Wearable technology for occupational risk assessment: Potential avenues for applications

Abstract

This paper analyzes the opportunities offered by wearable technology for occupational risk assessment. A wide range of electronic devices known as "wearables" include sensors that provide interesting features with the potential to be used in workers' monitoring, sending alert signs (e.g., visual, sound, haptic) and training. In this paper, it has been identified the primary applications in which wearables are being used for risk assessment (motion and activity detection, recognition of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, fall detection, evaluation of exposure to different physical agents, evaluation of exposure to chemical agents, and location of potential hazards). Also, it has been identified the opportunities for improvement in the future using the potential of emerging technologies.

Occupational Risk Prevention through Smartwatches: Precision and Uncertainty Effects of the Built-In Accelerometer

“…In the current work, the frequency response of three smartwatches at different amplitudes has been characterized. The result achieved can be used as a reference for future research work related to the use of accelerometers of wearables devices in different applications such as the prevention of occupational hazards, fall detection or activity or posture detection [ 39 ].…”

“…In [ 39 ], certain applications of wearables have been identified for occupational risk assessment, among which are motion detection and physical activity, recognition of musculoskeletal injuries, fall detection, evaluation of exposure to physical agents, evaluation of exposure to chemical agents and the location of potential hazards (moving machinery). This work identifies that there is a growing number of solutions that are being proposed that are basically supported by the use of wearables.…”

“…The MEMS accelerometers included in the device circuitry have enough technical characteristics for optimal operation in specific applications [ 39 ]. However, when they are used in intelligent devices, their performance is reduced by the operating systems to reduce the energy consumption and increase the energy autonomy.…”

Digitalizing Occupational Health, Safety and Productivity for the Operator 4.0

“…This specifically includes new challenges and opportunities for occupational health, safety, and productivity for the well-being of the Operator 4.0 [1]. In this context, Industry 4.0 technologies such as enterprise wearables 1 [2] can foster better industrial hygiene to keep operators healthy, safe, and motivated within emerging smart and social shopfloors [3] [4]. Real-time monitoring of a range of Operator 4.0 vital signs and her/his surrounding workplace environment is currently being facilitated by wearable sensors [5] as well as a sensing and social shopfloor (i.e.…”

Healthy Operator 4.0: A Human Cyber–Physical System Architecture for Smart Workplaces

“…The recent advances in sensing technologies and IoT, especially wearable technologies, provide new solutions for real-time monitoring of an operator's activities, locations, vital signs, etc., as well as the status of the surrounding workplace environment [30][31][32]. These technologies make it possible to develop health-related applications, such as alerting operators of possible exposure to hazardous environments, avoiding collisions with moving heavy equipment, and preventing anti-ergonomic body movements and postures [21,33].…”