When people think of Canada they often picture rural snowy villages or lodges hidden in the forests. But Canada is actually one of the most advanced countries on the planet. With many of the largest tech companies calling it home. It is not the rural backwards land people often think it is.

Modern technology has changed the lives of Canadians in so many ways. From our social lives to our homes. But one of the most impactful changes being made by modern technology is in regards to employee safety.

Canada has always put the safety of its workers at the forefront. Canada’s agriculture, manufacturing, and mining industries make up a huge part of its GDP each year. So it makes sense that, as a nation, they would want to better protect the men and women that make these industries run. Today we are going to examine the various ways modern technology is improving employee safety.

Automation And Robotics

When automation first came around people cried out in anger. Claiming it would put millions of people out of a job. But that wasn’t the case. Instead it only served to make businesses more efficient and safer. While also opening up a whole new job market in engineering and repairs.

Automation plays a huge part in keeping employees safe. Especially in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. High risk jobs can be fully automated, allowing staff to focus on logistics and overseeing the processes. Rather than putting themselves in harm’s way.

Modern robotics is taking this a step further. Factory assembly lines can not be fully automated with robots. Reducing the risk of injury by a considerable margin. Robots are also being used in dangerous fields such as radio tower repair.

Protecting Jobs

Employee safety isn’t always focused on their physical safety. It also concerns job security. And modern technology is ensuring that businesses can better manage their resources and protect themselves against potential collapse.

For example, when an employee suffers an accident at work it can be catastrophic for both the individual and the business. Previously, without the internet, many businesses and employees weren’t fully aware of their legal responsibilities in these cases. Staff would have a hard time understanding loss mitigation considerations and employers weren’t aware of all the safety regulations they had to follow.

These days, thanks to smartphones, the internet, and the accessibility of legal information online, companies can be better prepared for any legal issues that may arise. Which will ensure they don’t go bankrupt from legal fees and payouts and can continue to provide employment.

Protective Technologies

Firefighters are some of the bravest people on the planet. It takes a lot of courage and empathy to be willing to run into a burning building to save others. And we are lucky enough to live in an age where the risks associated with firefighting are being massively reduced.

Drones have been revolutionary for firefighters. They can be sent into a building and, using an array of powerful scanning tools and thermal imaging, create a more detailed view of the situation at hand. This allows firefighters to be better prepared and form a more solid plan of action.

Firefighters also make use of thermal vision and augmented reality cameras to better navigate while in a smoke filled environment. These gadgets can provide them with detailed information about their surroundings, including structural integrity and help them find potential entry points into blocked areas. All of this compounds into ensuring firefighters are better able to do their job without sustaining injury.

AI Moderation

One of the most mentally draining and horrible jobs on the planet is content moderation. This might sound silly but think about it. Their job is to sift through millions of pictures and videos to ensure nothing bad is being posted online. This means they have to expose themselves to potentially gruesome or disgusting content. And it can cause them a lot of mental harm.

But, thanks to modern AI, this job is now being moved out of human hands. AI is getting smart enough to be able to handle these moderation jobs. Which means human content moderators can focus on handling less intense cases and provide better customer support instead.

AI is also being used to improve cyber security within companies. Hackers and scammers are getting more creative with their phishing. And it isn’t uncommon for employees to make a mistake and fall for it. Some companies are trialing AI as an extra layer of security. Screening incoming emails for potential threats that might bypass traditional security software. This helps protect the companies and the employees who might get fired from an honest mistake.