13th Jan, 2021 Read time 3 minutes

What are the key safety tech trends for 2021?

At the start of a new year in the world of health and safety, many will be looking to leave 2020 well and truly behind and power on with new and better safety practices in 2021. One of the key areas we are expecting to only grow and develop is the adoption of safety technology. 

2020 was the year of home working, and many technologies helped in the management of workers as they operated remotely. These included some of the key forms of well-being management software, in addition to technology and systems developed for managing the risk of COVID-19 in the workplace. Here are some of the key safety technology trends that are likely to develop in 2021. 

 

More sophisticated communication methods 

As technology grows in scope and becomes more sophisticated over time, the potential applications of it to grow. The field of health and safety has often been seen as a fairly paper-based industry but this is changing, and one of the main changes is more advanced communication methods. 

Digital interfaces are breaking down the barriers which can build up in organizations over time given the closed nature of many industries. Advancements in the world of 5G means incidents can be reported quicker, and this will lead to responders on the scene faster. This can only be a good thing for the health and safety of everyone and it is a trend that is likely to continue as we head into 2021. 

 

Increase in wearables and lone worker alarms 

Wearable technology in health and safety has many different applications from reporting incidents to monitoring the ongoing health of workers. Whilst for many this causes a bit of a ‘Big Brother’ feel, the wearable trend is likely to continue in 2021 and the near future. Lone worker alarms are a tool that has seen a particular update in adoption and is helping to safeguard workers on construction sites and the factory floor. 

 

Use of drones in health and safety

Drones have a few different applications and with Amazon set to offer them as part of their delivery service, they are certainly being adopted in areas other than film and videography. 

Health and safety of the individual is often about risk mitigation, however, this form of safety technology can remove the risk altogether. For routine inspection works on construction sites, mines and factories, drones can gather all of the necessary information without putting an employee or contractor in harm’s way. This is another key safety trend that we are set to see grow in 2021. 

 

The best safety tech needs to be introduced in the correct way 

Whilst the different safety technologies listed above all have the potential to impact health and safety in a positive manner you must make sure that you do not introduce a number of other problems alongside them. Our article from Andy Barker and Tim Marsh looks at the wider health and safety themes that will keep you informed on best practice and the new ideas coming out of the industry in 2021. 

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