Employers across all industries are “aggressively implementing digital transformation frameworks,” says Nels Anderson, business director – health and safety solutions, TSI Inc.
“Digital transformation fundamentally changes how companies operate,” he said. “The occupational health and safety landscape is no exception. Industrial hygienists and safety professionals today often struggle to keep up with increasing workloads under constrained budgets. Advances in instrumentation and monitoring solutions are using connectivity, multiple-risk-parameter assessment and advanced analytical software to reduce non-value-added tasks through improving efficiency in gathering and analyzing data and coming to data-based conclusions more quickly.”
These advances also allow “managers to identify and constructively address unsafe operating behaviors,” said Jeff Martin, vice president of global sales strategy at Lytx.
“When managers … can address skills improvement in a proactive and constructive manner, they’re taking smart and strategic steps to ensure employee safety and well-being, while protecting the communities in which they serve,” he said.
What are some specific examples?
Anderson provided this one: “Industrial hygienists typically begin a workplace risk assessment by measuring exposure levels of identified hazards with portable survey tools. Today, these initial site surveys are often made with only brief ‘snapshots’ of measured parameters – noise, gas, dust, etc.
“However, emerging research indicates that exposure levels often vary widely over both time and space in industrial settings. Capturing short durations of data at limited locations may be distorting the true hazard exposure levels on workers.”
He added, “Few industrial hygienists have the time and resources to collect and analyze an increased quantity of exposure data using the previous methods or generation of instruments. There are just too many risks to assess, reports to write and people to train. An effective way to overcome this challenge is to use an array of sensors and instruments that collect data with longer temporal range and finer spatial granularity. If this data can be easily collected on the same timescale in one data analysis platform, a single IH can become more effective and efficient at assessing risks.”
Martin offered this example: “Drivers, along with logistics, dispatch and customer service, are optimizing operations using fleet tracking and weather alerts to locate and safely and efficiently guide drivers and fleet techs through construction, closures and weather events to ensure safety. The benefit of saving lives and creating safer workplaces is priceless. Therefore, employers and workers have a deeper understanding and incentive to adopt video safety and telematics as part of their tech tools.”
Carlos Aviña, vice president of customer success at StrongArm Technologies, shared this final thought.
“These tools are most effective when seen as part of a broader safety culture – not as surveillance, but as support. They work best when paired with communication, trust and a shared goal of reducing injuries. When workers understand how data is used and how it benefits them, adoption and impact both improve.”
Compiled with the assistance of the International Safety Equipment Association
Coming next month:
- Heat protection
- Safety software
