Health and safety has come a long way in the workplace as businesses recognize that they have a duty of care to their employees. New technology has played a significant role in this improvement and continues to change the way personnel are kept safe in the workplace.
Preventing accidents and illness is a priority for any conscientious business, and your employees will be better off for it. Here are some examples of how business technology is being used to maintain good health and safety standards in the workplace.
PPE
The UK has seen massive growth in the production and use of PPE more than 35 billion products were produced in 2020 alone. Much of this has to do with the COVID-19 pandemic and management’s responsibility to employees for their safety while at work.
PPE is equipment used to reduce exposure to workplace hazards that cause illness or injury. It comes in many forms, including safety helmets, gloves, eye masks and face masks.
Fight against diseases
Pandemics like COVID-19 have also spurred innovation in tracking and preventing the spread of disease and illness in the workplace. The Track and Trace app is just one example of how technology has kept dangerous disease out of the workplace by notifying people when they have been in contact with someone who is positive for the virus.
Physical measures to combat the disease are also used like the plastic sheets that were used to divide the workplaces. This was important during the pandemic for businesses to operate in accordance with government guidelines and ensure the safety of employees.
More secure tools
Injuries in the UK construction industry cost up to £16.2 billion a year so it makes perfect sense that tools and equipment adapt to improve safety at work. Power tools and heavy machinery have built-in safety devices, meaning that in the event of a malfunction, the operator is not at risk of losing a limb or worse.
Similar technology has been developed in portable power tools that make them safer for employees to use, such as the SawStop. Electrical signals are monitored so that when other material is detected, the blade stops before damage can be done.
Registration technology
As hybrid work becomes more popular, check-in technology is quickly becoming part of the norm. It’s a game changer for employees, as it makes it easy to track who’s in the office and who’s working from home.
Table reservation systems also fall under this industry and allow employees to book tables at any time on the spot. This then gives employers an accurate log of where people are and is useful in the event of a fire and helps with search and tracing.
About the author of the message
Relatives
Business technology to help with health and safety in the workplace