Abstract:
Workplace exposure is an important source of ill health. The use of wearable sensors and sensing technologies may help improve and maintain worker health, safety, and wellbeing. Input from workers should inform the integration of these sensors into workplaces. We developed an online survey to understand the acceptability of wearable sensor technologies for occupational health and safety (OSH) management. The survey was disseminated to members of OSH-related organizations, mainly in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. There were 158 respondents, with over half (n = 91, 58%) reporting current use of wearable sensors, including physical hazards (n = 57, 36%), air quality (n = 53, 34%), and location tracking (n = 36, 23%), although this prevalence likely also captures traditional monitoring equipment. There were no clear distinctions in wearable sensor use between the reported demographic and occupational characteristics, with the exception that hygienists were more likely than non-hygienists (e.g. safety professionals) to use wearable sensors (66% versus 34%). Overall, there was an interest in how sensors can help OSH professionals understand patterns of exposure and improve exposure management practices. Some wariness was expressed primarily around environmental and physical constraints, the quality of the data, and privacy concerns. This survey identified a need to better identify occupational situations that would benefit from wearable sensors and to evaluate existing devices that could be used for occupational hygiene. Further, this work underscores the importance of clearly defining \"sensor\" according to the occupational setting and context.
摘要:
工作场所暴露是健康不良的重要来源。可穿戴传感器和传感技术的使用可能有助于改善和维持工人的健康,安全,和幸福。工人的输入应告知将这些传感器集成到工作场所。我们开发了一项在线调查,以了解可穿戴传感器技术在职业健康与安全(OSH)管理中的可接受性。调查已分发给与职业健康安全有关的组织成员,主要在英国和荷兰。有158名受访者,超过一半(n=91,58%)报告当前使用可穿戴传感器,包括身体危险(n=57,36%),空气质量(n=53,34%),和位置跟踪(n=36,23%),尽管这种流行可能也捕获了传统的监测设备。在报告的人口统计学和职业特征之间,可穿戴传感器的使用没有明显区别,除了卫生人员比非卫生人员(例如安全专业人员)更有可能使用可穿戴传感器(66%对34%).总的来说,人们对传感器如何帮助OSH专业人员了解暴露模式和改善暴露管理实践感兴趣.主要围绕环境和物理限制表达了一些谨慎,数据的质量,和隐私问题。这项调查确定了需要更好地识别将受益于可穿戴传感器的职业情况,并评估可用于职业卫生的现有设备。Further,这项工作强调了根据职业环境和背景明确定义“传感器”的重要性。