The Safety Association of Saskatchewan Manufacturers (SASM) is the licensed distributor...
The Safety Association of Saskatchewan Manufacturers (SASM) is the licensed distributor of a new workplace fatigue and impairment screening software called AlertMeter.
AlertMeter is a non-invasive, user-friendly way to ensure employees are fit for duty each day. At the start of each shift, employees in safety-sensitive jobs take an easy on-screen test for about 90 seconds. The highly intelligent software is designed to detect impairment from all sources including lack of sleep, emotional stress or drugs and alcohol.
“This system is not about the worker’s lifestyle; it is expressly about their alertness and ability today when they are exposed to safety risks,” said SASM executive director, Ken Ricketts.
The daily screen test uses a variety of puzzles to measure a worker’s ability to classify various geometric shapes quickly and accurately. The system compares the result to that specific person’s past results. An unusual result alerts both the user and their on-duty supervisor that the user may not be fit for duty.
AlertMeter was first developed for use in the mines of South Africa in 2014 and soon spread to other countries, including the United States. A licensing agreement with Colorado-based Predictive Safety makes SASM the first organization in Canada to offer AlertMeter.
“This is about creating safer workplaces for everyone,” said Ricketts, “And the software’s track record is impressive. Companies that have made AlertMeter part of their culture of safety have documented significant reductions in WCB (workers’ compensation board) claims simply because workers are proven alert and ready to work.”
This writeup originally appeared in the April/May 2019 issue of COS.
