How AI wearable technologies are transforming the UK’s Health and Safety sector
Workplace injuries have a huge impact on a business’s performance and productivity. According to the latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive, the total number of cases of work-related musculoskeletal injuries in 2021/22 in the UK was 477,000, and a more recent 2023 survey conducted by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) and Simplyhealth, found that 51% of long term sickness absences in the UK are caused by musculoskeletal injuries. AI wearable technologies can help to dramatically reduce those injury figures and collect and track detailed data from employees to better understand where the biggest risks to workplace safety originate allowing businesses to improve productivity and workplace wellbeing.
The artificial intelligence [AI] wearable device market for health and safety monitoring has been growing in the US where the market is more mature. In the UK wearable solutions are just starting to be adopted by businesses , with new AI health and safety monitoring devices like the Modjoul SmartBelt and WearHealth exoskeleton scanning technology bringing exciting and disruptive change. Wearable devices bring with them a new way of harnessing detailed data that can help inform future Health and Safety policy within organisations as it has the ability to monitor and report back on ergonomic activities in the workplace. Granular reporting on bends, twists, stooping, crouching, reaching, and carrying, can then be processed in great detail to offer insights into global workforce risk analysis.
These technologies often work together as part of a holistic solution with each technology forming part of a dynamic ecosystem. Each one plays its role in keeping the worker safe. Let’s take a closer look at some of the technologies included in the latest wearable devices currently on offer:
How does the technology work?
Products such as the Modjoul SmartBelt will produce haptic feedback to help workers correct their posture when bending, lifting, or twisting. Each of these individual movements is recorded and analysed to help build a picture of the risk and see if there are patterns emerging from the data.
For example, bends of 60 degrees or more — when a worker bends over at the waist rather than using their legs to pick up an item — is one of the riskiest movements and a leading cause of workplace injuries. The Modjoul SmartBelt closely tracks these movements, and its research has found that these types of movement decline rapidly within 10-25 hours of wearing the SmartBelt as new muscle memories are formed. The same applies to exoskeleton technology where wearers are not only aided by the exoskeleton when lifting heavy weights, but the wearable technology helps to retrain the muscles to lift and move more safely, and with less risk of injury.
Modjoul SmartBelt Dashboard
In jobs that require a lot of physical lifting and stretching in environments like warehousing and construction, it is the newer staff that are often at most at risk of injury. In fact, wearable technology statistics show us that within the first two months of employment, there is a 70% increased risk of injury and that 1 in 8 of all workplace injuries happen on an employee’s first few weeks on the job.
We can see that AI algorithms can identify patterns and factors that contribute to the occurrence of injuries, which means that HR and training managers can ensure that they proactively intervene to minimise risks through targeted training and improved awareness. Predictive analytics can also help managers to optimise work schedules, how workload is distributed, and task assignments to minimise the likelihood of injuries.
Exoskeleton solutions
Exoskeleton suits are increasingly being used in the UK workplace to help keep workers safe when carrying out high impact repetitive activities. One of the newest players on the UK market, WearHealth, matches the right exoskeleton suit to the activity being performed. Video scanning technology is used to assess a particular task, make recommendations for exoskeleton suits and then report on this with sensor analysis of the activity. The sensors are worn by the worker to allow for analysis of an appropriate exosuit and determine comfort and support based on real time data generated during the task. The right exoskeleton for that task can then be fitted and used to mitigate risk and improve productivity.
Anti-collision technology
Another benefit of wearable technology is the ability to keep the workplace environment safe. For example, when people and machines operate together in close proximity, the likelihood for workplace accidents inevitably rises. The statistics bear this out. In the UK, between 2016-2019, 43% of forklift truck incidents involved impact with a third person and 65% of these involved pedestrians unconnected with the activities of the forklift. These figures from the UK Materials Handling Association clearly show that danger is heightened when people work in an environment that contains mechanical vehicles such as forklift trucks, diggers and cranes. However, AI wearable technology is tackling this issue head on to help cut workplace accidents. For example, Modjoul’s wearable SmartBelt communicates with forklift drivers and other workers in the vicinity, while simultaneously measuring ergonomics and environmental factors. If a forklift is nearby the technology will alert both the driver of the forklift and the individual concerned so that they can avoid each other. This is particularly useful in areas where vision may be restricted such as blind corners. It means that in workplaces where workers and machines co-exist together, processes can operate more safely than ever before.
The devices simultaneously collect data and measure ergonomics and environmental factors ensuring that there is detailed data into potential near misses in specific zones.
Data collection
One of the key benefits of all these wearable AI technology solutions is the detailed data it collects related to the workplace environment, and the operations carried out. They all provide real time data which continuously measures and tracks progress. They also pinpoint issues, provide risk assessment of specific tasks, and be customised to fit specific situations. This data is invaluable in helping the workplace to operate more efficiently.
The data that is collected is stored in a secure cloud and it allows the employer to look for weaknesses in their health and safety operations and make interventions where necessary. Once weak points have been identified and a comprehensive plan of action has been drawn up, organisations can adopt a more proactive approach to risk management providing more focused training that utilises the wearable technology alongside traditional desk based training methods to help bring about gradual behaviour change across an organisation. The changes can be tracked using real time data, target setting and ongoing assessments.
The wearable technologies coming on stream in the UK are really exciting, providing real disruptive change to an area of workplace wellbeing that is already benefiting from the advantages that AI can provide.