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Insurance CIO Outlook | Monday, September 05, 2022

Businesses are discovering that technologies can help them better manage risks in the workplace. An increasing number of smartphone applications, along with other technologies, may help prevent business losses, minimise the chance of workplace accidents, and manage risks.
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Here are some ways tech can help avoid business insurance claims.
1. Wearables
One of the technologies that can help improve workplace safety is the wearable. These wearables have proximity sensors that help lower the frequency and severity of injuries to workers. They are designed to monitor how close a worker is to the machinery and trigger an alert to the worker and the equipment operator if the worker is in a targeted zone, helping workers avoid accidents and injuries that could lead to fatal consequences.
Wearable technologies are available in four categories - Physiological Monitoring, Environmental Monitoring, Proximity Detection, and Exoskeletons and Exosuits. Physiological monitoring is a wearable device that tracks heart rate, body temperature, respiration, and other physiological measurements to determine if a worker is stressed and at greater risk of injury. Environmental monitoring can alert employees of potential danger in surroundings, such as temperature conditions that could risk their health and safety.
Proximity Detection can be embedded into personal protective equipment (PPE), such as hard hats, preventing employees from getting into hazardous areas or going close to dangerous equipment. The Exoskeletons and Exosuits provide assistive force for employees performing physical tasks like heavy lifting or standing for long periods.
2. Online Health and Safety Training
Another way technology can help businesses avoid insurance claims is through online health and safety training. You can benefit from low insurance premiums if you train employees about protecting themselves from work accidents. The training satisfies the insurance company that there will be a lower risk of an accident on your business premises. Therefore, there is a good chance that you won't be making many claims.
Workplace accidents can cost a lot of money. As the employer, you will have to pay penalties, fines, compensation, legal fees, etc. Online health and safety training ensures you can avoid these costs since your employees will adhere to the stipulated protocols to protect themselves and the company.
Companies that make the effort to improve safety on their premises, such as offering online health and training to employees, can earn a discount if the claims coast are lower than the same competitors that face similar risks. If fewer employees injure themselves, the insurance company pays out fewer claims. Studies show that successful health and safety programs could reduce costs resulting from injury and illness by 20 to 40 per cent.
3. Safety Apps
Smartphone apps are some of the easiest ways businesses can leverage technology in assessing, monitoring, and improving workplace safety. Many applications, most of them are free, allow workers and supervisors to evaluate tasks and working conditions through promoting ladder safety, measuring noise hazards, and safe lifting of objects. Some apps also guide in the usage hazardous materials. Some industry-specific apps also help enhance workplace safety by helping businesses comply with occupational health and safety regulations.
OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool is one of those safety apps to consider for your business. Hazardous weather is one of those things beyond your control at work. That's why it's essential to have up-to-date and accurate information on current weather conditions. Developed in collaboration with the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the app protects outdoor workers from hazardous weather conditions.
The OSHA-NIOSH Heat Safety Tool will calculate real-time heat index according to GPS location and display the risk level, which helps outdoor workers to stay safe. It also provides reminders on protective measures that workers must take to protect themselves from heat-related illnesses. Safety apps such as these can minimise and even avoid business insurance claims.
4. Cyber Security Tech
Another way tech can help avoid business insurance claims is through Embedded Cybersecurity. Embedded systems security is a field of cybersecurity that focuses on preventing malicious access to the system through an embedded system. It provides mechanisms to protect a computer system from threats of cyber-attacks.
Cybersecurity specialists will collaborate with systems design teams to ensure the embedded security system has the security mechanisms to mitigate the damage from cyber-attacks. Two types of security are used in embedded systems - software security and physical security. Software security works by managing and responding to malicious attacks in the system during the initialisation process and run time. Some features you will find in software security include authentication of a device to a network and installing a firewall to network traffic. Many companies have employees who help manage their cyber security tech. With embedded software recruitment agencies throughout the UK helping find people within these niche roles, this makes it easier for companies to remain up to date.
Meanwhile, physical security can include surveillance cameras and locked doors that prevent unauthorised persons from entering an embedded system or physically damaging it. It also limits access to private areas and sensitive equipment.
5. Drones and Robots
Manufacturing robots that can perform lifting and repetitive tasks have long been helping businesses to minimise workplace injuries, which also helps to avoid business insurance claims. It is especially applicable to the construction industry, as it helps to prevent falls and other construction-related injuries. Thanks to highly mobile drones and robots, businesses were able to improve safety at work by assigning hazardous tasks to these sophisticated technologies.
Drones, also called Unmanned Aircraft Systems, can be used by businesses like manufacturing and construction companies to keep employees from falling and protect them from other risks. These technologies can be used in monitoring operations and inspecting sites to ensure the safety of employees. In the same way, robots can access hazardous and hard-to-reach areas like storage tanks and tunnels to conduct inspections, collect samples, etc.
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Construction requires performing different tasks to construct a building or infrastructure. Thus, several potential risks could occur on-site. Therefore, it's essential to conduct regular inspections to identify any problems, and drones and robots can be helpful when it comes to this without putting the safety of workers at risk.
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