As they prevent imminent injury, collision avoidance systems also gather and analyze data about alerts, helping companies improve warehouse safety in the future. For instance, SynTech’s data dashboard might reveal that a certain pedestrian worker often crosses the warning zone into the danger zone. That information offers a chance for a discussion. “Managers can ask, ‘Why is this happening and what can we do to make it a safer environment where you don’t have to interact as much?’” Helms says. ASSESSING RISK ARIN’s dashboard can identify the employees most likely to get into accidents and which parts of the building pose the greatest risk due to their layout. Managers can also use it to investigate, for instance, why one facility has 500 risky interactions each week while another has only 100. “Managers start asking those questions to understand what Facility 2 is doing differently than Facility 1 to make it a safer place, especially if productivity is the same,” Kulkarni says.
Workers using StrongArm's SafeWork System get real-time vibrational alerts that prompt them to modify behavior before an injury occurs. Actionable reports give management a benchmark for interventions.
into the cloud.” The system also tracks details such as the distance each operator travels per day. This fresh intelligence helps warehouse operators develop more proactive safety strategies. REDUCING SPRAINS AND STRAINS While wearables technology plays a role in some anti-collision solutions, other strap-on devices can help reduce sprains and strains in the warehouse. StrongArm’s SafeWork System is one of those. The system uses wearable sensors to monitor how employees bend, reach, and lift. “The system calculates all sorts of movements and inertia that can impact the chance of getting an injury, and measure that at 12 times per second,” Petterson says. When the sensors detect dangerous activity, the wearable device delivers a quick physical buzz. “It’s like a tap on the shoulder that says, ‘Slow down. You’re about to hurt yourself,’” Petterson says. The SafeWork System collects data from all the wearable devices in a facility and uses that to develop a safety score. Warehouse operators can use that score to inform their decisions as they make staf ng plans.
Companies often take a reactive approach to safety. “An accident happens and you write a report,” Brown says. A system like VIA’s lets a company assemble a lot of previously unavailable data. “If an alarm is triggered, that goes into the cloud,” Brown says. “If the DSS detects that someone is tired, that goes
ARIN Technologies' forklift collision avoidance system alerts operators to the presence of pedestrians, other forklifts, and valuable equipment in the vicinity. The alerts improve worker awareness and lower the risk of forklift accidents.
140 Inbound Logistics • January 2023
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