Reframing Safety Technology

Expanding the role of safety professionals in a tech-enabled world.

• By Cam Stevens
• May 01, 2025

When people hear the term "safety technology," they often think of digital management systems designed to capture hazards, incident reports and compliance data. While these tools play an important role in workplace safety, they represent only a fraction of the broader spectrum of technologies that shape the design, experience, and risk profile of work. 

“Safety technology” isn’t just software. It includes everything from simple mechanical tools, such as a trolley that reduces manual handling risks, to complex artificial intelligence systems that analyze CCTV footage for hazardous zone management. A paper checklist, an ergonomic chair, a wearable sensor, or an autonomous drone are all forms of safety technology. 

For safety professionals, understanding technology through this expanded lens is a skill. It empowers us to step into a more strategic role, one that influences the adoption of responsible and effective innovations rather than reacting to them. 

The challenge isn’t selecting the latest innovations to trial; it’s clearly defining the problem you’re trying to solve and identifying the right combination of tools that align with your organization’s readiness, resources, and goals. 

The Problem with the Current View of Safety Technology 

One of the biggest misconceptions about workplace safety technology is that it primarily revolves around digital systems for compliance and incident tracking. This narrow view creates several challenges: 

• Overwhelming choice—Safety professionals are bombarded with emerging technologies and flashy marketing claims and “AI snake oil”, making it difficult to determine which innovations truly enhance safety. 

• Lack of role clarity—Many safety professionals are often excluded from workplace technology procurement or digital transformation discussions, even though their expertise is critical to evaluating risks and benefits. 

• Failure to define high-value use cases—Without clearly defining the health and safety problems that technology is designed to be solving, organizations risk implementing tools that create more risk, frustration, and administrative burden. 

Technology has always been a double-edged sword, especially in safety. Industry 4.0 technologies have the potential to improve safety, efficiency, and risk management, but success depends on how and why organizations adopt it. Too often, technology is introduced not to support workers but to monitor them, fueling distrust, resistance, and even new risks. 

Instead of focusing on enhancing safety, improving conditions, and reducing harm, some leaders view technology as a surveillance tool—tracking worker movements, monitoring compliance in punitive ways, and using data to penalize rather than protect. This “Big Brother” approach erodes trust and undermines the very goal of safety innovation. 

Modern safety leaders must explore these key levers for responsible safety innovation:  

• Trust—If workers don’t trust the technology—or the leaders implementing it—they won’t engage with it. A safety technology strategy should empower workers, not make them feel watched, judged, or controlled. When technology is used for surveillance rather than genuine safety improvements, it creates fear, resentment, and avoidance behaviors. 

• Motivation—If the problem isn’t clearly defined, technology won’t solve it. When safety tech is introduced without clear alignment to risk reduction or worker wellbeing, it quickly becomes a box-ticking exercise—or worse, a tool for blame. Instead of asking, “How do we track everything workers are doing?” leaders should ask, “How can we use technology to make work safer, healthier, and more human-centered?” 

• Strategic Application—If the right technology is applied to the wrong problem, it can create new risks instead of mitigating them. A prime example is AI-powered monitoring systems that detect "noncompliance" but fail to address the underlying systemic issues causing “risky behaviors.” Similarly, excessive tracking of worker movement may flag individual nuances without improving the design of work to eliminate hazards in the first place. 

Technology should serve people, not police them. The moment it becomes more about monitoring than support, it stops being a safety tool and starts being a control mechanism. If we want safety technology to truly work, we must redefine its purpose—moving from compliance-focused tracking to proactive, worker-centered safety solutions. 

Reframing Safety Technology: Humans + Technology = Better Together 

To navigate the future with confidence, safety professionals must broaden their definition of safety technology—considering how tools, systems, and processes contribute to the design, experience, and safety of work. 

This reframing means: 

• Viewing technology as an enabler of safety and performance, not just a compliance tool. Safety technology should enhance decision-making, reduce exposure to hazards, and improve worker wellbeing—not just digitize paperwork. 

• Recognizing that not all technology is digital. Mechanical, electrical, and physical tools are just as important in improving workplace safety as AI-driven analytics and automation. Celebrate this.  

• Focusing on meaningful, ethical innovation. Instead of adopting technology for technology’s sake, safety professionals should ensure that new tools address actual workplace challenges and align with human needs. 

By shifting perspectives, safety professionals can take a proactive role in shaping how technology is used in their organizations. Rather than being passive recipients of new tools, they can lead the conversation about what solutions make sense, why they matter, and how they should be implemented. 

The Role of Safety Professionals in a Tech-Enabled World of Work 

With rapid advancements in technology, safety professionals must redefine their roles to stay relevant and effective. Their expertise in risk management, human factors, and ethical decision-making positions them well to: 

• Collaborate with technology teams. Safety professionals should be involved early in technology procurement and development, ensuring that safety is integrated as a core value in workplace innovation. 

• Apply ethical principles to workplace technology. From data privacy concerns in AI-driven monitoring systems to the psychological impact of automation, safety professionals can advocate for responsible innovation that balances risk reduction with worker wellbeing. 

• Articulate a clear vision for the future of safety. By staying informed about emerging trends and understanding workplace challenges, safety professionals can guide organizations toward meaningful technological advancements. 

Insights for Action: Preparing for the Future 

To successfully integrate technology into workplace safety, safety professionals should carve out some time in their strategic plans to: 

1. Assess their role in technology adoption. Review job descriptions and ensure safety is included in discussions about workplace technology. 

2. Upskill in key areas. Gaining knowledge in ethics, data literacy, and Industry 4.0 trends will help safety professionals evaluate and implement new technologies effectively. 

3. Evaluate organizational capacity for change. Consider whether the workplace culture, leadership, and workforce readiness support the successful adoption of new technology. 

4. Partner with cross-functional teams. Collaboration with IT, operations, and frontline workers ensures that technology solutions are practical, effective, and well-integrated into daily work. Take your tech team out for coffee… a simple way to get started.  

A Vision for the Future: Safety and Innovation Go Hand in Hand 

As workplaces become increasingly connected and automated, the role of safety professionals must evolve beyond traditional compliance and risk management. The goal is not just to prevent incidents but to create safer, healthier, and more human-centered work environments—where humans flourish and where we truly embrace the concept of humans + machines = better together. 

Technology, when implemented responsibly, can be a powerful ally in achieving this goal. But to maximize its potential, safety professionals must take an active role in shaping its development and use. 

By embracing responsible innovation, advocating for ethical workplace technology, and ensuring that new solutions truly enhance work, safety professionals can lead the way in creating a future where humans and technology thrive together. 

This article originally appeared in the April/May 2025 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.