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WORKPLACE SAFETY


EXOSKELETON SOLUTIONS Wearable AI technology can also be used to feed back to managers about ergonomic activities in the workplace. This technology helps to ensure compliance around health and safety regulations, cut accident rates and ensure that productivity rates remain high. Technology providers like WearHealth, match the right exoskeleton suit to the activity being performed to ensure their usual daily tasks can be performed without the risk of a back injury. The process is straightforward. Video scanning technology is used by a specialist safety consultant to assess a particular task. The worker is videoed performing a task, which is then processed by an algorithm to assess risk. An ergonomist reviews the data to take into consideration the weight carried, static movement and scheduled breaks. From this data, a detailed report is written to make recommendations to the management team on the best exoskeleton suit to fit that task. Once a suit is selected from the recommendations, the organisation can trial its effectiveness using sensors on the neck, leg, and arm. The activity is conducted without the suit to provide a benchmark and then the sensors are worn whilst wearing the exosuit to demonstrate the improvement comparison metrics. Once the right exoskeleton suit has been selected, it can be used to help keep workers safe when carrying out high impact repetitive activities. Granular reporting on bends, twists, stooping, crouching, reaching and carrying, can be processed in great detail to offer insights into a global workforce risk analysis.


BEHAVIOUR CHANGE TECHNOLOGY For jobs that require a lot of physical lifting and stretching in environments like warehousing and construction, it is mostly the


new onboarded staff that are at most at risk of injury. In fact, wearable technology statistics show us that within the first two months of employment, there is a 70 per cent increased risk of injury and that one in eight of all workplace injuries happen during an employee’s first few weeks on the job. Targeted use of wearable technology like the Modjoul SmartBelt device, emits haptic feedback when a risky movement is performed and this will start to change the behaviour of the worker. The Modjoul SmartBelt is able to generate feedback to management in real time, delivering analytic reports showing which activities are


contributing to the potential occurrence of injuries. This data allows managers to proactively intervene to minimise risks if dangerous patterns of movement are regularly occurring. Predictive analytics can also help optimise work schedules, make sure that workload is distributed evenly and moderate task assignments for particular workers to reduce the likelihood of injuries.


RETURN ON INVESTMENT


These AI solutions do come at a cost and the initial outlay needs to be justified by the business. However, evidence is already proving the value and returns of these solutions not only in the reduction of workplace accidents and injury, but also in ensuring that health and safety regulations are rigorously complied with. As well as this, products like the Modjoul SmartBelt have the capacity to be utilised in different ways. It can be worn by workers to improve bending, stretching and lifting technique and also to assist with collision avoidance on the warehouse floor. The granular data generated by the devices allows employers for the first time to focus on providing more comprehensive targeted training based on risk analysis. The data can then be tracked post-training to ensure that employees act on the training they have had on risk avoidance or manual handling. Where issues are identified, wearable technology can be used to help to reinforce correct movement and avoid potential injury. Introducing new technology can be daunting, but there are industry-leading companies to provide support and guidance every step of the way. Stanley www.stanleyhandling.co.uk


INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE | SUMMER 2024 23


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