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The estimated cost to the U.S. economy of workplace injuries and illnesses is $250 billion per year. Thanks to improvements in wearable technology, however, companies have the opportunity to cut down on these costs by creating safer and more productive workplaces for their employees.
There are many types of wearable monitoring devices that exist today. They range from watches and socks to bras and leggings, all of which feature a wide array of biometric and location tracking systems.
Where Wearable Technology Helps
Wearable devices can help employers and employees in areas such as:
Location, Movement, and Injury Tracking
The construction industry is one major industry that has begun to adopt wearable technology. Vests or devices attached to tool belts are able to track each employee’s location on the job site. These devices may also be equipped with fall sensors that will alert management if someone has suffered an accident on the job as well as display the locations of other workers near the accident and the severity of the fall.
As another example, one company has demonstrated how mining companies can utilize a smart helmet to track miners whereabouts and alert them to potentially harmful or dangerous situations.
Similar systems can track workers’ body movements. This information can be used to modify how workers work to make them safer.
Sleep Prevention Technology:
The usefulness of wearable technology also extends to workers in less active fields. For instance, specialized hats can monitor brainwaves of truck drivers and other heavy machinery operators. These hats send warnings if the brainwaves indicate the wearer is experiencing a “microsleep.” In light of statistics published by the CDC indicating that drowsy driving was responsible for 72,000 crashes in 2013, the use of these devices by commercial drivers alone could help reduce accident risk for all drivers.
Today’s wearable technology is capable of some amazing feats. Though still in its infancy, the technology is already promising ways to create a safer and more productive work environment.
There are many types of wearable monitoring devices that exist today. They range from watches and socks to bras and leggings, all of which feature a wide array of biometric and location tracking systems.
Where Wearable Technology Helps
Wearable devices can help employers and employees in areas such as:
- Detecting and warning workers of potential safety hazards or risks.
- Obtaining business process information for use in creating safer and more efficient workflows or processes.
- Monitoring and learning about employee work habits that are not easily visible - for example the amount of force needed to turn or move an object.
Location, Movement, and Injury Tracking
The construction industry is one major industry that has begun to adopt wearable technology. Vests or devices attached to tool belts are able to track each employee’s location on the job site. These devices may also be equipped with fall sensors that will alert management if someone has suffered an accident on the job as well as display the locations of other workers near the accident and the severity of the fall.
As another example, one company has demonstrated how mining companies can utilize a smart helmet to track miners whereabouts and alert them to potentially harmful or dangerous situations.
Similar systems can track workers’ body movements. This information can be used to modify how workers work to make them safer.
Sleep Prevention Technology:
The usefulness of wearable technology also extends to workers in less active fields. For instance, specialized hats can monitor brainwaves of truck drivers and other heavy machinery operators. These hats send warnings if the brainwaves indicate the wearer is experiencing a “microsleep.” In light of statistics published by the CDC indicating that drowsy driving was responsible for 72,000 crashes in 2013, the use of these devices by commercial drivers alone could help reduce accident risk for all drivers.
Today’s wearable technology is capable of some amazing feats. Though still in its infancy, the technology is already promising ways to create a safer and more productive work environment.
