It looks like this year is going to be another challenging time for health and safety professionals who’ll need to adapt to constantly changing Covid rules. As we struggle to process what we’ve experienced during the pandemic there will be a definite focus on wellbeing in the workplace. The adoption of new wearable technology and personalised PPE is also predicted to grow to enhance health and safety.

Workplace wellbeing
Developing and fostering a culture where employees can openly and freely discuss mental health issues is being given a higher priority on the corporate agenda. A huge number of people have been emotionally affected by the pandemic and it’s widely recognised that workplace health and safety is no longer just about physical health.What’s more, we’re now starting to feel the sharp economic impacts of the pandemic and experiencing the highest rate of inflation in 30 years. The dramatic increase in food, energy and other household bills is adding an extra layer of anxiety and stress to people’s lives. To retain and support staff during this difficult time many companies will be looking to put a financial
wellbeing strategy in place.

Wearable technology
There’s lots of innovative and highly sophisticated technology emerging in the health and safety sector. The most widely used wearable technology are proximity warning sensors which are hard hats with receivers fitted to them - just like our MyZone Worker Alert System.

Wristwatches for the risk management of hand-arm vibrations and real-time tracking devices for lone workers are a couple of the wearables that are currently available. Some wearable technology is still at an early stage of adoption, the two main factors being data and cost.

Data: some employees don’t like the idea of data being kept and stored about them. They feel it’s an infringement of their privacy - a bit like having ‘Big Brother’ at work.

Cost: until there’s greater adoption of the technology and higher volumes sold, the cost will remain a barrier for many companies.

We’ve developed our MyZone Worker Alert System to address both of these issues. Our proximity warning equipment uses a very low radio frequency (125kHz). autonomous from any IP network, allowing employees to take control of their own personal exclusion area. No data is collected and our simple to use solution comes at a very affordable price.

Wearable technology is becoming more widely adopted. *The global wearable sensor market is set to grow and will be worth $5,208.05 million by 2028.

PPE investment for higher compliance
Rather than bulk purchasing PPE, companies will opt for a more customised and personalised approach based on comfort and performance to improve compliance. If the equipment is comfortable, lightweight and looks more like everyday clothing then workers won’t view it as PPE. We will see a shift towards lighter fabrics and designs that balance comfort and performance, eye protection that looks like everyday eyewear and more female-specific PPE.

From the 6th April you’ll need to make sure you provide suitable PPE for all workers, including casual workers. Visit the HSE website to see how the law is changing:

Source: newswire.com