Tech Trends Improving Health And Safety At Work

Employee accidents and injuries are all too common in the US — an individual employee sustains an injury every seven seconds at work, equating to 12,900 injured workers per day and almost 5 million every year, CBS reports. By investing in workplace health and safety, businesses can save at least $4-6 for every $1 spent. Fortunately, innovative technology can effectively help businesses improve employee mental and physical health, reduce sickness and absences, and boost productivity.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the most common work-related ailments. In the US, around 388,060 MSDs are sustained annually. MSDs are largely caused by excessive or sustained force, heavy objects, repetitive tasks, and working with computers, laptops, or smartphones. Sustaining an injury at work like an MSD typically comes with financial and legal complications. It’s therefore important that employees are aware of their rights, including employer policies, industry regulations, and potential workers’ compensation policies, FVF Law Firm explains. Fortunately, working with an experienced work injury lawyer can help injured employees win the compensation they deserve to cover medical expenses and lost wages. Additionally, workplace health and safety tech can prevent MSDs. For example, lightweight, wearable exoskeletons provide employees with support while they continually perform tasks like bending and lifting. As a result, pressure on the back and spine can be reduced by up to 40%. Exoskeletons are designed for comfort, and provide the wearer with plenty of movement and freedom.

Drones (aerial devices that can be remotely controlled with tablets, smartphones or augmented reality glasses) can improve workplace safety and boost accuracy and productivity. They feature high-resolution cameras, GPS tracking, and flight-support features — which means employees aren’t always needed to perform accurate inspections to ensure a site’s in good working order. In particular, worksite inspections in dangerous areas like multi-story construction site exteriors, transmission poles, and windmills in the ocean or high-altitudes can be effortlessly performed with drones. Not only can drones save employees from entering necessary yet risky situations, but they also increase accuracy, so potential problems are more likely to be noticed and fixed.

The workplace wellness market is growing at a rapid rate — it’s expected to reach $74 billion by 2026. As such, workplace wellness technology is helping employees improve their mental and physical health, and optimize their performance. For example, Padoa’s innovative smart tech and software can monitor employee’s health throughout the day. BMI, hearing, vision, blood pressure, glucose levels, and heart health are continually tracked with these discreet smart devices. Alternatively, Unmind’s online platform provides employers with a method of keeping abreast of their employee’s mental health, specifically their stress levels. The platform also gives tactful and practical suggestions on how employers can help their stressed-out employees without exacerbating the situation.

Improving workplace health and safety should be a priority for every business. Fortunately, innovative technology can help improve health and safety conditions, boost engagement and productivity, reduce rates of accident and injury, and minimize expensive lost work days.