What are the barriers to adoption of emerging safety technologies?
With so much advancement in the field of technology happening these days, it seems workers are willing to try out new ones for the sake of safety in the workplace.
Overall, 3% of employees agreed they were open to trying and using new safety technologies in the workplace, according to a recent report from the U.S.’s National Safety Council (NSC).
And across all surveyed technologies, employers reported these solutions to be relevant to the hazards in their workplaces, according to the report.
The most notable increases in technology usage were for risk management software, proximity sensors and drones. Meanwhile use of other technologies has remained relatively similar between surveys.
“While there has been an increase in technology acceptance and implementation among employers between 2020 and 2023, more research is needed to close the gap between considering and using technology,” said the NSC.
What are the barriers to adoption of emerging safety technologies?
Despite the increase in acceptance, there are still barriers to adoption of these technologies, according to NSC.
These include:
- Resource constraints: Purchase costs, including initial capital and resource investments, remain an obstacle for employers, although there is a marked decrease since 2020.
- Privacy concerns: Concern over data collection, privacy issues and security are a top worry for employers.
- Greater understanding of benefits: Perceptions of current technologies and whether they are meeting organizational needs can be a key barrier as well as driver to the acceptance of new safety technologies in the workplace.
