Workplace-related injuries cost employers billions of dollars annually, and there’s no price tag on low morale and worker confidence following an injury. However, the investment in technology for workplace safety can significantly reduce these costs and effects. It’s easy to see why manufacturers continually work towards safer environments, and technology provides many new opportunities for them to improve.
Reduced Proximity to Danger
One of the most immediate benefits of technology in terms of safety has been the steady decrease in human interaction necessary for production processes. Automated processes and robotic solutions also prevent people from interacting with hazardous products and dangerous procedures.
Along with the ability to work much faster than humans, automated processes also help reduce human error. For example, a machine can execute repetitive tasks safely and with precision, while people must take great care to avoid injury when performing repetitive tasks. A small error in movement can lead to a significant injury.
Engineered safety solutions are also preferred over those that require workers to follow complex safety procedures whenever possible. Our team encountered this when helping a customer in the consumer goods industry improve the safety of a procedure following an injury. The original method relied on a tedious, manual “lockout/tag out” process. The engineered solution used an area scanner and light curtain to drastically reduce the possibility of human error.
Monitoring and Analysis

As manufacturers integrate more monitoring devices and systems, they can more accurately track and analyze safety data. For example, the status of machines and equipment can be monitored, including data points such as pressure and temperature. Digital video surveillance provides even more data points.
The latest technology often enables real-time analysis of this data. Manufacturers can now predict and prevent malfunctions and adverse conditions that could lead to hazardous situations. Should conditions arise that pose a threat to workers, operators can be alerted and action taken more quickly than ever before.
Wearable Devices
Wearable devices allow workers to be monitored and their biometric data tracked. One way this data can be used is to identify fatigue and remind workers to take breaks when necessary. Movements that could lead to injuries can also be detected, and the worker alerted. Working conditions can be monitored to reduce or avoid risks, such as extended exposure to dangerous temperatures.
Workers can also be notified through wearables to use protective equipment and be reminded of safety procedures when entering hazardous areas. For example, if they are entering an area where noise levels are dangerously high, they can receive an alert to use an ear protection device.
Sensors interacting with machinery and wearables can also provide alerts and warning systems to help people avoid collisions, falls, or moving too close to dangerous moving parts.
Training and Education
Understanding proper procedures and techniques is critical to improving workplace safety, and technology allows for more comprehensive and engaging training materials. For example, interactive simulations allow workers to practice their knowledge in various situations and may be more engaging than books and lectures.
Training for hazardous situations using virtual reality technology is another way to prepare workers for potentially dangerous situations safely. For example, workers can practice safety procedures and emergency protocols for a variety of dangerous scenarios in a controlled environment. That way, they are better prepared to execute safety processes.
Preparing for the Future
For most manufacturers, maintaining a strong bottom line means implementing safety technology by integrating it with existing machinery whenever possible rather than replacing old systems entirely.
Quad Plus puts its industry experience to work every day to integrate new technologies and retrofit equipment in every industry. When you’re ready to boost the safety of your operations with a price tag that makes sense, contact Jim Woulf at jwoulf@quadplus.com or call (920) 515-4155.
