Connected PPE: innovation for safety

Connected personal protective equipment is a device that incorporates intelligent sensors and communication systems.

Its purpose? To improve the health and safety of workers by collecting and transmitting data in real time, whether on their environment, their posture or their state of health.

This new generation of PPE incorporates advanced technologies such as:
- the iternet of things,
- data collection,
- artificial intelligence (AI),
- augmented reality,
- and geolocation.

While the purpose of PPE is to protect the operator in the event of an incident (fall, impact, etc.), connected PPE aims to warn in the event of imminent danger. Connected PPE thus aims to monitor the condition of the worker and his or her environment in real time, and then alert the supervisor or emergency services in the event of an incident.

Can all PPE be connected?

Several categories of personal protective equipment or protection systems can be covered by a connected solution.

The following categories of connected PPE can be mentioned:
- smart helmets that provide alerts in the event of impact, detect exposure to harmful substances (gas, asbestos, etc.), or incorporate augmented reality displays in their visors to assist workers on construction sites,
- connected gloves that can light up when they detect that the environment is too dark, scan and identify the products with which they come into contact, and warn when they are worn out and close to tearing (link to PPE Inspection article),
- smart safety shoes capable of analysing the wear and tear of the sole and the wearer's posture and preventing loss of balance thanks to sensors that record the pressure of the arch of the foot on the ground,
- or even smart clothing, in particular vests, which could monitor the heart rate and body temperature and send out an alert in the event of a fall, collision, microsleep, abnormal immobility, thermal discomfort or physical exhaustion of the worker.

What kind of workers are connected PPE intended for?

This ‘PPE of the future’ is protective equipment that would make it possible to respond to the specific constraints of certain professional sectors, in particular the worlds of industry, logistics and construction and public works.

Connected PPE would thus be particularly useful for supporting:
- lone workers (forestry workers, maintenance technicians, operators working at height or in confined spaces, such as wind turbine maintenance), who would benefit from a real-time alert system in the event of an incident or a fall,
- operators in hazardous environments who could be alerted in the event of prolonged exposure to harmful substances, for example in radioactive zones, ATEX zones or chemical sectors,
- or construction and industry workers who could benefit from a system to prevent risks related to falls, postures or fatigue.