Click here for the full article from Kansas City Business Journal
A new, muscular type of technology is growing on the plains. It puts biometrics, artificial intelligence and machine learning to work — helping workplaces operate more efficiently and keeping workers safer. See how Kansas City is capitalizing on this growing sector.
KENZEN PASSES DATA SECURITY and PRIVACY MILESTONE
KANSAS CITY, MO (March 22, 2022) – On the cusp of new U.S. Federal heat rules and OSHA heat standards for protecting workers as the earth’s temperatures rise to expected new records this summer, Kenzen, makers of climate tech that monitors worker health and wellness in the heat, has achieved its next data security and privacy milestone. Kenzen announces it has passed the System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2) Type I audit from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Its technology meets trust services criteria for securing worker data.
The SOC 2 audit was performed by independent accounting firm Sensiba San Filippo, LLP.
SOC 2 is an information security standard based on a thorough examination of controls relevant to the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy of personal data.
“Kenzen was founded on the worker-centric, ethical platform of keeping individuals’ health data secure,” said Heidi Lehmann, co-founder of Kenzen. “From the beginning, our goal was to set the gold standard in worker privacy for industrial tech. Now climate tech, worker wellness, and worker health disparities are top of mind for the Federal and local governments, regulators, the media, and employers – especially those with large workforces. Rising temperatures are increasing worker injuries and deaths. There’s new urgency to solve the issue, but sound solutions must protect individual privacy.”
Lehmann considers the SOC 2 audit the second privacy milestone for Kenzen. The first was its standard-setting privacy policy that details the type of information collected about a worker, how a worker can opt out of the technology, how long the data is available, and who owns it. The privacy policy is accessible on the Kenzen website and is easy to understand, to ensure all workers understand their rights when monitored with Kenzen’s wearable sensor that detects heat risk to their body. Kenzen collaborated closely with Working Capital Venture Fund, which invests in scalable innovation that meets the growing demand for more transparent and ethical supply chains which protect workers. Working Capital is headquartered in San Francisco, the epicenter of Internet of Things technology, with offices in Washington D.C., where the firm advocates for workers’ rights. Kenzen also partnered with Venable law firm, which is known for its data privacy work.
“Companies no longer need to weigh the benefits of saving lives and gaining productivity against the risk of exposing workers’ personal data in the process. As the business case for worker health gets stronger with rising temps and fatalities, data safeguards must also get stronger,” said Lehmann.
Kenzen wearable monitors collect tens of thousands of data points per worker per shift. The information is used to protect workers from injury on the job and optimize worker health in hot and humid conditions. Three distinct views of data are available: one for the worker, one for the on-site supervisor, and one for the company’s EHS team. Kenzen’s proprietary algorithms filter data at each level to keep personal, identifiable information accessible only to the worker. When the data indicates a need for an intervention to prevent the worker from overheating, an alert and suggested next steps are sent to the supervisor. At the corporate level, health and safety teams receive anonymized trend information derived from aggregated data, which they use to make decisions to improve safety and productivity at their worksites.
National Centers for Environmental Information and NASA are predicting record temperatures in 2022. July 2021 was the earth’s hottest month ever, with 200 million Americans under heat advisories. Extreme temperatures result in annual losses of two billion labor hours and $162B in wages, with every 10° (F) temperature increase causing a 393 percent uptick in hospitalizations for heat exposure.
About Kenzen
Kenzen is workforce safety technology at the intersection of unparalleled heat science and climate technology. Its physiological monitoring platform protects workforces from heat on the job while providing data-driven insights for improving productivity. The Kenzen solution protects workers throughout the world in a wide variety of industrial sectors. Through research and validation with top universities and use of its system by more than 50 companies, Kenzen has amassed the largest known dataset of continuous core body temperature in the world and has the only peer-reviewed algorithm proven to predict core temperature through a wearable device.
For more information
Contact Beth LaBreche
612-578-2834
# # #
You may be thinking: Adults know when they are hot, when to drink water and are capable of determining if they need a break from activity, such as work. So why does heat need to be regulated by OSHA? Research suggests assumptions regarding one’s ability to self-manage heat exposure may not be so simple.
Those experiencing heat stress may not feel symptoms immediately or symptoms may include impaired judgement. People willingly tolerate more extreme temperatures when under motivational conflict including physical effort or monetary reward, according to “Physiology and Behavior.“ A person experiencing impaired decision-making for either reason may mistakenly judge themselves able to safely continue an activity. If they keep working as their body temperature increases, additional symptoms arise, such as unsteadiness and cognitive impairment, which increase the likelihood of workplace injury. Additionally, employees may never have received adequate education regarding heat-related illness symptoms, which increases the likelihood of ignoring warning signs. Many employees do not report symptoms they experience, which increases their risk of serious complications or death from heat exposure.
If all that increased risk wasn’t enough, consider the rate the Earth’s temperature is rising: It has doubled each decade since 1981. If this rate continues, up to 137 million Americans will be exposed to temperatures above 90°F more than 100 days each year. Heat is known as “the silent killer,” taking more American lives than lightening, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods combined. Heat-related worker injuries and deaths go underreported for a variety of reasons, including delayed onset of heat stress and exacerbation of pre-existing conditions.
Workplace injuries increase in indoor and outdoor settings by 5% to 7% when temperatures are higher than 85°F and by 10% to 15% when temperatures are higher than 100°F, according to IZA Institute of Labor Economics. It is not a large leap to assume workplace injuries will increase as the number of hot days increases. Workplace injuries create financial burdens for companies. The average non-fatal workplace injury costs an employer $42,000 per occurrence and a death costs $1,220,000. If up to 35% of people exposed to hazardous heat experience some form of heat strain, and one common symptom impairs judgement (leading to accidents), ignoring heat risks is not financially sustainable.
The Atlantic Council predicts the United States stands to lose $100 billion due to extreme heat. The EPA cites high temperatures as causing a loss of 1.9 billion labor hours and $160 million in lost wages annually. It estimates lost labor hours of up to 6.5% per heat-exposed worker. If there are 100 days of heat above 90°F, each company will lose approximately 52 labor hours per worker per year.
Heat illness is a sneaky problem, creating economic impacts for employees, employers, and the U.S. economy. Prompt diagnosis, cooling, and supportive measures are the only way to manage heat illness. But, even with these things, long-term negative effects are still possible. Prevention of heat stress is the most effective approach to managing it. OHSA heat standards will help employers protect their human assets and reduce the economic burden of heat by preventing heat illnesses and casualties. Research shows that when workers take time to rest, hydrate and cool themselves, they are able to work for longer periods without reaching harmful core body temperatures.
PREDICTING HOW OSHA HEAT STANDARDS WILL HELP
There are still many things we don’t know about the upcoming OSHA heat standards, but several resources give clear insight to the situation including, the H.R.2193 Act, OSHA’s memorandum9 and ANPRM2, and the NIOSH Criteria for a Recommended Standard. H.R.2193 requires the new heat standard be no less protective than the most protective plan put in place by an individual state. Many people believe this will cause the policies to closely mimic California’s current heat regulations for workers. However, the three other states with heat standards today include details California does not. As a result, it’s likely the standards will mimic California’s structure while including a smattering of details from the other states’ heat policies. Some basic assumptions can be made regarding what will be included in upcoming federal heat standards.
Click here for the full article from Occupational Health & Safety
By Cheryl Lynn Palmer | Mar 01, 2022
Until now, the world at large wasn’t speculating on the occupational impact of climate change. However, organizations like the Department of Labor, OSHA, NIOSH as well as President Biden, by issuing new heat rules for worksites, are making the issue of dangerous heat impossible to ignore. Heat risk to workers and companies has caught the attention of many organizations and international media because it now kills more Americans than any other weather-related event, and it has been injuring workers quietly for many years.
Wearable technology can detect HRI symptoms that are hard to diagnose on work sites for several reasons:
Symptoms may not exist. Many people who experience HRI state that they “feel fine,” until they get dizzy, pass out and fall down.
Symptoms may be hard to identify. Fatigue and nausea may be misinterpreted as caused by food illness or too much alcohol the previous night. Temperament changes and lack of attention may be attributed to stress or a bad day. Unsteadiness and dropped items may just be simple mistakes. Muscle cramps may be mistaken for overdoing it the day before or a hard workout at the gym. Yet, each of these things are signs of HRI.
Workers may have been incorrectly trained. Research indicates many people believe that, if they are sweating, they are safe from HRI. Workers haven’t been trained to know that this is not true.
Symptoms may impede one’s own ability to self-identify HRI and react. Impaired judgment, disrupted cognitive function, lack of focus, inability to make decisions and poor comprehension could impede a worker’s ability to detect heat risk on the body.
Workplaces may not be watching for HRI. Heat assessment indexes and weather warning systems may not reflect variables specific to workplaces, such as metabolic heat production from work tasks, clothing layers, PPE, heat generated from machines and materials, etc., leaving workers unaware of their risks. Some assessment indexes may even use antiquated versions of heat indicators.
Click here for the full article from Safety Solutions
Record-breaking temperatures in 2021 led to increased worker deaths, from produce pickers to construction crews and garbage collectors. In 2022, tech entrepreneurs have addressed the issue by finding innovative ways to track and prevent the dangers of heat on the body. Heidi Lehmann, a tech entrepreneur whose latest venture Kenzen produces a wearable device that monitors workers’ physiology to predict and prevent heat injuries and deaths, said that progressive employers are already incorporating technology that can track worker wellness. Kenzen has equipped first responders, miners and workers in the construction, energy, steel and manufacturing sectors with sensors that continuously monitor their physiology to assess core body temperature, sweat rate and exertion. Lehmann welcomes legislation that will mandate the care needed for overheated bodies — such as breaks, water and cooling techniques — yet warns that standards should not be ‘one-size-fits-all’. Biological sex, fitness, age, acclimatisation and other individual factors can dictate what each worker needs to stay safe and productive.
“Heat monitoring is key to achieving ‘Total Worker Health.’ Every person has a different threshold for being able to withstand hot temperatures and hot work. Across-the-board mandates will not curb the alarming statistics. Advanced technology for a personalised approach needs to be part of the solution,” Lehmann said.
Kenzen sensors gather thousands of data points per worker per shift. Through research and validation with universities and use of its system by more than 50 companies, Kenzen has amassed a large dataset of continuous core body temperature. The Kenzen device warns workers, via haptic vibration, when their physiology indicates danger of heat stress. Managers get an alert via an app when a worker needs an intervention to stay safe. A second alert indicates when the worker’s body is ready to resume work. Corporate safety leaders can use the analytics dashboard to make enterprise-wide decisions to minimise heat risks, reduce injuries and improve productivity. They may also adjust work schedules or assign certain tasks to individuals. Throughout the process, personal data is protected, as only workers can view their health information while others only see what is necessary to keep workers safe. “Worker heat health is at the forefront of industry in 2022,” Lehmann said.
Click here to see the award from Best Mobile App Awards
Winner of 2021 Winter Awards – Best New Mobile App
The Kenzen heat monitoring system is for use by industrial companies, such as construction firms, mining operations, agricultural, utilities, and oil and gas worksites. It is a SaaS system that includes a wearable device worn by workers that alerts both the worker and their supervisor when the worker’s core body temperature is too high and he/she is in danger of heat illness or injury, including death. Real-time alerts allow for immediate intervention to keep workers safe and help the company proactively manage its risk and productivity. Data also informs Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) leaders’ decisions to enhance heat safety across the company.
The Kenzen wearable sensor monitors multiple individual physiological and environmental metrics, including heart rate, sweat rate, exertion levels, and microclimate. It also stores an individual worker’s heat susceptibility and hydration needs based on the factors that affect a person’s tolerance to heat, which include gender, age, health conditions, prescriptions taken, and more. Together, this data allows for accurate prediction of heat stress for workers and the prevention of heat-related injuries and fatalities.
The Kenzen system monitors core body temperature, the greatest predictor of heat stress and illness, and alerts workers via smart phone notifications and supervisors via web dashboards when a worker should take a break to avoid heat-related injuries. The system makes recommendations on how to treat heated workers and a second alert indicates when the worker’s temperature has returned to a safe level to return to work.
Tens of thousands of data points collected per worker per day help companies manage heat risk by location and job role, and adapt worksites to improve safety while maximizing productivity. Modifications may include changes to work-rest schedules, hydration and shade stations, air-conditioned rest areas, and ice-bath locations. The data can also inform decisions about appropriate use of equipment and clothing to reduce heat injuries.
The three views of data were designed by Kenzen to protect workers’ private health information.
The Kenzen system is currently being used throughout the world to keep people safe on the job.