Taking responsibility for any incidents is always the organization's responsibility. Industrial environments, such as manufacturing, oil and gas, and chemical processing, are among those that have battled safety-related issues for a long time. The advancements of the Internet of Things and computer vision are transforming industrial safety solutions.
By introducing IoT in the industry together with computer vision technologies, we can control hazards in real-time, automating emergencies and preventing accidents. Combining these technologies minimizes human mistakes, resulting in lower expensive accidents, and maximizes safety compliance.
Indian government data states that 3 workers die in India every single day. Reportedly, over 1100 deaths and more than 4000 injuries are registered in the name of different factories; this is the average data for 2017 and 2020.
Let’s see how IoT and computer vision can be leveraged to ensure workers' safety in industrial settings in detail.
Computer Vision Practices for Improving Industrial Safety
Computer vision is an advanced technology that is essentially a part of artificial intelligence, interpreting images and videos by analyzing existing data. It generates visuals in the digital world by understanding human vision.
Today's computer vision systems use vision technologies, object detection, behavior analysis, pattern detection, and artificial intelligence to scan surroundings and find risks that can be missed by humans.
- a. PPE detection: Identifies if the workers are wearing helmets, gloves, masks, etc., for worker safety.
- b. Unsafe behaviors: Quickly identifies unsafe actions, e.g., when workers are running in a dangerous area or misusing equipment in the firm.
- c. Objects & zones: Spill detection, littering, and foreign objects on the factory floor that pose slipping risks or malfunctions.
- d. Machine vision inspection: Checks flaws or damage detection of tools, equipment, or machinery that may lead to malfunctions or failures.
Solutions IoT and Computer Vision Can Provide in Various Industries
The combination of IoT and computer vision, using various sensors machine vision, and industrial scanners in crucial industries leads to a strong data-driven strategy for workplace safety. IoT offers real-time data from operations, and computer vision offers an intelligible layer of analysis of visual data, enabling secure working place, including:
- 1. Real-time hazard detection: Cameras and sensors offer information to track the equipment condition, air quality, temperature, and worker activity. Machine vision cameras and industrial scanners from Zebra Technologies and other AIDC firms can help in this regard.
- 2. Automated emergency response: IoT-enabled systems can also remotely shut down equipment, initiate alarms, or activate fire suppression systems without human action or control.
- 3. Predictive maintenance: The information created by the IoT sensors can be utilized to forecast the failure of equipment, and computer vision can determine their visual indicators of damage or wear.
- 4. Remote monitoring: Managers now can monitor other employees in danger zones using dashboards that provide sensor data and video data.
- 5. Incident analyses: During post-incident analyses, sensor logs and video analytics can offer compliance and lessons learned.
5 Benefits of IoT and Computer Vision in Industrial Safety
The adoption of IoT and computer vision technologies is enhancing industrial and worker safety because we can now pre-emptively identify risks, automate regulations, improve emergency response, and facilitate a uniform culture of efficiency and safety in industrial processes.
- a. Fewer injuries and accidents- Identifying and confronting hazards before they turn into serious accidents.
- b. Faster response times- Automated systems will react immediately to reduce damage.
- c. Reduced operating expenses- With fewer accidents comes reduced downtime, fewer claims, and lower insurance premiums.
- d. Improved compliance- With all the files ready in advance, regulatory audits hurt less and are significantly less likely to be in error.
- e. Ongoing improvement- Data analysis identifies patterns and helps enhance safe work procedures over time.
Industries that need major safety with IoT and computer vision
Industries need major safety solutions for their workers, and IoT and computer vision provide services to prevent injuries and work safely in the environment.
a. Construction: Construction is the most dangerous industry in the private sector and is responsible for about 20% of all on-the-job deaths. Falls, slips, and trips are the major causes of construction deaths. This includes about 38–39% of all construction fatalities, and the figure is rising annually. Smart cameras and sensors can be installed to send quick signals to supervisors, alerting them to workers in risk areas.
b. Manufacturing: Workers in manufacturing firms are subjected to machine injury, chemical exposure, repetitive stress, and fire or explosion hazards, which may lead to severe injuries and diseases.
IoT and computer vision practices for monitoring equipment status, and alerting before any abnormal action takes place. The use of fixed industrial scanners like the FS42 industrial scanner for resource-intensive tasks like deep learning-based OCR applications and high-throughput scanning is crucial in this regard.
c. Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing: Employees are exposed to machinery accidents, pesticide exposure, falls, and exposure to the elements, which leads to the highest rates of deaths across all sectors.
Computer vision for observing the environmental conditions and equipment operations, in case any danger arises.
d. Transportation and Trucking: Truck crashes, driver fatigue, and hazardous materials keep transportation in the top one to three jobs for causing employee loss; driver safety issues are common with other employees working near vehicles, and this industry needs to do better in terms of safety.
With the help of camera-based driving, fatigue detection, and vehicle collision warnings can be monitored in real-time.
e. Mining, Oil, Gas Extraction: Workers are exposed to collapses, poisonous fumes, fire/explosions, and heavy equipment-related accidents. These sectors have long records of monumental disasters, and we must continue to innovate to give workers safer environments.
IoT and computer vision provide real-time site monitoring by showing equipment status and risk detection.
To summarize, IoT and computer vision aren't science fiction realities — they're realities that enhance industrial safety. As we see these technologies become implemented in more industries, we can expect safer work sites, improved operations, and enhanced safety cultures. Spending money on these technologies is more than following regulations- it's life-saving and more resilient operation-building.
Frequently Asked Questions on IoT and Computer Vision in Industries
Q1. How does IoT improve industrial safety?
IoT supports industry safety by enabling the monitoring of equipment, environmental situations, and employee location in real-time. Temperature changes, gas leaks, vibrations, or a piece of equipment not operating as intended can be sensed with sensors that are coded to send alarms and/or automatic shutdowns to prevent hazardous situations or accidents from occurring.
Q2. How is computer vision contributing to worker safety?
Computer vision applies artificial intelligence to analyze video streams for safety risk exposure. For instance, computer vision can determine whether an employee is wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), if an employee is practicing unsafe behaviors (e.g., entering restricted areas), and even if there are visible machine defects in operation. Proactive detection prevents injury and enforces adherence to safety regulations.
Q3. Which sectors benefit the most from IoT and computer vision systems in terms of safety?
These industries with high-risk surroundings such as manufacturing, mining, oil & gas, construction, chemicals, and utilities get the largest increase in safety measures.
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