The coronavirus pandemic has caused employers to rethink their safety practices in the workplace. Like the rest of us, you have likely been reading guidelines, visiting websites, consulting with legal professionals and attending webinars about safety protocols, including social distancing, temperature screenings, staggered work shifts, and limiting face-to-face meetings. Experts predict this emphasis on safety is here to stay and will become the “new normal.”
It should come as no surprise that Big Tech is jumping on the opportunity to design and create new technology to assist with monitoring and managing employee safety protocols at work.
J.P. Gownder, VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester, predicts that in a year, a proliferation of both wearables and personal protective equipment (PPE) will be used in combination to keep workers safe while on the job.
One possible solution that already exists is wearable wristbands. Currently, the technology is geared towards alerting workers if they get too close to something dangerous such as a live power line.
However, considering worker safety during and post-COVID, the same technology can be reprogrammed to alert workers when they get too close to each other, supporting social distancing measures. Imagine a slight buzz on your wrist letting you know you are too close to somebody else. The wristbands are being developed to communicate with each other and send the signal if they come within six feet.
Developers say the wristbands can also be used for contact tracing in the event that an employee has been exposed or tested positive for COVID-19.
Experts say helmets, goggles, ear protection, employee badges and boots can also be turned into data gathering devices by installing this new technology.
While the technology to create wearables that assists employers with monitoring and managing safety in the workplace currently exists, violating employee privacy laws remains an inhibiting factor in the discussion. Is it legal? Is it safe? Where will the data be stored?
There will likely be more developments when it comes to wearable technology, so hold on to your helmets!
