Workplace safety programs are traditionally reactive, dependent on observation, experience and incident history to guide improvement efforts. But technology is beginning to drive change.

Today, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital safety technologies are helping metalworking and manufacturing facilities be proactive—by spotting risks earlier and preventing injuries before they happen.

Key Safety Technologies for the Workplace

In 2020, the National Safety Council launched the Work to Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate workplace fatalities by 2050 through adopting emerging technology. NSC identified more than a dozen categories of technology solutions that safely monitor environments without direct human intervention, train workers on potentially hazardous situations without real risk, and alert when people or objects enter unsafe areas.

Together, these tools provide visibility into hazards and enable data-driven decision-making around safety.

Computer Vision Systems

Using cameras combined with AI-based software, computer vision systems monitor the workplace for unsafe conditions in real time and alert managers of potential problems.

These systems can recognize potential injury risks, such as workers operating at height, slip and trip hazards, and people entering restricted areas. Computer vision systems also can track PPE compliance.

“For instance, if a warehouse requires the use of hard hats or high-visibility vests in specific areas, computer vision can be trained to identify the requirement area and whether or not the appropriate PPE is being used,” NSC explains in a white paper. “If a person is not properly wearing their hard hat, this can be flagged instantly, allowing management to intervene and ensure safe work conditions and compliance with utilization of PPE as stated in the organization’s policy.”

Read more: Mind Over Matter: Using AI to Make Manufacturing Safer

Connected PPE and Wearable Sensors

Personal protective equipment is becoming smarter, adding a new layer of protection beyond traditional gear. Connected PPE and wearable sensors monitor environmental conditions, worker movements and biomarkers, and potential exposure risks in real time, alerting supervisors before an incident occurs.

Devices incorporated into hard hats and vests, for example, can monitor workers for signs of fatigue, heat stress, collisions and falls. Connected gas monitors can warn of hazardous air conditions.

Anne Osbourn, industrial segment manager for the U.S. and Canada at MSA Safety, shares an example of a contractor who was called in to respond to a gas leak on-site, armed with an ALTAIR io 4 Gas Detection Wearable.

“Before the contractor showed up, the gas detectors were alarming but not showing readings to the users, so they knew gas was present, but they did not understand the context, which was leading to confusion and delays in productivity,” Osbourn says. “They did not have the proper data or insights to help them understand what was really going on or to make decisions.”

With the connected device, the contractor helped the employer gather real-time readings and ultimately decide to shut down the job. “This ended up being really enlightening to their organization and leadership teams, when they discovered how having this type of data helps to make safe, informed decisions,” she says.

What to Do with All That Safety Data

Smart safety technologies generate large volumes of data, which can quickly turn into overwhelming noise—unless there is a plan to leverage it. The real value of data lies in how the information is used.

“By itself, a properly calibrated and bump-tested gas detector is a powerful personal protective device,” Osbourn says. “But a connected work platform combines real-time data, connected PPE and advanced software solutions to help provide more visibility across workers, worksites and workflows.”

Data can be powerful in a number of ways. Osbourn says that it helps employers and safety managers:

• Identify core problems such as device maintenance or hazard exposure risks.

• Understand workers’ use of connected devices and opportunities to correct or reward behavior.

• Gather focused insights on organizational goals and metrics.

• Develop a clear picture of worker and worksite needs, from processes to equipment.

• Conduct data-driven conversations with leadership showing the value of a safety program and investment in connected devices.

Taking the First Step: Digitization

Ansell is putting data in the hands of employers and safety managers to demystify the PPE selection process.

Through its AnsellGUARDIAN™ program, the company has conducted more than 20,000 hazard assessments across several industries that deliver compliance support and tailored PPE recommendations. Recently, the long-serving program evolved to add Ansell SafeConnect™.

“It’s a digital portal where our customers can access each of the Guardian assessments that have been done for them. SafeConnect aggregates all the results so they can more effectively streamline, communicate and standardize their PPE selections, making it easier for their staff to know what PPE to use anywhere on-site,” says Ben Sepe, director of Ansell Global Guardian.

“It also has additional tools and capabilities to help track daily safety events such as hazard observations, audits, PPE inspections and injury reporting,” he says.

“Technologies that have brought intelligence, data analysis and digital usages to the safety industry have helped dramatically with accessibility of information,” Sepe adds.

Read more: How AI and the Industrial Internet Will Revolutionize Manufacturing

Osbourn says it’s important to remember that digital transformation doesn’t happen overnight. “It’s a journey. And a great place to start is thinking about going from paper to digital. Think about the processes you might already be doing today and how you can make those more efficient by digitizing so that you can add more productivity back to your programs.”

The information from Ansell’s Guardian assessments—a documented floor plan, a catalog of hazards, and recommended PPE for each application—is digitized overnight and available to employers the next morning. “It gives you a fantastic day-one starting point to a digital safety program,” Sepe says.

“I see this shift as simply modernizing the way that we digest information, the expectations of what it looks like to work in 2025 and beyond,” he explains. “It includes a lot of these technologies that are common in the consumer industry and brings it to your day-to-day work life, especially in safety.”