01/12/2023—A 2021 Bureau of Labor & Statistics (BLS) report1 saw an 8.9 percent increase in fatal occupational injuries, with 2021 the highest annual rate (3.6 per 100,000 workers) since 2016. The survey uncovered other notable markers, from slip and falls to transportation incidents. With these findings, employers can see where safety may be lacking and learn how new technology, like CoRe’s Connected Resources IoT platform, can enhance safety protocols.
Transportation and moving materials had the highest occupational fatalities in 2021 with 1,982 fatal injuries, an increase of 11.5 percent. The field also accounted for 38.2 percent of all work-related fatalities for 2021.1 While transportation safety involves safe driving practices and proper training for specialized vehicles, IoT management can improve safety and accident response. CoRe’s Personal Safety Device (PSD) wearables and asset trackers allow management to track an employees’ location and be alerted if an accident occurs. The analytics dashboard contains individual worker profiles, where trainings, citations and incidents can be logged to ensure workers are updated on necessary procedures and site requirements, while practicing safe driving.
Personnel slips, falls, and trips, which account for a large portion of workplace injuries and fatalities, increased 5.6 increased 5.6 percent in 2021, with a marked increase of 7.2 percent in construction and extraction occupations and a 25.5 percent increase in roofing. While proper inspections and PPE are the first line of defense, technology like CoRe can allow employers to create customized zones where PPE should be worn and greater caution should be taken, tracking PPE onsite to ensure protocols are met. CoRe’s PSD wearables are readied with panic buttons and fall detection too, allowing for faster response time.
Underground mining saw a 23.6 percent fatality rate increase, with deaths in this industry often caused by chemical exposure and underground explosions. Training for this underground and often remote work can heighten safety, along with machinery training and maintenance. CoRe logs employee trainings as well as machine usage, decreasing the likelihood of breakdowns and allowing for prescheduled maintenance. CoRe also gives admins real-time views of employee locations onsite, both above and underground, which can help recover workers following collapses or explosions. PSDs can also alert admins to injuries onsite and underground, providing quicker emergency response when time is essential.
Another significant finding saw an increase in injuries caused by exposure to harmful substances or environments, reaching the highest fatality rate in this category since reporting began in 2011. This major event category experienced the biggest increase in fatalities in 2021 at 18.8 percent.1 Prevention of such instances can be enhanced with zone alerts, made customizable and in real-time, providing admin the knowledge needed should someone be in a dangerous substance area without proper PPE or training.
With technology on your side, CoRe aims to bring greater safety to even more worksites in 2023. Providing immediate views of multiple sites, machinery, and employees. Admins can rest assured they are in good hands with CoRe’s devices and easy plug-in-play platform, that implements safety on jobsites without pricey or complicated installations. Set your company up for a safer 2023 with CoRe’s groundbreaking IoT. Contact us today to learn how!
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1 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, December 16). Census of fatal occupational injuries summary, 2021 – 2021 A01 results. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm
Safety+Health. (2022, December 19). BLS: On-the-job deaths jump 8.9% in 2021, again rising above 5,000. Safety+Health. Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine. com/articles/23374-bls-on-the-job-deaths-jump-89-in-2021-again-rising-above-5-000
Trends, M. (2022, April 29). How does technology enhance workplace safety? Analytics Insight. Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://www.analyticsinsight.net/how-does-technology-enhance-workplace safety/#:~:text=Safety%20monitoring%2C%20reporting%2C%20and%20training,is% 20via%20high%2Dspeed%20communication.PPE should be worn and greater caution should be taken
