Systems and Methods for Improving Personal Safety in an Industrial Environment

Abstract

Systems and methods use for preventing work accidents. In one implementation, a system may determine least one characteristic of a task scheduled to take place in an industrial environment. The system may use first synergy data from at least three types of safety-related information and the at least one characteristic of the task to determine that a predicted risk score of the scheduled task is below a first threshold. Thereafter, the system may obtain real-time information indicative of human error of at least one employee associated with the task. The system may use second synergy data from the at least three types of safety-related information and real-time information to determine that an actual risk score of the task has changed from the predicted risk score. When the actual risk score of the task is above a second threshold, the system may initiate a remedial action to prevent an accident.

1 . A method for improving personal safety in an industrial environment, the method comprising:
 receiving details of a task scheduled to take place in an industrial environment;   retrieving from a memory device data associated with the industrial environment, wherein the retrieved data includes historical safety-related information;   using the retrieved data and the received details to determine at least one characteristic of the task;   wherein, before the task takes place, the method includes:   obtaining at least three types of safety-related information associated with the task scheduled to take place in the industrial environment;   determining first synergy data from the at least three types of safety-related information and the at least one characteristic of the task;   determining from the first synergy data when a predicted risk score of the scheduled task is below a first threshold;   wherein, while the task is taking place, the method includes:   obtaining real-time information indicative of human error of at least one employee associated with the task;   determining second synergy data from the at least three types of safety-related information and the real-time information;   determining from the second synergy data when an actual risk score of the task has changed from the predicted risk score;   wherein, when the actual risk score of the task is above a second threshold, the method includes initiating a remedial action to manage a hazard associated with personal safety.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the task includes at least one of: an estimated start time of the task, an identity of employees expected to participate in the task, an expected time duration of the task, potential accidents associated with the task, potential accidents associated with the identity of employees, types of materials expected to be used in the task, and types of tools expected to be used in the task. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least three types safety-related information includes at least three of the following: work procedures associated with the task, information associated with an employee assigned to the scheduled task, information associated with a location of the scheduled task, information associated with the scheduled task, information associated with tools expected to be used in the scheduled task, information associated with materials expected to be used in the scheduled task, information associated with a time of the scheduled task, information about calendar events, information associated with a weather expected to be during the scheduled task, information from periodic inspection tours, and information associated with the industrial environment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first synergy data includes details of at least one handover event expected to happen while the task is taking place. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, when the predicted risk score of the scheduled task is below the first predetermined threshold and above a third predetermined threshold, the method includes informing one or more individuals that a risky task is about to take place. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, after determining that the predicted risk score of the scheduled task is below the first threshold, the method further includes providing to an employee associated with the task at least one of:
 personalized training based on real safety incidents included in the historical safety-related information;   recommendations on how to execute the task according to the work procedures; information on existing hazards located in an area associated with the task; and   information on potential hazards located in an area associated with the task.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the real-time information is obtained from at least one of: a plurality of cameras located in the industrial environment, one or more communication devices of employees in the industrial environment, wearable sensors of employees in the industrial environment, operational technology (OT) sensors, environmental sensors, and sensors associated with working tools. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the real-time information includes at least one of: detected changes in performances of an employee assigned to the task, detected changes in planned locations of the task, detected changes in tools expected to be used in the task, detected changes in materials expected to be used in the task, detected changes in an expected start time of the task, and detected changes in an expected weather during the task. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second synergy data includes details on a situation in the industrial environment that deviates from work procedures of the industrial environment. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, before initiating the remedial action, the method further includes determining a location of a real-time hazard and a type of the real-time hazard. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes:
 identifying an employee that responsible of handling the determined type of the real-time hazard; and   transmitting a message to the identifying employee, wherein the message includes the location of the real-time hazard.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes:
 identifying an employee located within a distance of the real-time hazard, wherein the distance is determined based on type of the real-time hazard; and   transmitting a location-based warning to the identified employee.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes:
 identifying an employee located within a distance of the real-time hazard, wherein the distance is determined based on type of the real-time hazard; and   transmitting a personalized location-based evacuation map to the identified employee.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes:
 identifying an employee located within a distance of the real-time hazard, wherein the distance is determined based on type of the real-time hazard; and   transmitting instructions on how to fix or avoid the real-time hazard to the identified employee.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes displaying the real-time hazard on a personalized map together with a visual indicator of the real-time hazard's severity. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes performing an automatic shutdown to prevent predicted injuries or damages. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, before initiating the remedial action, the method further includes predicting a location of a potential hazard and a type of the potential hazard; and initiating the remedial action includes at least one of:
 identifying an employee that responsible of handling the determined type of the potential hazard; and transmitting a message to the identifying employee, wherein the message includes the location of the potential hazard;   identifying an employee located within a distance of the potential hazard, wherein the distance is determined based on type of the potential hazard; and   transmitting a location-based warning to the identified employee;   identifying an employee located within a distance of the potential hazard, wherein the distance is determined based on type of the potential hazard; and   transmitting instructions on how to fix or avoid the potential hazard to the identified employee; and   displaying the potential hazard on a personalized map together with a visual indicator of the potential hazard's severity.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein initiating the remedial action includes creating customized inspection tour based on detected locations of a plurality of potential hazards and real-time hazards. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method for improving personal safety in an industrial environment, the method comprising:
 receiving details of a task scheduled to take place in an industrial environment;   retrieving from a memory device data associated with the industrial environment, wherein the retrieved data includes historical safety-related information;   sing the retrieved data and the received details to determine at least one characteristic of the task;   wherein, before the task take place, the method includes:   obtaining at least three types of safety-related information associated with the task scheduled to take place in the industrial environment;   determining first synergy data from the at least three types of safety-related information and the at least one characteristic of the task;   determining from the first synergy data when a predicted risk score of the scheduled task is below a first threshold;   wherein, while the task is taking place, the method includes:   obtaining real-time information indicative of human error of at least one employee associated with the task;   determining second synergy data from the at least three types of safety-related information and the real-time information;   determining from the second synergy data when an actual risk score of the task has changed from the predicted risk score;   wherein, when the actual risk score of the task is above a second threshold, the method includes initiating a remedial action to manage a hazard associated with personal safety.   
     
     
         20 . A system for improving personal safety in an industrial environment, the system comprising:
 a network interface configured to receive details of a task scheduled to take place in an industrial environment;   a memory configured to store data associated with the industrial environment;   at least one processor configured to:   retrieve from the memory data associated with the industrial environment, wherein the retrieved data includes historical safety-related information   use the retrieved data and the received details to determine at least one characteristic of the task;   wherein, before the task take place, the at least one processor is configured to:   obtain at least three types of safety-related information associated with the task scheduled to take place in the industrial environment;   determine first synergy data from the at least three types of safety-related information;   determine from the at least one characteristic and the first synergy data when a predicted risk score of the scheduled task is below a first threshold;   wherein, while the task is taking place, the at least one processor is configured to:   obtain real-time information indicative of human error of at least one employee associated with the task;   determine second synergy data from the at least three types of safety-related information and the real-time information;   determine from the second synergy data a change in the risk score of the task;   wherein, when an actual risk score of the task is above a second predetermined threshold, the at least one processor is configured to initiate a remedial action to manage a hazard associated with personal safety.