According to the International Labour Organisation, approximately 2.3 million workers die from work-related incidents yearly –this shocking statistic corresponds to over 6000 deaths every day.
Many of these deaths could have been prevented if proper measures were in place. Yet there are still companies that lack the necessary visibility into worksite operations for effective risk management.
Today, the modern solution is to employ cloud connected wearable technology. These devices share real time data insights so workers can quickly assess and respond to hazards and accidents.
To meet the rising need for advanced safety technology, Magellan X developed the SOL-X SmartWatch, a wearable IIoT device that helps to send emergency alerts, manage workloads, and track health and environment data. In furtherance of its commitment to advancing the state of the art in personal safety technology, Magellan X recently introduced 3 all-new features to enhance the already robust capabilities of the SOL-X SmartWatch: Fall Detection, Noise Monitoring and Alerts, and Broadcast Message.
01. Fall Detection
Falls from heights are one of the most common work-related accidents in industrial worksites. These types of accidents are not merely the results of slips or missteps. Site design and conditions, such as lack of physical barriers, fall protection systems, or proper maintenance of the working space, are key factors in determining the probability of such falls. When a fall from height incident occurs, the severity of the consequences of the fall will be dependent on the response time and quality of response.
In order to create an effective fall detection feature, Magellan X first identified these 3 pain points when it comes to detecting falls:
a. Speed of Response
A swift and effective response can mitigate the harm inflicted by falls. However, various circumstances may prevent a fall victim from receiving help in a timely manner. Workers may not be aware of the dangers a fellow colleague is in, and an isolated victim may be unable to call for help independently due to the injuries sustained. Workers who witnessed the fall may be in shock, resulting in a delayed or inadequate response.
b. Issues With Reporting
Critical information must be relayed in a timely and accurate manner. However, there can often be obstacles to communication. For instance, the lack of first-hand knowledge can lead to a misinterpretation of the severity of events. Workers may also be reluctant to report a fall if it was due to human error/incorrect behaviour.
c. Deliberate Falls
A worker may intentionally drop from a height to reach their destination faster. Such events are more likely if worksite configuration and layout make taking the designated pathways inconvenient. Of course, a worker should not disregard their safety for the sake of efficiency.
However, they may miscalculate the fall risk factor due to human error.
What is in This Feature
The SOL-X SmartWatch’s new fall detection feature was developed to address these 3 pain points.
If a fall is detected by the SmartWatch’s accelerometer, the device automatically sends an alert to the Dashboard with the worker’s identity and last known location. This information will enable a more efficient and precise response from a site manager to address the situation, potentially reducing the severity of the harm inflicted.
02. Noise Monitoring and Alerts
Singapore’s WSH Council reports noise to be a common occupational health hazard. Excessive or prolonged exposure to noise can cause acoustic trauma or hearing loss. It may also interfere with workers’ speech communication and their perception of warning signs. All of these can lead to disrupted job performance.
Equipment, machinery, and processes in industrial worksites often generate high noise levels. Most companies in hazardous industries establish a Hearing Conservation Programme to prevent noise-induced deafness (NID), which usually involves a professional noise survey performed by a specialist.
However, establishing such a programme and performing a noise survey report are typically labourious and time-consuming. Noise surveys are performed infrequently, often with lapses of a year or even years between each. Furthermore, they only take certain personnel into consideration and thus do not mitigate the risk for all workers.
What is in This Feature
In contrast to the Hearing Conservation Programme, the SOL-X SmartWatch’s new noise monitoring and alert feature provides
continuous data points and more immediate and relevant feedback to counter noise-related issues.
The SmartWatch provides noise level readings in near real time so users can take the necessary safety precautions. If a user is exposed to harmful noise levels, the SmartWatch alerts them so that they can respond to this potential hazard accordingly.
Noise levels are measured 4 times per hour for each user. This data is then displaced on the SOL-X analytics platform and compared across different work groups at various locations within the worksite. When surfaced to HSSE and operations teams, these insights can be used to
evaluate operations policies and tweak training programmes in a more focused manner. The collected data also helps to identify specific groups at higher risk of developing NID and identify areas of improvement to better ensure compliance with safety precautions on the worksite.
03. Broadcast Alerts
Timely communication is critical to ensure the safety and effectiveness of operations. Suppose a hazardous gas leak is discovered somewhere on the worksite. Such critical information will need to be rapidly disseminated to all at-risk personnel to prevent or limit exposure to the toxic gases. This will also allow first responders spread across the site to quickly provide the necessary mitigation measure to the situation.
Digital or analogue walkie-talkies are commonly used to relay information within industrial worksites. However, this
form of communication has various limitations, which may result in the recipient not receiving the message in its entirety or at all. Transmission of the information on the ground may also result in broken messages that fail to convey the original intent and purpose.
What is in This Feature
The new message broadcast feature allows for the dissemination of information regardless of each worker’s location within a worksite. As such, supervisors and first responders can quickly implement and enforce the necessary measures to contain the situation. It also provides added assurance that workers on the ground will receive timely and accurate updates.
Supervisors in control rooms can send precise text messages to specific SmartWatch users via the Dashboard to improve situational awareness or to perform a specific task. In the case of an emergency, this will allow for a faster and more targeted safety response.
Through the SmartWatch, worksites will be able to provide periodical reminders on operations and health and safety matters. Sending these reminders will help SmartWatch users keep pertinent safety information fresh in their minds and to comply with the latest Standard Operating Procedures and health and safety requirements.
Enhance Worksite Safety With The SOL-X SmartWatch
When placed in a hazardous and unpredictable environment, effective communication and timely information can be vital to saving lives and preventing injuries.
By increasing awareness of where workers are at all times and any hazards they may face, the SOL-X SmartWatch is a modern solution that can greatly transform the safety culture of worksites in hazardous industries.
