Hands up who’s using AI at work?
Most of us with curious minds are on board with the evolution of AI tools in the workplace but how can we use this latest technology to our benefit, whilst recognising its shortfalls?
Let’s cut through the jargon and look at what some AI tools can actually do for health and safety, where it falls short, and how NZ businesses should approach it.
Predictive Analytics for Risk Assessment
Pro
Predictive analytics is quite simply a tool that allows you to predict what might happen in the future, based on historical data. You may already have been using some sort of predictive analytics system for health and safety and now it is available in AI.
AI-generated predictive analytics can take this historical data and help identify possible risk areas such as patterns, behaviours, even identify riskier work sites to indicate “hotspots” and room for improvements.
Con
AI is a tool, but nothing can replace human experience or expertise.
You know your workplace, team and culture; not AI, so you have to ensure you apply the data in a way that encourages improvements, rather than causes confusion. Applying the human touch to AI outcomes means you get to keep your safety boots on the ground approach alongside using the benefits of smart tech.
AI Camera for Hazard Detection
Pro
AI cameras can pick up and react to what it sees and recognises faces, objects, number plates and more.
Some transportation and logistics companies are using in-cab technology to help monitor driver fatigue and vehicle activity. These Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) and Driver Alert Systems pick up anything from blinking patterns, head movements, body movements and lane deviation providing alerts and warnings around fatigue and poor safety behaviour. It’s providing key information that helps towards the prevention of accidents.
Con
We need to apply further intel and human interaction so we are not waiting for the driver monitoring system to pick up issues.
Proactive examples include but are not limited to…
Ensuring the culture offers an open-door policy for staff to come in and comfortably chat about what’s going on for them and any challenges they are working through at work or outside of work.
The regular health checks we do with staff are picking up any concerns such as sleep apnoea and we are working with the individual to ensure it is effectively managed before they get behind the wheel.
We are undertaking the pre-start check in with the operators before they get behind the wheel to ensure they are fit for work.
These examples are just a few of what we should be doing rather than leaving it until the operator is behind the wheel to manage concerns/red flags.
AI Writing Tools for Health and Safety Documents
Pro
Creating a health and safety manual or a hazard register using AI can save a whole heap of time in getting a fairly generic document off the ground.
You’ve typed in what you need: within seconds you have a health and safety document. You take a deep breath and think that’s it job done, but that’s where the problems lie if you take that approach.
The initial framework is in place, which is great, but the depth and detail required to make this effective still needs a lot of attention. It’s a good foundation but there’s more to be done.
Con
You need details, clarity, relevance and on the ground knowledge to create health and safety processes, procedures, manuals that apply to that specific workplace or site.
AI writing tools might get 60% of the job done, but it’s the remaining 40% that really counts and that takes a human.
AI is a valuable tool that can help you with health and safety and that’s exactly what it is – a tool. Managing real human behavior requires real experienced people on the ground.
Whilst we know that AI can help us work more efficiently, it would have to go a long way to replace the expertise and judgment of experienced health and safety professionals with the human touch.
