The uncertainty of the business landscape in 2020 got employers and companies reaching for alternative solutions to increase productivity and decrease financial costs. Along with these solutions are policies to prevent work injuries, where personal injury attorneys play a big role in securing employees’ legal representation in times of workplace accidents.
While compliance with labor standards and legislation emphasizes the importance of safety in injury reduction, more companies are taking the initiative to adapt safety innovations to ensure long-term worker protection. In this digital world, employers are taking advantage of the latest technologies to ease these billion-dollar dilemmas. Tech companies are offering new devices that not only boost worker productivity but also ensure safety procedures.
Beyond reducing injuries in the workplace, technologies can identify areas that require safety overhauls to ensure comprehensive safety measures in the workplace. It can also help companies report, track, and prevent workplace accidents completely. To learn more about how technology improves workplace safety, here are some examples of the latest technologies that companies can incorporate into their safety practices.
Wearable devices
Wearable devices are a broad tech model divided into two categories: devices for monitoring workers’ health and the workplace environment. Many organizations have been using wearable tech to strengthen their safety initiatives, including devices with AI (artificial intelligence) features in place.
Some of the most effective wearable tech devices use sensors that measure the worker’s biological data, such as the blood oxygen level, skin temperature, heart rate, and other vital signs. The device will then use the data to analyze the person’s physiological status to determine the level of stress and identify how the intensity of the task affects the worker’s body.
Employers can use the data to adjust the assigned tasks of the worker to reduce possible stressors. Wearables are also a useful tool for employees involved in hazardous industries, such as manufacturing and gas, oil, or mining drilling. Workers can attach the device to their clothing, tool belt, safety glasses, watchband, and hard hat, which will trigger a warning if the employee’s health is at risk.
Health and safety management software
Another safety technology that most companies use is the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) management software. This digital platform helps employers enhance workplace safety, reduce accidents, and follow environmental regulations to reduce waste and carbon footprint.
Other models of the EHS software help improve the management process by organizing workflows, forms, data libraries, dashboards, and notifications, and combining everything into one place to improve performance and transparency. For instance, an EHS platform can enhance work productivity by automating mundane data tasks, which can eliminate 50% of administrative tasks, giving you more time to do other important work.
The EHS software is available on online vendors, which companies can customize or use “off-the-shelf” depending on their needs. Their features vary widely, helping businesses perform a broad number of safety procedures. These include creating plans and analyzing risks for risk reduction, recording and evaluating workplace accidents, monitoring workplace health and safety, and complying with federal and state laws.
Workplace ergonomics
Modern technology has long proven that ergonomics is a critical aspect of any workplace safety practice. In fact, ergonomics is often the cause of the many work-related ailments experienced by employees. The reason behind this is that office workers usually spend more than half of their workday in a seated or sedentary position on their desks and chairs.
For instance, many employees are having health complaints because of prolonged sitting. This issue is a proven health risk affecting employees’ overall health by decreasing normal blood circulation, impairing digestion, and other health issues. Employers can consult a trained ergonomist to evaluate workstations and identify areas of improvement. These trained professionals inspect risk areas that cause musculoskeletal disorders and suggest proper devices to address the problem.
Employees can benefit from it by having comfortable desk chairs and work tables that enhance back posture and body positioning. There’s also the ergonomic keyboard to match employees’ wrists and prevent chronic fatigue. Employers should also provide health education to their employees to gain health awareness through proper self-assessment.
Most tech companies today are now offering devices that prioritize ergonomics and ease of use. Employers should take advantage of it to ensure a comfortable working environment and alleviate factors associated with injury, inflammation, and chronic pain. Employers should also consider replacing outdated computer equipment, especially those lacking ergonomic standards.
By taking actions toward protecting the safety of employees, companies and employers can benefit from it by getting bigger returns on investment. But aside from incorporating technology into their work processes, employers should still ensure proper observation of traditional safety guidelines, such as the creation of safety committees, workplace safety education, and rigorous inspection of work procedures.
