The October Technology Evening was hosted by Pepperl+Fuchs. Patience Moila, the enterprise mobility expert for sub-Saharan Africa, presented on ‘Lone Worker Protection for the Mobile worker 4.0’. The presentation included a detailed explanation of the functionalities of lone worker protection on intrinsically safe mobile devices that form part of the daily tools of a mobile worker, who plays an essential role in leading the Industry 4.0 transformation.
Within the context of Industry 4.0, the Mobile Worker is connected to people, processes and systems in hazardous areas, enabling them to work alone. They are often exposed to increased risks and need quick help in case of an emergency.
The company must ensure that an accident is detected immediately, and that the rescue chain is set in motion reliably. This requirement must also be fulfilled in the event that the victim of the accident is unable to take any action, and no one else has noticed the accident. This is particularly true for plants where critical hazards are present, and where there is a risk of significant injury or adverse effect on health. In such environments, a lone worker protection (LWP) system can be established.
By leveraging the features of lone worker protection on intrinsically safe smartphones, lone workers are equipped with a personal alarm signal device that reliably detects a critical incident using position and acceleration sensors and configured patterns, and triggers an alarm accordingly. The smartphone can establish an audio and visual connection to the victim of the accident, so that they can communicate even if they are unable to move. If the worker is unable to respond, the control centre can use this connection to assess the situation initially without any input. For easy and secure data sharing, it should be possible to integrate the mobile device into a cloud server system.
If a device falls or no motion is detected, programmable 3-D motion sensors automatically activate an emergency call. Geofencing enables any workspace to be mapped; lone worker protection is enabled when entering the work area. Emergency signals are sent to the control room when a button is pressed or when the position or impact sensor is triggered. The smartphone’s hands-free function and camera are then automatically activated, so that the condition of the injured person can be checked immediately. This not only increases employee safety, but can also reduce personnel costs.
The SAIMC Johannesburg management team would like to thank Pepperl+Fuchs, and especially Patience, for a wonderful, interesting and informative session.
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