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While occupational safety has improved dramatically in recent decades, millions of people still suffer injuries at work every day.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a whopping 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries were reported in 2020 alone, at great costs for both workers and their employers.
Keeping workers safe: 10 EHS technologies with a rapid financial return
Technological innovations available today can make operations more efficient and effective, and they can save lives.
In this article, we’ll explore those technology-driven solutions showing consistent results in terms of preventing workplace injury, improving worker well-being, and providing reliable financial return.
Mapping daily workplace hazards and technology to reduce risk
The National Safety Council has an ambitious target — to eliminate workplace fatalities by 2050 through the adoption of emerging technology.
As part of their “Work to Zero” initiative, they have identified the most common hazardous situations for heavy industry workers and the recommended technologies to reduce risk. Below we’ve selected some of the most common ones in the manufacturing industry:
Hot work – any activity that creates flame, heat or sparks (e.g. welding).
- Primary risk factors: explosion, fire, heat stress, oxygen deprivation
- Secondary risk factors: fatigue, improper load storage, improver machine handling, lack of training and others.
- Technology to reduce risk: digital gas monitors, permit to work, robotics
Learn more about implementing a Permit-to-Work software solution with TenForce.
Confined space entry – limited or restricted means of entry/exit, not designed for continuous occupation by workers.
- Primary risk factors: drowning, explosion, fire, inhalation of hazardous gases, oxygen deprivation, trench collapse
- Secondary risk factors: fatigue, faulty equipment, improper exit paths, improper PPE, lack of awareness of others, lack of equipment for fresh air, lack of training
- Technology to reduce risk: digital gas monitors, drones (UAVs), lone worker monitoring
Learn more about TenForce and Rombit wearables and lone worker assistance.
Work at height - when a worker is exposed to falling four to six feet or more from an unprotected edge where a person could potentially fall or injure themselves.
- Primary risk factors: falls, falling objects
- Secondary risk factors: adverse weather, fatigue, lack of training, platform failure
- Technology to reduce risk: drones, VR/AR, lone worker monitoring, permit to work, robotics, downed worker devices, fatigue monitoring and wearables.
Electrical work – installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical controls, wiring and work on lighting systems, general electrical maintenance, inspection of transformers and circuit assemblies, and assembly of cable harnesses.
- Primary risk factors: electrocution, explosion, fire, machine energization, struck by machine
- Secondary risk factors: improper machine handling, improper PPE, lack of training, machine malfunction
- Technology to reduce risks: permit to work, VR/AR
Repair & maintenance - work associated with the repairing, replacing, routine care and upkeep of a structure, vehicle, machinery, device, etc.
- Primary risk factors: electrical shock, entangled in machine, struck/crushed by machine equipment
- Secondary risk factors: equipment/machine malfunction, fatigue, hazardous terrain, improper clothing
- Technology to reduce risks: permit to work, VR/AR, robotics
Keeping workers safe: 10 EHS technologies with a rapid financial return
10 EHS technologies with rapid financial returns
According to the independent research and advisory firm, Verdantix, the adoption of EHS technology remains a priority, as organizations seek to maximize the productivity of a limited workforce and provide safe working environments during uncertain economic conditions.
Verdantix identifies 10 promising EHS technologies that deliver rapid financial returns by reducing compliance costs, mitigating worker accidents and improving worker productivity.
3 mature EHS technologies with widespread implementation
- EHS software solutions: Software to manage EHS processes is a widely deployed and mature technology category. Despite this, quantifying its cost savings to develop an internal business case can be a tall order for EHS leaders. Potential return-on-investment (ROI) timelines vary according to modules deployed, customer industry, number of users and country of deployment, to name a few aspects
- EHS mobile applications enabling on-site performance tracking: The solutions continue to provide positive financial returns through employee ease of use, by enabling company-wide access, quick identification and notifications for corrective actions.
- IoT sensors used for environmental and operational data collection: The two primary benefits realized by digitizing environmental monitoring via connected devices are the efficiency of collection and the accuracy of the recorded data.
4 growing technologies with a strong financial return track record
- EHS digital training to reduce non-compliance fines and administrative costs: EHS training programmes are vital for firms abiding by the OSHA general industry classification (or equivalent), handling hazardous materials, operating vehicle services or working with heavy equipment.
- Fleet safety telematics to improve fleet efficiency and mitigate worker accidents: Firms have implemented fleet safety telematics to optimize their fleet usage cost-efficiently. Fleet safety telematics leverage digital sensors and data analytics for live vehicle monitoring and route optimization.
- PSM software to prevent critical events and maintain asset integrity: Enterprise-scale process safety management (PSM) software is widely deployed in asset-intensive and high-risk industries to improve worker safety for large multi-site operations. Financial returns vary based on enterprise size, the modules used, and the locations at which solutions are implemented. PSM software can reduce the administrative cost of manual asset tracking and minimize financial penalties for mishandling hazardous materials
- UAVs (drones) for efficient high-risk inspections: Case study data shows that drones can reduce the time taken to complete at-height asset inspections by 81%, lowering staffing, scaffolding and injury costs.
3 recently launched technologies promising a high financial return
- AI-enabled compliance to automate resource-intensive processes: AI software can deliver rapid financial returns through time savings, and reduced fines and litigation fees. Other use cases include using AI, IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) and Augmented Reality to increase production efficiency, quality and maintenance. Read more on Continental and INEOS using AI to increase plant productivity.
- Computer vision for real-time risk identification: identify risks such as the incorrect use of personal protective equipment (PPE), musculoskeletal (MS) stresses, hazardous asset-worker interactions, fires, and dangers arising from working at height. The monitoring and recording of on-site risks 24/7 improves the ability of EHS teams to respond to accidents and will free up resources and present new data insights.
- Industrial wearables to track worker safety in high-risk environments: Beyond the apparent benefits of maintaining worker health and safety, industrial wearables generate financial returns by reducing worker downtime and mitigating potential work-site destruction caused by extreme events.
Meet TenForce live
Want to better understand the critical steps to success when scaling EHS software in the manufacturing industry? Join our next webinar on Scaling an EHSQ System Across the Organization to learn from 20+ years of TenForce and PDC software implementation history.
About us
TenForce is a dynamic company that provides an integrated EHSQ software platform dedicated to heavy industries. Our vision is to empower professionals around the world to focus on meaningful work in a safe environment. In 2021, we acquired the Texas-based PDC Corp. to mark our mutual commitment to enabling safe and sustainable manufacturing. Learn more.
Resources:
National Safety Council, Work-to-Zero: Recognizing Hazardous Situations, 2022
U.S. Bureau of Statistics, October 2022
Verdantix, 10 EHS Technologies With A Rapid Financial Return, October 2022
