Pandemic Safety and Return to Work Support
The Internet of Behaviors (IoB) and its Impact on Health and Safety
Everyone is familiar with the Internet of Things. Fewer are familiar with the Internet of Behaviors (IoB).
The IoB is Number One on Gartner’s list of nine strategic technology trends for 2021. In its article, Gartner says “the IoB is about using data to change behaviors. With an increase in technologies that gather the “digital dust” of daily life — data that spans the digital and physical worlds — that information can be used to influence behaviors through feedback loops.”
From a health and safety perspective, the IoB brings together information about the individual, their whereabouts, their credentials, and then uses that combined knowledge to predict, prescribe and direct the next activity we would like the individual to take. Safety applications like Field Safe’s are the feedback loop Gartner cites.
This is an exciting area that will afford many opportunities for new operational efficiencies and of course improve worker safety. Our team is actively working to incorporate the IoB learnings to enhance our products in ways that will benefit our clients and their people.
Gartner says “the IoB is about using data to change behaviors. With an increase in technologies that gather the ‘digital dust’ of daily life — data that spans the digital and physical worlds — that information can be used to influence behaviors through feedback loops.”
Example One
A worker shows up at a yard to pick up a vehicle. The area is geofenced so we know in real-time their whereabouts and what they are about to do next (in this case, drive the vehicle). We can send an automated “just in time” push notification to ensure they remember to complete a vehicle inspection form before leaving.
Without geofencing and the prescriptive actions that the IoB enables, the more traditional communication method would be to spam their inbox first thing every morning with a variety of less intuitive notifications and hopefully a vehicle inspection reminder is among them. These types of non-specific emails tend to be ignored, are often highly ineffective and can actually be counter productive.
Example Two
Two welders are working side by side. They have the exact same credentials and each has worked 200 hours in the last 30 days. Worker A has completed 47 hot work permits. Worker B has only completed 3.
The IoB allows us to monitor the situation, determine if and where safety protocols may be deficient, and then send a push notification to the user who may be in breach reminding them of the actions we would like them to take. Management knows to monitor the situation going forward to proactively ensure that these workers are working as safely as possible.
Learn More:
Video:
Overview: Geofencing
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Overview: Asset Location
Operate by priority. Understand the status of assets and location of the closest and most qualified team members to optimally perform any required maintenance.