Safety as an industry is somewhat slow to adopt new technology. Years after the release of a popular smartphone app that streamlines jobsite inspection, it is almost a given that a site safety manager uses the app today. After my initial chuckles about the Apple Watch release, I started to think about wearable tech’s application for safety. Specifically, how could a wearable device, like the Apple Watch, impact worker safety?
Safety as an industry is somewhat slow to adopt new technology. Years after the release of a popular smartphone app that streamlines jobsite inspection, it is almost a given that a site safety manager uses the app today. After my initial chuckles about the Apple Watch release, I started to think about wearable tech’s application for safety. Specifically, how could a wearable device, like the Apple Watch, impact worker safety?
A 45-year-old pipefitter who was wearing four layers of clothing – including a chemical suit - while he worked died on the job in March at a petroleum refinery in Norco, Lousiana.
More than 200,000 users have downloaded the OSHA Heat Safety Tool since its launch in 2011. This spring, OSHA released a new version of the app for Apple devices, with full-screen color alerts, improved navigation and accessibility options.
Last year was the hottest year on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) That didn't surprise the experts; nine of the ten hottest years have happened since 2000. The health-related consequences of extreme heat are evident in a statistic from OSHA: 30 workers die from heat stroke in an average year -- and not just in the sunbelt.
Polar Products, a body cooling manufacturer in Northeast Ohio, has developed an innovative new portable, collapsible cold water immersion system to facilitate the rapid cooling of persons experiencing exertional heat illness, heat stress and heat stroke.
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels and National Weather Service Deputy Director Laura Furgione have renewed their agencies’ joint effort to help workers avoid excessive heat – and the health dangers that come with it.
