Benefits of AI in Hi-Vis and PPE Monitoring

This article underscores the pivotal role of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in workplace safety. It explores the multifaceted benefits of PPE, discusses compliance challenges, and advocates for the transformative integration of AI systems and computer vision technology for real-time monitoring of PPE compliance.

Why is Wearing PPE Important for Your Safety?

Occupational health and safety professionals sometimes describe personal protective equipment (PPE) as the ‘last resort.’ This can lead workers to believe that PPE isn’t important. 

It is undeniably more effective if you can eliminate hazards at source: if there are no vehicles, they can’t hit a pedestrian; if there is no machinery, people can’t get a limb trapped inside. 

If vehicles and machinery are essential to your business, can you reduce risk as a source, for example, with slower vehicles and better-designed machinery?

Overcoming PPE Compliance Challenges

The next most effective measure is to prevent people getting close to physical barriers. But once you have done everything practical to eliminate, reduce or prevent access to hazards, PPE is the final barrier. 

Describing it as the ‘last resort’ doesn’t mean that it isn’t important. The global market for PPE in 2024 is estimated to reach ~ $75 billion, and there is no sign of it plateauing. 

While the best strategy to avoid objects falling on people is to reduce the likelihood of things falling and to prevent people walking underneath objects that could fall, a hard hat provides an additional layer of protection. 

Workplace safety technology can enhance the management of these barriers and improve overall compliance monitoring. 

Why is PPE Essential in Workplace Safety Monitoring?

In busy environments where pedestrians and vehicles might come in close proximity, wearing high-visibility safety vests increases the chance that a driver will see the pedestrian, reinforcing essential safety standards. 

Using PPE detection should be the first control safety officers think of, as it can make the workplace safer. 

Addressing Worker Reluctance

If you expect people to wear all PPE all the time, they can become blasé about the requirement. A worker might think, ‘I know I don’t need the high-vis jacket when I’m inside my vehicle, so maybe I don’t really need it when I get out.’ 

Control what you can without PPE – and then be clear about when PPE is really needed. Make sure that PPE is available in the right sizes and specifications, when and where people need it.

Identifying PPE Usage Gaps

Each item of PPE only protects one person and only when correctly selected and used. The wrong gloves, a damaged hard hat, and high-vis clothing tied around the waist are ineffective. 

Accurate information about when and where prescribed PPE isn’t being used will provide insights into the reasons for non-use or ineffective use of safety gear. 

If most of the people who don’t wear PPE carry out the same manual handling task, perhaps there is something about the range of movement required by that task that makes it uncomfortable to wear PPE. 

Detecting PPE Non-Compliance with Computer Vision

You might need to change the handling task to change the PPE behaviours. If people are wearing the old hard hats that you tried to dispose of, ask them what’s wrong with the new hats, and next time, build in a worker-piloting phase for new PPE.

But how do you know when people aren’t wearing PPE? People might hastily don their hard hats and high vis when they see you coming. If you spot someone without gloves, how do you know how widespread the practice is? 

You need to see the patterns in non-use to make useful decisions. We know the industry recognizes this need for improved safety management. 

In a survey carried out by ProtexAI in October 2022, seven out of ten people selected being able to detect when PPE is being worn as a desirable function of integrating AI in the workplace. 

Smart PPE vs. Computer Vision

One technical solution being trialled is to build smart technology into the PPE. A hard hat will ‘know’ when and where it is being worn.

In some cases, sensors have been added to report when a worker is tired, over-heated, or collapses. Gloves report when they are damaged. Hearing protection also measures noise exposure. 

While some of these products are being used successfully, their role has been limited. Barriers to adoption include the greater expense of smart PPE and concerns over how bio-data (such as heart rate) will be used.

Why Computer Vision Beats Smart PPE

An alternative technology solution is PPE detection using computer vision (CV), which can significantly improve safety protocols in various industries. CV can make use of existing CCTV networks and can be trained to recognize the types of PPE that you want people to use. 

Your PPE AI monitoring system could check that workers wear hard hats when within a specified distance of an overhead hazard or respiratory protection where dust can’t be controlled by other means. 

Gaining Actionable Insights with Computer Vision

While CV will provide the data, the insights and the decision-making is in your hands. For example, the data shows that non-compliance with glove-wearing increased when you recruited new workers, and reduced again after training. 

This gives you the evidence to make a business case for providing a safety induction which includes instructions about PPE on the first day. 

You might detect changes in compliance when you change glove supplier, and can quickly identify problems with the new product – before people start reporting skin problems from exposure.

Solve PPE Issues with Protex AI

Keep your workplace safe and compliant with Protex AI’s real-time monitoring PPE detection systems. Find out how our cutting-edge technology solves safety challenges and promotes a proactive safety culture.