Employee Safety Hazards: How Technology Can Protect Our Health In The Workplace

An estimated 2.3 million employees are affected by safety hazards each year, according to the International Labour Organization.

Workplace safety is a matter of great importance to both employers and employees. It is the main determiner of whether the workflow is maintained. Hence, as technology advances to cope with the challenges of the novel coronavirus and the changes in improving safety for all employees. Here’s how technology can protection our health in the workplace. 

Fire and Electric Hazards

When working in confined spaces, fire and electrical hazards are constantly presentdangers in the workplace. In fact, electrical malfunctions caused approximately 22% of all workplace fires, according to ECMag.There is also the risk of electrical hazards as it affects mostly construction workers and technicians. Not to mention, Electrical hazards cause over 300 deaths and 4,000 injuries each year in the US. 

Technology being put in place to combat this hazard is the continuous temperature monitoring device. These sensors can be mounted on electrical implements for early detection of overheating. They can also be made to monitor entire rooms to provide another layer of fire detection, aside from the usual smoke alarms. This is especially useful since electrical fires don’t always produce smoke. 

Slips, Trips, and Falls In The Workplace

According to 1800 Injured, slip and fall cases are generally known as premise liability cases. They’re also among the most common injuries in the workplace. Torn muscles and broken bones are recurring among blue-collar workers, for example. There are two main technological solutions available to mitigate these hazards. The first is to make flooring more slip- and trip-proof. 

This is done by the use of abrasive floor coating, grippy decking material, or even just laying grip-improving floor mats. Alternatively, companies can invest in footwear with anti-slip properties such as tread grooves. Still, these solutions won’t guarantee 100% protection against slipping risks in the workplace. 

Health and Biological Hazards

Employees come from all corners of life. Hence, there is a high risk of catching and spreading disease. One current example is the current COVID-19 outbreak of 2020. The pandemic was so widespread and potent that it caused a workplace activity to freeze worldwide. This event has also brought the vulnerability of workers and fast-spreading disease into light. Not to mention, raise awareness of our limited disease-prevention measures.  

Innovative solutions are being mobilized against health threats in the workplace. A notable example is a Florida-based organization, Flagler Health+. With Healthfully, a digital health platform, they released a mobile app with a variety of healthcare features. The app guides employees through self-screening procedures. It also lets them know when they’re close to infected individuals. Also, the app gives them access to remote checkups quickly and easily. 

The best way to workplace safety is to cut threats off at the source. However, even the best-laid plans can go awry. Thus, the best strategy employers can do is to set out contingencies and provisions for emergencies in the workplace.