The one place where many people lack control is at work. Warehouse safety managers and supervisors in Pennsylvania and around the country are traditionally the ones who provide information on the best way to perform a potentially dangerous job. Thanks to new technology, though, the responsibility is being shared with the workers themselves.
One company has designed wearable technology that is placed on the back of a worker’s shirt. Every time the worker shifts positions or bends over, the device will detect it and then calculate it in order to determine if the movement could be potentially dangerous to the worker. If so, the device will start to vibrate and beep in order to warn the worker. When the shift is over, workers can look at the log and see a breakdown of the movements they made.
The worker is alone with the technology. There are no managers or supervisors involved. No one else in the warehouse sees the information provided through the device. Many have found that it is a positive individual experience. When workers use the app, they are given suggestions on videos they can watch or improvements they make in order to avoid injuries.
It has been estimated that about 35 percent of workplace injuries are the result of poor ergonomic practices. Some of them can be so serious that they can stop a person from being able to perform normal activities. People who have been harmed by a workplace accident might want to have the help of an attorney when filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.
