by KENZEN | Jun 25, 2020 | In The News
Kenzen develops body heat sensor for predictive worker safety
You can see the original article in Equipment Journal, here.
Smart PPE developer Kenzen has launched a wearable real-time worker heat monitoring system.
The cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) system includes a wearable device worn by workers on their arm, which alerts both the worker and their supervisor when core body temperature is too high.
Real-time alerts allow for immediate intervention and worker safety from heat injuries.
Kenzen tech
The wearable tech, via its advanced sensor, monitors multiple physiological and environmental metrics, including heart rate, activity, skin, and ambient temperatures. The sensor data allows for the real-time prediction of core body temperature, providing alerts to workers and supervisors when temperatures approach unsafe levels.
“The Kenzen system is all about prediction and prevention. Heat-related injuries are 100 percent preventable, but potentially deadly and difficult to detect until it’s too late,” said Heidi Lehmann, Kenzen’s chief commercialization officer.
Kenzen’s multi-level alerts are sent to workers via device vibration, iOS or Android app notification and to supervisors via web dashboard alert signaling the worker should take a break and to allow their temperature to return to safe levels.
Alerts are accompanied by actionable recommendations such as advising the worker to take a break, find shade, drink water, or remove any excess clothing and equipment to decrease body heat.
When the worker’s core body temperature has returned to a safe level, a second “back to work” alert notifies the employee.
Data captured by the system can be used to help companies identify heat risk and manage outcomes by adapting worksites accordingly to improve worker safety while maximizing productivity.
Modifications may include changes to work-rest schedules, where and when to add water and shade stations, the addition of air-conditioned rest areas, and even recommendations for pre-staging ice-bath locations in case of extreme weather and working conditions.
The data can also inform decisions around workplace expenditures such as certain equipment and clothing.
The Kenzen system has been tested on worksites of large industrial conglomerates across the globe in domains such as construction, field services, power, oil, and gas as well as renewable energy.
by KENZEN | Jun 17, 2020 | In The News
New wearable system monitors construction workers’ body temperature
by Zachary Phillips
You can see the original article on Construction Dive, here.
Dive Brief:
- A new system from health monitoring firm Kenzen can help employees keep cool this summer when working outside. The company claims the Kenzen Patch, a black arm band that goes around the bicep and has a related mobile app, continuously monitors a worker’s body temperature to help avoid heat-related illnesses.
- The patch, according to Kenzen Chief Commercial Officer Heidi Lehmann, allows safety supervisors to see real-time metrics, allowing them to respond to a potential health threat before a worker becomes ill.
- Companies also can view anonymized data sets to identify changes that would help mitigate future issues caused by heat, such as increasing break times or more water stations. The patch is in limited release, but contractors can test the product now because it is available for sale in the fall.
Dive Insight:
During the hot summer months, construction workers are among those at the highest risk of heat exhaustion, according to OSHA, especially when working outdoors on roofing or roadway projects.
Using the patch system, workers can track and follow their own biometric data, including body temperature and heart rate, while safety supervisors see real-time data and alerts, Kenzen said.
Although not designed to specifically monitor a possible coronavirus-related infection, Lehmann said the sensor indicates when a worker’s body temperature is elevated. A safety manager can then use context to decide if the raised body temperature resulted from fever or from heat-related conditions.
Kenzen found construction workers would not necessarily heed their own warning signs if viewing data on their personal phones, whereas if a supervisor informed them their body temperature had risen they would be more likely to take a break, Lehmann said. In addition, if workers are put in charge of monitoring their own vitals through the app, they may not have their cell phones with them.
“A lot of times on construction sites the workers can carry phones in certain areas,” she said. “But in certain environments either it was disruptive to the workflow or they weren’t allowed to carry them.” This informed the decision to put the live information into supervisors’ hands.
In related news, Boston-based Shawmut Design and Construction recently implemented Feevr, a device that uses artificial intelligence to detect elevated temperatures in groups of people to determine if any workers might have a fever without having to come into physical contact with the individual.
