Advances in technology continue to make common, everyday occurrences out of what not so long ago seemed impossible to comprehend. Increasingly, wearable technology is becoming available with the intended purpose of improving worker safety. While everyone supports a reduction of workplace injuries and accidents, many believe that wearable technology has some inherent negatives. Among the concerns of some Pennsylvania employees being asked to utilize wearable technology is that a ‘big brother” type of monitoring system will intrude on their right to privacy.
Today, wearable safety technology is most commonly used to detect proximity, ergonomics and stress and fatigue levels. Additionally, the true benefit of the information gathered is through a broad range of employees, not individualized data from one or two workers in a specific department. The goal is to monitor and determine overall trends and recommend improvements to enhance safety.
Employees may be more receptive to wearable technology if they are given a full explanation of what the company hopes to achieve. If the workers can be assured the technology is not simply an attempt to monitor their productivity, they may become more comfortable with the use of wearable technology and therefore help contribute to a safer work environment.
Despite all the technological innovations, employee accidents and injuries remain inevitable in many workplaces. When such an accident occurs, workers’ compensation benefits in the form of medical expenses and lost wages may be due to an injured worker. A workers’ compensation lawyer can help ensure that an employee’s rights are protected during the filing process.
