TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTH AND SAFETY
WORK SMART
Communication with customers is key to the development of new
technology, says Gary Escott, co- founder of SiteZone Safety.
TECHNOLOGY THAT MAKES YOU
FEEL AND BE SAFE As someone who has been involved with health and safety for many years, I don’t believe that anyone should feel insecure during the course of their daily
work. Especially if it’s in a high-risk job where safety is paramount, and you don’t have as much faith in it as you should.
The fallout of safety breaches can mean physical injury, mental stress – sometimes on a daily basis – and in the absolute worst-case scenario, loss of life. However, by using technology, we can breach the safety gaps that other efforts can’t and help to instil a sense of added security in high-risk work environments.
Not for one moment am I criticising our existing conventional safety practices. They have been developed through experience, study and cultivated expertise. However, I do feel that we must make room for technological assistance, which can complement our existing practices.
When we introduced our proximity warning systems (PWS) we realised that technology had a major part to play in raising safety standards. The crux was to identify the greatest risks and adapt technology to mitigate them with optimal efficiency.
WORKING TOGETHER CREATES SMARTER
SOLUTIONS Positive feedback from our PWS users inspired us to create variations of the core system that carry out different proximity warning functions. These variations are the result of an understanding of those identified ‘holes’ in collision safety that had not yet been filled.
Through communication and collaboration with our customers, our basic concept evolved into a varied suite of safety tools including: the UK’s first wireless proximity warning system, tailored proximity warning systems for use on dumpers or plant with extendable equipment like buckets, and anti-collision features for forklifts that automatically slow down when a tag is detected. The safety capability has extended where most needed, targeted, useful but most of all, relevant.
Perhaps the most complete solution to date is SmartBubble, which enhances the performance of
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our core PWS in a completely new way. We listened to our clients, their feedback and needs, and developed SmartBubble to enable automation of authorised approach to a plant vehicle. It monitors a machine to determine if it’s static and in a ‘safe state’. In which case the exclusion zone surrounding it is reduced, allowing people to work around the machine without the proximity alarms going off. As soon as any vehicle safety features are disengaged, the exclusion zone reverts to its previous settings automatically. It’s a ‘smart’ function.
DON’T FORGET THE HEALTH IN H&S As we continue to help our PWS to evolve organically, we are also driven by the simple fact that improved safety enhances occupational health. An employee’s level of wellbeing affects their working and personal lives.
The HSE’s injury and fatality figures suggest that spatial awareness is still an area of weakness when personnel work in close proximity to vehicles and plant. For example, the 2018 HSE construction industry statistics show that being struck by a vehicle is among the top five causes of injury.
The HSE also reports on the instances of work- related stress in the construction industry, which is one of several high-risk sectors with personnel/ vehicular interaction. It was reported that 82,000 construction workers have suffered from ill health at work. A quarter of that number was due to stress, anxiety and depression.
We have had feedback from plant operators who are constantly concerned about collision risks at work. It’s only logical that their stress levels are going to increase, and this is more significant on busy sites where they use large machinery with blind spots. Such stresses can be alleviated with intelligent development and use of technology.
Our team will continue to listen to end-users talk about their safety concerns and observations and embrace innovation through collaboration. Technological development only becomes more efficient if it is purposeful. Workers who feel safer, perform better. Employers that invest in workers’ wellbeing, reap the economic benefits of a happier, healthier and more productive workforce, and build a more esteemed brand.
www.proximitywarning.com
www.tomorrowshs.com
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