PRESS RELEASE: MākuSafe Releases Remote Worker Capability To Gather Real Time Safety Data Outside Of Fixed Workplaces

March 15, 2022

March 15, 2022

West Des Moines, IA – Nearly 200,000 U.S. workers in transportation, warehousing, construction and agriculture suffered from injuries resulting in days lost from work in 2020. MākuSafe has just announced a new capability that will help remote workers, in industries such as these and others, reduce the frequency and severity of workplace injuries. Using a combination of wearable tech and cloud analytics, MākuSafe leverages real-time EHS leading indicators of risk to provide actionable safety intelligence for organizations, now enabling them to protect workers in the field.

Real-Time Safety Data Enriched With GPS Field Location
This newly released feature is aimed at those with company issued mobile devices. At the beginning of a shift, any worker’s wearable armband device can now be paired with a mobile app and utilize their cellular connectivity. This allows safety managers to gain insight into environmental hazards such as heat index, air quality, and noise exposure, as well as potentially harmful human motion including slips, trips, falls, repetitive work, and the overall high force physical exertion a worker is exhibiting throughout their day. In addition, those in the field can report near-misses and observations via voice recording with the push of a button on their arm. All this data is sent in real time to leaders, and is now GPS location enriched. The MākuSafe device does not gather any biometric or personal data.

“This next evolution in smart PPE is ideal for route drivers, field workers, construction and utilities. Increased safety and improved productivity are the driving forces behind Industry 4.0 and connected worker technologies like MākuSafe.” – CEO, Gabriel Glynn

MākuSafe officially launched its product in early 2020 after years of development and piloting. Today the company has thousands of users on its platform, works with scores of customers across America and internationally, and has gathered hundreds of millions of data points about industrial hazards.

Use Cases Translate to Worker Wellbeing, Productivity Gains, and Loss Avoidance
MākuSafe customers now routinely receive opt-in notifications on their highest priorities, whether they be environmental issues or motion concerns, this allows them to take swift preventative action to address these concerns before workers are affected. Examples include;

• Ranking workers by overall physicality and high force motion exhibited over time, enabling focused coaching on those at highest risk for potential strains, exertion, or long-term musculoskeletal disorders (MSD’s)

• Ability to understand the risk of exposure to environmental hazards as an Industrial Hygienist would, specific to certain locations within their facilities or certain groups of workers, and focus appropriate action where needed

• Voice recorded near-miss or good catch reports (One particular customer had a voice memo that referenced an intermittent power problem with equipment, which upon investigation proved to be an electrical shock hazard as well as having potential for causing a property fire.)

Implications for Connected Workers & Industry 4.0
Customers are also beginning to realize the potential to more fully integrate the now connected worker into the smart facilities and systems around them. In these advanced manufacturing environments, there is potential to adjust operations based on the proximity of a worker’s wearable device, shutting down robotics or other equipment, or possibly restricting access to an area. These Industry 4.0 types of applications offer advantages toward achieving higher efficiency and improved productivity, while ensuring worker safety.

Implementing the MākuSafe solution is easy. Field technicians perform a simple installation and orientation in a couple of hours. Even clients with limited time can immediately begin to receive meaningful information that can translate to value and loss avoidance for their organizations. Customers work with the MākuSafe team of Certified Occupational Safety Specialists for ongoing support.

About MākuSafe
MākuSafe is an award-winning safety data and analytics company with a mission to improve worker health, safety, and productivity while reducing worker compensation claims and mitigating workplace hazards and risk exposures. Learn more at www.makusafe.com.

1 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020