Modern technology has definitely changed our workplaces for the better. Tasks that took hours to complete now often take minutes, and communication between different departments has never been easier.

4 Ways You Can Improve Workplace Safety Using Modern Technology

But most importantly, thanks to the technology we have today, it’s become incredibly easy to protect our workers. And workplace safety is something that should never be taken lightly.

So, how exactly can technology help you improve your employees’ safety? Well, let’s take a closer look.

Panic Buttons Save Lives

If your workplace is large and full of employees, you’ll find it impossible to keep track of everyone at all times. That’s not that big of an issue in normal circumstances, but it does leave your staff vulnerable.

For instance, someone could suffer a medical emergency or be attacked and harassed, and you wouldn’t even know until it’s too late.

Of course, security cameras could help you stay aware of what’s happening in your workplace. But they don’t cover everything, and an emergency could easily occur in their blind spot. Luckily, modern technology offers a solution for that too — a Bluetooth panic button.

So, what is a panic button, and how can it help your employees? Well, it is a small device that your staff should carry with them everywhere they go.

If they ever feel threatened or unwell, all they need to do is press the button to get help. The device will send a signal to your security team’s phones and tablets, showing exactly where to go.

And do you know what the best part is? There are no blind spots and dead zones with panic buttons. So you can rest assured that all your workers will receive quick assistance if they ever need it.

Mass Messaging Apps for Emergency Updates

In case of a natural disaster or fire, you want to be able to instruct your employees as quickly as possible. But how do you do that without trying to track down everyone individually?

Alarms may be a good way to alert your staff to an emergency, but they don’t convey much information otherwise. PA systems are another potential solution, but you can’t be sure that everyone will hear or fully understand the message. So instead of relying on sounds, use a mass messaging app to give instructions in text form.

The idea behind them is quite simple. You write out the message, send it to everyone on your list, and then wait for confirmation that they’ve read it. This last part is crucial — without reading receipts, you can’t know if your message reached its destination.

Also, if someone doesn’t confirm they’ve seen the message even after a few minutes, that might be a sign you need to look for them.

Mass messaging apps can find many uses even outside emergency situations. For instance, you could use them whenever you have an important update or announcement.

After all, why would you waste time trying to gather everyone in the same room?

Real-Time Data Platforms

Safety hazards could come up even in non-emergency situations. Of course, you won’t need an alarm or a mass messaging app for such small-scale concerns. Still, you should have a way of informing your staff if, for instance, some equipment is broken and may cause injury.

For these sorts of cases, you could use a real-time data platform. When you post an update, it will automatically show up on everyone’s newsfeed.

In a way, a platform of this kind functions like social media, but the only ones that have access to it would be your employees.

Aside from warnings about hazards, you could post various other announcements and updates using this platform. And your employees could too.

Whenever they encounter some issue as they go about their work, they could make a post about it. That way, other employees will know which area to avoid or what equipment not to touch, and you can swiftly deal with it.

Virtual Reality Can Prepare Your Employees for Emergencies

No matter which field you work in, you’ll surely have to provide some safety training to your staff. After all, earthquakes, fires, floods, and other disasters can happen anywhere. Unfortunately, most people don’t know how to behave in such high-risk situations without some guidelines.

Now, regular training can be quite effective, but it can’t simulate the sense of danger that comes with a real emergency. Because of that, some of your employees may freeze up during a high-risk situation despite the training. So, to avoid that scenario, you may want to give virtual reality training a shot.

In virtual reality, your employees will get to experience an emergency as if it’s really happening. That should give them an idea of what they can expect and help them get used to the stress and urgency of such a scenario.

Yet, at the same time, your employees will be perfectly safe, and that knowledge will allow them to behave rationally.

Of course, real emergencies tend to be far more stressful than simulated ones because the safety net isn’t there. Still, those who went through at least some VR emergency training tend to perform better in high-risk situations.

In Conclusion

If you want your employees to stay happy and productive in their workplace, keep them safe. That may be easier said than done, but with all new technologies emerging on the market, it might not be as difficult as it used to.

So go ahead and start incorporating safety technology into your workplace — you’ll see the results right away!