Cloud-based safety suite to enhance worker safety

Honeywell released a way for companies to improve productivity and regulatory compliance by connecting their existing inventory of personal protective equipment (PPE) through radio identification (RFID) tags.

By Gregory Hale, ISSSource April 22, 2018

Honeywell released a way for companies to improve productivity and regulatory compliance by connecting their existing inventory of personal protective equipment (PPE) using Honeywell’s cloud-based Safety Suite software and specialized electronic tags.

The connected worker solution uses Honeywell’s ultra-high frequency radio identification (RFID) tags that can be attached to any safety equipment. They are designed to withstand the tough conditions characteristic of many commercial work sites. The tags can be scanned directly into the safety suite software, which means equipment can be tracked for usage, maintenance, and training, which is intended to result in better inventory management decisions and compliance reporting.

Three types of tags are available to cover the broadest range of worker tools, safety devices and personal protective equipment: A tag that adheres to various flat, non-metallic surfaces; one that can be mounted to metallic surfaces; and a sealed, rigid RFID tag that can be attached even to devices with irregular or odd-sized surfaces.

When equipment is scanned into the suite, safety managers can track and manage their inventory of PPE, making sure it is tested on schedule or repaired or replaced as needed, reducing the frequency of equipment failure or non-compliance. The data pulled from the tag can be compiled automatically into reports, thus eliminating time-consuming manual audits and data logs. The ultra-high frequency RFID tags also enable longer-range scans, helping speed up and simplify scanning of multiple devices and workers.

Gregory Hale is the editor and founder of Industrial Safety and Security Source (ISSSource.com), a news and information Website covering safety and security issues in the manufacturing automation sector. This content originally appeared on ISSSource.com. ISSSource is a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, CFE Media, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

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