wouldn’t otherwise get without hours or days of work, so you can use the information to decrease your accident rate.
Safeguard your employees – if not for ethical reasons, but for economic ones. If you’re looking for an EHS definition, it would be a program designed to minimise or eliminate risks associated with exposure to work-related injuries, hazardous materials, and environmental accidents. EHS software helps accomplish visibility into safety issues and empowers you to improve safety performance. If you’re still managing processes using manual systems, don’t be surprised you can’t drive better decision-making or resource allocation. Having EHS software in place helps you adhere to the complex rules, policies, and processes that apply to business practice. Non-compliance with EHS can bring about fines/penalties, civil lawsuits, and damaged employee relationships.
- Smart Glasses & Body Cameras
Smart glasses can be used for any task, including but not limited to picking, inventory control, and packing. By allowing users to access the Internet using voice control, they can view information right away without interrupting their work. The images are output on small monitors or prisms. Additionally, smart glasses interact with the environment via sensors, so they can display context-specific information, like the torque of screw connections. Workers can receive guidance through a remote assistance app or a video conferencing solution. But what about body cameras? Employees outfitted with body cameras can send real-time feedback to supervisors and co-workers. The awareness can guarantee better decision-making.
To sum up, we’ve presented some of the most effective technologies for advancing workplace safety. Can you identify other technological solutions? Try, and you might be surprised at the results.
