Implement Safety Tech with Real Impact

Emerging technologies create new ways for safety professionals and businesses to reduce risk and prevent serious injury in the workplace.

Safety tech require significant time, planning, expertise and investment to succeed. The right tools, technologies, and teams must all align to create a successful solution. Read on to learn more…

Big data, artificial intelligence and increased connectivity are the way of the future. When used correctly, emerging technologies can enhance efficiencies and improve WHS outcomes

There are many benefits to safety tech, but careful consideration should be given before commencing implementation. Considerable investment is required, not only for software and hardware, but also education, consultation and change management

The very nature of emerging technologies means that the playing field is always changing. Very few HSE specialists have strong tech capabilities and project management experience.

Get your tech solution right and you could reap big rewards. Get it wrong and you could jeopardise future trust and investment.

In 2020 Australia Post set out to reduce risks to pedestrians in their dock areas. Collaborating with Google machine learning, they implemented a new technology solution designed to monitor and intelligently identify exposure to risk. 

The quality and quantity of the information collected in this project revealed the true scale and nature of dock safety exposures. Rather than focus on individual issues or take punitive measures, Australia Post used the data to identify broad trends. Site managers had the insights needed to drive effective behaviour change and improve the physical environment.

Rod Maule, General Manager Safety and Wellbeing at Australia Post said the project well-exceeded targets and made a good test-case for adopting emerging technologies elsewhere in the organisation. “We’ve had a 98% reduction in exposures of people to forklifts and people working in exclusion zones,” he explained at a recent Safe Step HSE Leaders’ Forum.

The project also led to unintended benefits including process improvements, workflow design and other unanticipated efficiencies

• Take a phased approach. Use successes and failures to refine the project. Provide proof of concept to garner support for future tech rollouts. Allow time for people to develop trust in the data and adjust behaviours. 
• Consider security, privacy and fairness issues related to the project. What are the ethical implications associated with using emerging safety technologies? 
• Establish a multidisciplinary team to govern the project, including senior managers from IT, safety and other relevant departments.
• Focus on what the numbers are telling you. Use data to identify trends, rather than as a tool for taking punitive measures. 
• Educate and consult widely. Ensure all areas of the organisation understand the purpose of the project, have opportunities to ask questions and express concerns. Use cultural change frameworks to support the introduction of emerging tech.

These are some of the many things workplace health and safety professionals should consider in order to elevate a safety strategy through the use of technology

Has your safety team got the capabilities and experience to implement a new safety tech solution? Do you need assistance developing a digital safety strategy? As Australia’s leading recruitment and search consultancy specialising in Health, Safety, Environment and Wellbeing, we can connect you with safety tech specialists on either a permanent or temporary project basis.

If you are needing support or guidance in framing a new tech initiative, we can assist in scoping the project, understanding your resourcing needs and help connect you with the right HSE people to deliver with impact.