Page 31 - OHS, October 2022

Reduced Human Error. Regardless of how many years of experience one might have or one’s skill level, humans still make mistakes from time to time, and it is unfortunately inevitable. However, using technology like safety wearables, we can signifificantly reduce that amount of error, protecting more workers as a result.
Increased awareness. In the end, safety wearables are about increasing the worker and employer’s awareness of the work environment and the safety hazards and risks it presents. Work hazard assessments are integral to determining a safe work environment, but wearable technology can detect or anticipate hazards that we are unaware of or are invisible to the human eye.2
The Challenges of Safety Wearables
While not many, there are some challenges when it comes to using wearable technology for work. The most common is that they are obviously dependent on technology which can fail or break from time to time. This includes battery life which can be an issue when working away from charging outlets for extended periods of time.
Another challenge is that of privacy concerns and personal information security. The advent of wearable technology has also seen an increase in concern around how the personal data being collected by wearables is being used and who is able to access it. The good news is that this technology can be customized to prevent certain data gathering and location tracking during certain times. Additionally, agreements must be established beforehand that clearly communicate and outline how the data will be used, how it benefits the employee and employer, as well as any other relevant details such as disclosure.
In 2017, NIOSH published “Wearable Sensors: An Ethical Framework for Decision-Making,” which, among a number of considerations, recommends that “the monitoring program’s policy, procedures and objectives are disclosed in clear and understandable terms,” also emphasizing that consent is “essential to [workplace] autonomy.”4
There are also information privacy legal issues to consider, depending on where you work. However, no matter where you are, it is the employer’s moral responsibility to ensure that both the worker and their information is safe and secure.
But despite these issues, safety wearables are a major part of the growing OSH movement towards connected and cloud-based safety because of its many benefits like real-time updates of the workers’ safety statuses and safety-compliance reporting.
Wearable sensors can be, of course, connected via cellular networks and WiFi signals. But when working outside of these networks and in remote areas, employees need to remain connected through other technology including GPS and satellite capabilities that allows the worker to remain engaged and in touch with their employer and/or safety monitor.5
The Future of Wearable Safety Technology
So, what does the future of wearable safety technology look like? Well, as just outlined, this technology is here to stay, playing more important roles in our overall health and safety.
In addition to current devices like motion features6 and health trackers, employers will have access to smart rings7 that provide the most discreet notifications and communication, smart
glasses relaying information through the worker’s eyes and view, advanced, discreet panic button devices8 and innovative smart clothing, some which allow a driver to easily control Bluetooth and phone calls, a far cry from the calculator watch in the 70s. Healthcare and employers will use smart sensors that will measure health metrics such as blood oxygen, sugar and pressure levels, as well as hydration and stress.
A Schall survey on the adoption of wearable sensors in the workplace found that employees were mostly supportive of using wearables with more than half of the respondents said they are “in favor of using wearable sensors to track OSH-related risk factors and relevant exposure metrics at their respective workplaces.”9 Regardless of how many staff support using wearables in the workplace, it is imperative that employers and managers communicate the benefits of this technology on their safety and well-being.
Showing the benefits of new wearable devices can be accomplished through in-person or virtual training sessions, mock exercises with employees, as well as communicating relevant statistics and numbers that support the technology’s efficacy as an OSH safety measure. After a couple of months of using the device, make sure any benefits and improvements are relayed to staff, showing the impact of the new safety measures.
Trusting and Transparent
As outlined earlier, it is also incredibly important that employers are completely transparent about how any collected personal and professional data will be used, allowing the employee to voice their concerns and control what information is being documented and why. Particularly when sensitive information is involved, transparency, as well as staff engagement and updates, should be even more of a priority
This is ultimately about keeping the employee connected so that help is readily available if needed. This is about keeping the employees involved in their safety so that it is always top of mind for everyone, resulting in a place you feel safe going to almost every day.
Gen Handley is a Marketing and Growth Coordinator for SafetyLine Lone Worker, an automated, cloud-based lone worker monitoring service that helps companies protect remote or isolated workers.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ S1389128621001651
2. https://safetylineloneworker.com/blog/hazard-assessment-questions 3. https://safetylineloneworker.com/blog/safety-as-an-investment
4. https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2017/01/20/wearable- sensors-ethics/
5. https://safetylineloneworker.com/blog/benefits-of-location-tracking-for- lone-workers-with-garmin-satellite-devices
6. https://safetylineloneworker.com/benefits/emergency-panic 7. https://www.wareable.com/fashion/best-smart-rings-1340
8. https://safetylineloneworker.com/blog/safety-panic-button-panic-alarms- for-your-employees
9. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0018720817753907
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OCTOBER 2022 | Occupational Health & Safety 27