Sweden-based Snickers Workwear, a major on-the-job clothing supplier in Europe, has started testing workplace wearable technology prototype ‘Tracker 1’ that monitors health and safety factors of professional craftsmen.
David Clark, Managing Director of Hultafors Group (parent company of Snickers) says, “Our experience is that craftsmen usually are so focused on getting the job done that personal protection tends to be overlooked.”
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Snickers’s product line already includes clothing and protective accessories to prevent knee injuries, but the wearable technology takes the next step with real-time monitoring. The company’s ‘Tracker 1’ microprocessor prototype is being used in tests in five countries by 100 workers. The chip fits in a pocket on the Snickers’ work trousers and reports workplace noise levels, heat conditions and knee impact while the craftsperson is working. The data from the Tracker 1 chip transmits to the wearer’s smartphone.
“The study shows that 6 out of 10 craftsmen are suffering from pain in their knees. So we see that there is definitely room for improving their well-being beyond just knee protection and our ‘Smart Workwear’ is one way,” concludes David.