Smart PPE: Enhancing Worker Safety and Operational Efficiency
OSHA requires utility employers to provide appropriate personal protective equipment to their employees, such as non-conductive hard hats that meet the ANSI Z89.1 standard. The evolution of Class E helmets represents a significant advancement in worker safety, with 20,000-volt dielectric protection and fully sealed, non-vented designs creating a barrier against electrical conductivity in high-voltage environments.
As utilities modernize their infrastructure, effective PPE remains much more than a regulatory requirement – it is a safety imperative. Numerous organizations are embracing sophisticated technologies to elevate on-the-job safety and efficiency. Others are working to catch up, while some still manage their assets through more traditional means.
Wherever your company finds itself, here’s what every industry employer and employee should understand: The arrival of smart PPE in recent years has created new opportunities to advance worker safety and drive greater operational efficiency. How? By allowing users to digitally store critical personal information directly on the equipment as well as more effectively track those assets.
Inventory Management
Some of the most cutting-edge PPE currently available is designed with embedded hardware for data storage. This enables integration of the equipment into a utility’s connected safety ecosystem within its broader technology stack. Safety teams can use their smartphones to scan and interact with PPE to review equipment age and prior inspection dates. When a lineworker first collects and scans a piece of protective equipment, its status is immediately updated within the company’s inventory system, providing users real-time visibility into its condition and availability.
Because smart PPE helps to eliminate paper logs and redundant data entry, companies that invest in it could reduce their administrative overhead while improving equipment tracking. Multiple touchpoints are no longer required across departments (think inspections, inventory management and compliance reporting). Instead, smart gear provides a streamlined digital workflow that typically reduces human error and strengthens documentation to help ensure regulatory compliance.
Digitized Inspections and Work Documents
Protective equipment must be inspected regularly to ensure safe, proper functionality. With smart PPE, utility organizations can digitize the inspection process, including employee reporting. Workers perform required inspections using their smartphones and upload results to the system. Safety managers have the option to automate reminder alerts to notify employees if an inspection is overdue.
Some cutting-edge smart PPE currently on the market allows workers to digitally store and access important work documents. For instance, a transmission engineer can securely store his qualification records – such as certifications for high-voltage switching operations, confined space entry authorizations and completed training modules – directly on his smart helmet. This helps employers address the challenge of tracking down field personnel for documentation updates and signature verifications.
Enhanced Emergency Response
Users can also securely save personal medical information – including their blood type, medication allergies, pre-existing conditions and emergency contacts – to their smart equipment, offering first responders fast access to vital health data should an accident occur. When every minute counts, this capability is critical.
It is important to note that the chips typically used in smart PPE – such as near field communication or radio-frequency identification – do not emit electrical currents, making them safe for workers in high-voltage environments.
Here’s something else to note: While smart PPE costs more than conventional equipment, potential buyers should consider the total cost of ownership. An investment in cutting-edge gear can deliver significant workflow time savings, effective compliance risk mitigation, enhanced emergency response and other benefits.
Conclusion
The critical nature of protective equipment means utilities rightfully exercise caution when evaluating new technology. With the development of smart PPE, safety leaders now have an opportunity to convert what has traditionally been viewed as a cost center into a strategic digital asset – one that enhances worker protection and operational efficiency.
About the Author: Christian Connolly is CEO of Stockholm-based Twiceme Technology (www.twiceme.com), which focuses on turning bystanders into helpers across the globe. Founded in 2017, the company’s smart technology is integrated into helmets, harnesses, goggles and other PPE.
Editor’s Note: To learn more, check out a recent interview with Christian on the Utility Safety Podcast, available at https://utilitysafety.podbean.com/e/the-future-of-ppe-how-twiceme-technology-is-revolutionizing-ppe-for-utility-workers/.