KINETIC, a NY-based wearable device maker that provides safety wearables for industrial workers, has partnered with JLG Industries, to deploy its Reflex smart wearable at JLG facilities. In alignment with their people-first culture, JLG has deployed the KINETIC Reflex devices on the shop floor to provide team members with instant feedback on high-risk ergonomic postures.
Read more: Kinetic raises $4.5M for its Wearable REFLEX Aimed at Reducing Workplace Injuries
JLG Industries will collect information from the Reflex device to significantly reduce the number of high-risk movements across the facility. Additionally, the JLG team is piloting a new feature of the KINETIC Reflex device that alerts team members in real-time when they are within six feet of each other. “Safer at Six” practices are being embraced across all Oshkosh facilities to provide real-time alerts and contact logging capabilities to fight against COVID-19 outbreaks.
The KINETIC Reflex is a discrete smart wearable that is worn on belts or waistbands of industrial workers. It automatically detects unsafe work postures and provides users with real-time feedback to reduce injuries and create better work habits. The technology was recently updated with proximity alert features to enable workers to practice proper social distancing and to help keep them safe during this pandemic. With this feature, workers are notified of potential risk via a gentle vibration if they are too close to one another, reports GlobeNewsWire.
Additionally, KINETIC features a software analytics platform that enables management to seamlessly conduct contact tracing and produce detailed reports on each interaction. If a worker tests positive for the virus, management can protect their workforce by exporting a list of everyone who could have potentially been exposed, as well as the duration of the contact.
“Safety is an uncompromised value at JLG, and we are excited to partner with the KINETIC team to leverage their technology during these extraordinary times, said Shawn Knox, VP Global Operations for JLG Industries. “Working together to utilize this technology for traceability, while we navigate the challenges of COVID-19, strengthens our commitment to safety and our appreciation for KINETIC in the safety innovation space.”
The KINETIC Reflex has been worn by tens of thousands of workers in hundreds of facilities all around the world in a variety of industries. It has reduced injury rates by 56% while simultaneously increasing team productivity rates by 5%.
Read more: How Companies Are Using Wearable Tech To Bring Employees Back To Work
“We created the KINETIC Reflex to reduce workplace injuries for the industrial workforce. Once COVID-19 spread, customers started reaching out asking if we could use the devices to help with social distancing and contact tracing,” said KINETIC co-founder and CEO, Haytham Elhawary. “That really inspired us to enhance the technology with new COVID-19 safety features, and we’re excited to deploy it to JLG and their workforce, who have been a partner.”
