by Suresh Tanwar, Head of Audit and Consultancy, British Safety Council, India
Creating a safe work environment requires teamwork from company leaders, Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) teams, and employees. As per the International Labour Organization (ILO), nearly three million workers lose their lives each year due to work-related accidents and diseases. What’s even more concerning is that despite having safety regulations in place, accidents and incidents happen regularly and remain a big challenge for employers across nearly every industry worldwide.
However, thanks to the rise of AI and machine learning, workplace safety is getting a significant upgrade. AI has been incredibly beneficial in improving workplace safety management and is revolutionising safety practices across the globe. As organisations put their best foot forward to ensure the safety of their vast and dispersed workforces, AI is emerging as a reliable ally by driving improvements in incident management and reporting.
Workplace safety and AI
In large organisations where managing employee safety is a complex task, AI, and more recently Generative AI (GenAI), have transformed the ecosystem by streamlining safety processes and providing deeper insights.
AI-driven safety systems enable real-time incident reporting through mobile devices, wearables, and IoT tools. This allows all workers, especially frontline workers, to alert safety teams instantly. The immediacy allows for swift response and resolution of potential hazards before they escalate.
In addition, AI is also enabling Emergency Health Service (EHS) professionals to manage risks proactively and reduce accidents proactively. By automating routine safety tasks and overseeing operations in high-risk environments, AI not only enhances the safety of workers but also boosts overall operational efficiency.
It is clear that with AI continuing to evolve, its integration into workplace safety practices offers a promising path toward creating safer work environments and building a culture of well-being and vigilance.
Here are a few ways in which AI is enhancing workplace safety
Analysing Data
The real power of AI lies in its ability to analyse massive amounts of data and deliver insights in real-time. With safety apps, software, and wearable tech constantly gathering information, AI can monitor this data round the clock. This way, it can detect potential risks and hazards as they arise.
In the past, collecting and analysing this kind of data would have required multiple equipment if it was feasible. Now, all this can be done on a phone or portable device. By comparing competitor benchmarks and statistics, EHS leaders can quickly generate AI-powered reports to assess the safety landscape within their company and the overall industry.
With data pulled from multiple sites across regions, countries, or even continents, AI provides precious insights for EHS teams. This real-time data offers an accurate view of the effectiveness of a company’s safety measures and highlights areas for improvement, such as the need for additional training or policy updates.
Identifying patterns
Spotting patterns is where AI truly shines. By analysing historical data, AI can uncover trends and create algorithms that predict safety risks before they even arise. This proactive approach allows businesses and employees to take preventative measures. Result? Reduced likelihood of accidents and injuries in the workplace!
For example, AI can analyse CCTV footage to detect risky behaviours that might lead to workplace incidents—much faster than a human could manually review hours of footage. Safety managers can’t be everywhere at once. So, AI fills in the gaps by offering potentially lifesaving insights that might have otherwise been missed.
As AI continues to evolve, its applications grow more sophisticated. But often, the most straightforward uses deliver the biggest impact. Take risk assessments: EHS leaders can now generate thorough, AI-informed risk evaluations explicitly tailored to their business. These assessments draw on real-time data and incident analysis, offering a customised, data-driven approach to workplace safety.
For example, AI can instantly provide leaders with data on how frequently serious incidents involving night-shift workers have occurred over the past year. If done manually, this could typically take hours of analysis for EHS teams to uncover.
Preventing incidents
AI has significantly reduced the risk of workplace incidents across various industries. Over the past decade, AI-driven robotics have taken over many high-risk tasks traditionally handled by humans. Hazardous duties, such as handling chemicals or operating in dangerous environments, can now be efficiently performed by AI-powered robots, often with human supervision from a safe distance. This ensures worker safety, boosts efficiency and productivity, and eliminates the possibility of human error.
AI is also shifting safety practices from a reactive to a proactive approach, allowing businesses to protect their workers more effectively. Employees who feel safer at work are more engaged, motivated, and loyal. This means they could end with a longer tenure, reducing recruitment costs.
Moreover, as AI and technology continue to reshape workplace safety, investment in AI-powered safety solutions is expected to rise, enhancing both operational efficiency and the overall well-being of employees. These advancements are set to create safer, more resilient workplaces in the future.
Parting thoughts
AI has a huge potential to boost workplace safety, but it will take constant innovation and strategies to unlock all it can offer.
At its core, AI brings a lot to the table regarding workplace safety. It helps reduce human error, boosts situational awarenessand promotes a proactive safety culture, which can make a huge difference in overall organisational performance.
Sure, there could be challenges along the way, but the benefits—like improved safety and better operational efficiency—make it worthwhile.
That said, while these advancements can lead to safer work environments, they also call for a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation. As AI continues to evolve, we must adapt our understanding and application of this technology to maximise its benefits in the workplace safety landscape.
1https://www.ilo.org/resource/news/nearly-3-million-people-die-work-related-accidents-and-diseases
