Technology can drive down accidents

According to the President of the global chartered body of health and safety professionals, new technologies can help continue the drive to prevent workplace accidents and work related illness.

Professor Vincent Ho, highlighted the need for businesses to explore how technology can assist in the management and reduction of workplace accidents and work related illness, during his opening speech at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) 2019 annual conference.

Attention was drawn to the possible risks that new technologies can create to workforces. With ways of working ever changing the associated risks need to be appropriately managed.

Nevertheless, the focal point was how technology can enhance health and safety measures and procedures to better protect employees and workers, an area that should be taken advantage of.

Recently published research has shown how digital apps can help construction project designers create safer buildings and how virtual reality can provide valuable insight into workers’ behaviour during emergency evacuations, improving safety awareness.

These new innovations in technology have the ability to reduce the estimated 2.78 million deaths every year due to workplace accidents or illnesses caused by work.