Denver — A finalist in last year’s competition, MākuSafe and its wearable connected worker and safety data analytics solution claimed the top prize in the 2025 Safety Innovation Challenge.
Aimed at bringing together business leaders and safety innovators to achieve the mission of preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders, the challenge took place Wednesday after the Closing Keynote of the 2025 NSC Safety Congress & Expo.
“In the past year, we have introduced MākuSafe Scout, which is a forklift safety solution,” said Tom West, the company’s vice president and global practice leader. “It’s really extending the capability of the robust technology that we built for another purpose.
“Numerous clients have been piloting this with us to reduce those pedestrian-forklift interactions by as much as 86% in three to six months.”
Scout enables forklifts to detect workers wearing an armband, providing operators with real-time risk indicators based on pedestrian density nearby. Unlike traditional collision-avoidance systems that rely on sudden stops or alarms, Scout’s data-driven approach, the company says, enhances operator awareness without disrupting operations.
The system also provides comprehensive analytics, helping safety leaders understand where and when the highest risk interactions occur – allowing for smarter decision-making and proactive safety interventions.
The other finalists: Amphealth’s AI-Native Human Performance Platform and Cerebrum Edge’s ErgoEdge artificial intelligence-powered digital ergonomics platform. Representatives from all three companies presented to the audience in the Mile High Ballroom of the Colorado Convention Center and then fielded questions from four panelists:
- Chris Barton, founder of Shazam and Wednesday’s Closing Keynote speaker
- Carla Gunnin, global director of governance and external affairs for Amazon’s Workplace Health and Safety Group
- Blake McGowan, director of ergonomics research at VelocityEHS
- Nick Smith, president of the National Safety Council
MākuSafe will receive a complementary one-year subscription to NSC’s Tech Hub Marketplace – the council’s searchable technology directory – and be eligible for NSC’s MSD Solutions Lab’s Pilot Grant Program.
Ten challenge semifinalists and their products were on display in the NSC Safety Technology Pavilion on the Expo Floor.
“Thank you to each and every one of our participants for their dedication in developing cutting-edge technology solutions that address MSDs and improve worker well-being,” NSC CEO Lorraine M. Martin said.
