Property and casualty insurer The Travelers Cos. says it’s teaming with a Norwalk technology firm and a Providence building contractor to explore the safety benefits of wearable devices.
Travelers announced Tuesday it will collaborate with Triax Technologies and Gilbane Building Co. to test contractor-worn devices that aim to provide faster response times to possible injuries.
More than 130 workers will be outfitted with Triax’s clip-on sensors that automatically track worker falls and allow workers to report hazards or incidents, among other uses.
Contractors will wear the “Spot-r Clip” devices while working on a six-story, 60,000-square-foot New York City jobsite over the next 20 months. The project will generate data that Travelers said it will use to try to better understand the risks, considerations and safety benefits of wearable technology.
On-site machinery will also be fixed with devices to monitor equipment location and usage, and other devices will allow managers to sound alarms during an emergency.
Rick Keegan, president of construction at Travelers, said the wearable devices will provide the insurer “valuable” data to improve worker safety.
Triax and Gilbane announced their partnership in May to equip construction crews with the wearable sensors.
