Purpose
The report aimed to develop and test wearable sensor technology to improve health and safety for forestry workers. The researchers identified workplace hazards, evaluated sensor options, and created a prototype system that provided warning to workers.
Summary
The report investigated how wearable sensors could improve safety for forestry workers. Researchers identified key hazards in forestry operations and found that existing sensor technologies were too costly or unreliable. They developed and tested a prototype system on wearable devices to detect and alert workers to potential collisions with vehicles or equipment. Field trials in real forestry environments showed the system worked accurately, especially in good lighting. The project demonstrated that wearable, vision-based sensors could help prevent injuries, reduce costs, and increase worker confidence in hazardous forestry settings.
Benefits to the Forest and Wood Products Industry
This research would benefit the forest industry in the following ways: –
Wearable sensors help prevent workplace injuries by giving workers real-time alerts about nearby hazards. They reduce costs for the industry by lowering insurance claims, lost workdays, and productivity losses. These sensors boost worker confidence and safety, which can lead to higher productivity. The technology is affordable, easy to maintain, and can be quickly adapted to different work environments.
Acknowledgement
This work was supported by funding provided to Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA) to administer the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation program (NIFPI).
Funding for the program was provided by the Australian Government, the Tasmanian Government and Australian forest and wood products industry.
