Creating a safe work environment isn’t just good for employees, it’s good for business as well, says Venu Gooty.
Workplace safety has always been a top priority for manufacturers, but it has taken on increased significance in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020 alone, employees throughout the manufacturing industry filed hundreds of worker safety lawsuits. In fact, 68% of workers globally reported they do not feel completely safe at work, citing inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and employer noncompliance with sanitation protocols, mask wearing and temperature checks.
As manufacturing workers get back to the shop floor post-Covid, many manufacturers are rethinking their workplace safety strategies. With businesses paying out an estimated US$1 billion per week in direct workers’ compensation costs (pre-Covid), enabled in part by ineffective monitoring systems, more than ever it’s critical that manufacturers embrace the benefits of edge artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to improve workplace safety.