GREATER VISIBILITY FOR A SAFER WORKPLACE.

The minute an employee walks onto a manufacturing floor, enters a hospital, or switches on a forklift, their company must do everything possible to protect that worker’s health and safety.

Companies in manufacturing, construction, healthcare, and other high-risk industries are required by law to maintain worker protection programs, and environmental health and safety (EHS) guidelines are intended to minimize injuries. Still, the U.S. endured 2.3 million workplace injuries in 2022, a 4.5% increase from the previous year.¹

Hard hats, safety vests, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are essential, but not enough. And new investments in worker safety are rarely seen as revenue-generating, so there’s little incentive to boost spending. This helps explain why many EHS programs continue to rely on outdated technologies and processes.

Every year, millions of workers file compensation claims.³ At an average of $41,353 per claim, costs related to workplace injuries add up quickly.⁴

By deploying 5G-enabled smart cameras in work areas, you can better protect both your workforce and your bottom line. Cameras and other computer vision technologies can lead to fewer accidents and injuries, reduced medical and insurance costs, fewer regulatory fines, less downtime, and improved productivity. And just as important, investment in these solutions contributes to a healthier and more loyal workforce, boosting talent retention and strengthening your company’s reputation.

The CTO of a manufacturing company that provides construction equipment is an early adopter of this kind of innovative approach. The executive, who was interviewed by a researcher on our behalf, recounted how their organization implemented perimeter cameras as part of a workplace safety strategy. The fixed cameras identify if employees are getting too close to heavy equipment, so corrective action can be taken. The company also invested in wearable safety gear to monitor biometrics and provide alerts if a worker experiences a health issue.

Prior to these improvements, some workers expressed concerns that they didn’t have enough safety precautions in place. That prompted discussions with the labor union. “This was a perceived solution that came out of the negotiations—that we needed to put in technology for the people,” the CTO said.

Following a pilot program, perceptions about workplace safety changed. “The workers were pretty happy, and everybody felt safer,” the CTO said. That included the workers’ union, which had pushed for improvements. “So that was the big thing.”