Wearable Technology as a Solution for Workplace Safety

Occupational accidents cause physical harm to impacted employees and financial harm to employers. The most effective protection against occupational accidents is the proper usage of personal protective equipment (PPE). A huge variety of wearable sensors is available for different purposes, they have already proven their potential to support personal fitness and health. This paper describes the idea and implementation of a safety system for PPE based on such wearable sensors and wireless technology. The goal of the system is to ensure that the right PPE required for a specific task is worn. Furthermore, conclusions based on stakeholder interviews are presented. These include the feasibility of the suggested implementation on a smartwatch as well as a confirmation from domain experts that wearable sensing can improve workplace safety.