Safety Technology: Back to the Basics, First
Safety culture is the foundation for effective injury prevention—without it, even the best technology will fall short.
- By Janalee McKnight
- Oct 15, 2025
As a professional with over a decade of experience in both research and the practical application of workplace safety technology, I have published peer-reviewed research on the validity and accuracy of wearable technology, have led programs implementing robotics, wearables, virtual reality, and safety management systems. These targeted programs notably yielded an injury reduction rate of over 70 percent at a company I worked for.
Despite the success I have seen in utilizing innovative workplace safety technology in several industries, I have found that many organizations get distracted by chasing the latest technology, prioritizing investments in “cutting-edge” solutions over building a solid foundation that supports organizational readiness for technology adoption. They’re looking for the magic device or tool to solve a culture issue.
Case Study
In 2019, I worked for an organization facing a persistent problem with material handling injuries. Key lagging indicators including the Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) and Lost Time Rate (LTR) were trending in the wrong direction and there was one common variable that stood out: sprains and strains within Americas distribution centers.
Our health and safety team was relatively new to the company and committed to gaining a deeper understanding of the true root cause behind these injuries. Executive leadership was understandably concerned, and leaning hard on our team to quickly identify the cause and deliver an impactful solution immediately. But here’s the challenge— we had a safety culture in its infancy and a very modest budget.
Technology is a great resource, but you need safety culture to drive success. You can adopt the most cutting-edge safety technology on the market, but without a strong safety culture, it will not be effective. Technology alone is not transformational in reducing injuries—but culture is. A strong safety culture will lay a foundation for organizational readiness including buy-in from every employee level and drive engagement to make a program thrive. When leaders see and believe in the value of health and safety, program investments in safety become a part of holistic operational processes.
Going back to the 2019 example, I am happy to share that this company had a 70 percent reduction in material handling injuries, but this significant achievement did not occur overnight; it took four years and an intentional focus on building a culture of safety.
The Slow Burn of Safety Culture
Safety culture is a slow burn. It takes dedicated time and patience to shape an environment that values safety and empowers every employee to take ownership. I spent the entire year of 2020 solely dedicated to building a healthy safety culture. To launch this initiative successfully, you need to understand how to speak about safety to each audience and employee level in a meaningful way. For example, to executives, I spoke to business value and operational risk, and to front-line workers, I discussed ownership of safety. The overall goal was engagement, but the messaging was specific and digestible to each group.
When you have a modest budget, it’s important to be efficient and impactful. I developed monthly safety education themes that were simple and engaging. Our team got our boots on the ground and into facilities to model safety leadership. I created continuing education content for site safety leaders that included actionable strategies and practical solutions. We added near-miss competitions and made safety games to drive engagement.
By the end of the first year, there was a positive shift in the perception of safety.
Quantifying Risk through Gap Analysis
With a good foundation for safety started, it was time to determine risk. I utilized my background in occupational ergonomics and familiarity with company operations to develop a structured gap analysis of material handling job tasks at every Americas distribution center. This gap analysis was a multi-pronged approach:
- Quantitative Data— Injury/illness rates, worker’s compensation claims, near-miss reports, and job hazard assessments.
- Qualitative Data— Job task observations and employee and supervisor interviews.
Upon completion, each facility received a report of findings, recommendations, and an action plan. The solutions were practical and included components of any solid safety program such as training redesign, process changes, and yes, even some technology. The most valuable part of this exercise was bridging the gap between operations and safety to foster a synergetic relationship.
Leveraging Technology
We constructed a strong foundation for safety culture, evaluated and identified risk, provided practical recommendations, and followed through on our commitment to improve health and safety. Through this process, we developed meaningful relationships with operational leaders and front-line employees and were beginning to see reductions in injuries. Most importantly, we earned trust and created organizational readiness for targeted injury prevention. We were shifting from a mindset and culture of injury reaction to injury prevention. After successfully implementing a global safety management system, we were eager to continue building momentum.
The gap analyses identified specific departments across the region that were experiencing a higher frequency of manual material handling injuries. We had already laid the groundwork and were ready to thoughtfully integrate technology. This included a pilot program with wearables for high-risk tasks and robotics. It’s important to note that each technology solution was intentional and had a clear purpose to support a larger strategy of injury reduction and prevention.
Technology is an amplifier, meaning that it will enhance what already exists. These programs were not only quickly adopted, but very successful in engaging employees in safety.
Conclusion
Technology is important and can truly have a significant impact in reducing injuries and driving operational efficiencies. However, technology cannot replace a strong safety culture; it should enhance it. It’s important that as professionals, we prioritize the foundational elements of people and purpose to determine the best solution for success. It sounds simple yet is often overlooked. When evaluating the return on investment for workplace safety technology, ask yourself: do you have the culture in place to drive the program?
This article originally appeared in the October 2025 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.