If you could wear a single device and reduce your risk of injuries on the job, would you do it? That could be a question employers have for employees in the future, as new technology comes to light.
Could a wearable device reduce the number of accidents in the workplace? The use of these devices to reduce injuries to staff members is an idea that is gaining traction. With 6,300 people dying around the world every day from occupational accidents or workplace diseases, it’s no surprise that any technology that can help is embraced.
What kinds of wearable technology would help, though? Things like helmets with sensors that can alert employees to changing weather conditions, for example, could keep them safe when wind, rain, snow or other weather conditions could put them at risk. Visors and watches could do the same. Others could identify high-voltage areas or provide feedback on the employee’s heart rate or blood pressure.
It’s true that most gadgets today are aimed at the fitness market. However, that doesn’t mean that those devices couldn’t be helpful to workers in a variety of fields. One device that has been rolled out in Australia, for example, looks like a baseball hat. That hat measures the brain activity of the person wearing it, allowing the workplace to monitor how tired workers are. For the company using the SmartCap, they can see how tired their truck drivers are and potentially prevent accidents from taking place.
These pieces of technology may help in the future, but if you’re hurt today, you deserve to be compensated. Your attorney can help you navigate the workers’ compensation process, so you can get the money you need.
Source: Financial Times, “Wearable devices aim to reduce workplace accidents,” Jessica Twentyman, accessed June 30, 2016
