Sensors and Data and Dashboards, Oh My!

To borrow a phrase, “Safety Professionals we aren’t in Kansas anymore”. Welcome to 2019 the year of “Connected”, “Big Data”, and of course Cliché buzzwords about technology. As an industry we are finally calling an end to the 1999 Safety Party. For years I have been bemused when I would contrast the level of connectedness that is ever present in our consumer lives with our safety lives. Up until now safety software packages looked straight out of Windows 98. As someone who has grown up in the safety industry my whole life it is very exciting and about damn time. So, everything is awesome now right? Safety problem solved. No, we have only scratched the surface. Brace yourselves safety professionals, we are crossing the inevitable frontier of data

Are we as a collective industry prepared for the journey? In general, I think our hearts are in the right places, we want to invest in technology with the hope that the return on our investment will be safer workplaces. So, what is the catch? Well at the heart of the matter is the truth that as an industry, we haven’t typically valued data, it isn’t instinctual yet. Many still conflate more data with more liability and therefore shy away from innovation. It is OK if we take a minute to collect our breath to not be overwhelmed by this data wave. Here are a few things that I think we can all do for each other to help be the tide that lifts all boats.

1.      Subscribe to Incrementalism: Regardless of the amount of investment made, we need to focus on the steady flow of improvements that we can make together. Before we can turn your office into a virtual command center with more dashboards than an airliner we need to get off the ground. Nothing is worse than take off followed by an epic crash landing. To avoid the crash this means gathering a tight scope with measurable outcomes. For some organizations this might be as simple as “I want to make sure that every gas detector is calibrated this month”. That is a solid base to build off. Investigate high impact investments that can get you to 80% of the way. It is quite possible basic connected packages will get the job done.

2.      Mindful Materialism: It looks so smooth! Did you see that glowing dot on a map? As a fan of design, I really admire great user interfaces and features. When used correctly they greatly enhance the experience and foster more engagement. However, there is a tendency within all of us to get to caught up in the material aspect just to have the actual fundamental intention go to waste. I have interacted with too many clients who are excited about data yet don’t log in for over a year or utilize the reports. Let’s face it, we all have that thing(s) lying around our house or offices. Please buy the shiny objects. Just make sure to use them.

3.      Invest in skill sets: This wave will push organizations toward more efficiency demands of employees. Aspects of our jobs could disappear with automation. This means we need to be prepared to understand the skills required to manipulate the data and fully leverage it, so as not to become obsolescent. Evolution is currently an implied by-product, it will soon be needed for basic survival. There are many grass roots movements going on in various safety groups to start collective skill development. For example, this conference in Denver March 27th-28th.

4.      Clear eyes, Full hearts, Can’t lose: Aligning the capabilities of the technologies with your organization’s safety goals and philosophies is vital. Deep down figure out why you want this awareness and what you are going to do with it. Without a doubt this isn’t going to be a completely smooth ride. Equipment (specifically gas detectors) will still break and people will be averse to change. If people are to be monitored and tracked, they are owed a solid explanation why. A strong commitment from all stakeholders, especially the person wearing the device, will be needed to successfully implement a “Connected” program.

Our yellow brick road is paved with sensors, data, and dashboards. It will also have its fair share of beasts along the way. “Safety Oz” can be a shining capital city where death in the workplace is a thing of the past. Connected Safety will require heart, courage, and brains. HSE Managers grab your little dog, here we go!