Wearable technology is making work safer

A new report predicts that the use of wearable safety technology will increase significantly during the next few years.

Grand View Research has looked at the growth of wearable technology and says that PPE (personal protective equipment) is no longer restricted to hard hats, filter masks and steel-capped boots. Sensors built into workwear can dramatically change the approach to workplace safety. Sensors identify hazards and warn workers. Supervisors can track the location of workers and communicate with sensors to make sure that the employees are safe and protected.

Smart glasses have lens displays that alert wearers to risk. Sensors can identify if workers are using the correct protective workwear. Gloves, for example, will warn wearers if they are being used in hazardous zones that they are not designed for.

Grand View Research believes that there could be future health and safety legislation that mandates the use of smart technology for specified hazardous environments, especially in manufacturing plants, construction, sites and the oil and gas industry.

The latest wearable technology will be exhibited at the Intersec show in Dubai on January 2020, a conference and exhibition for security, fire protection and safety. The Intersec show director, Andreas Rex, said PPE with smart technology:

“…will be in the vanguard of improved workforce protection and will be a key factor in the overall segment’s development.”

Governments and the private sector are looking for better ways to protect workers, and smart PPE could be a key factor in creating safer working environments.