IIT Delhi to Develop Smart System for Height Worker Safety

To develop a Smart Monitoring System (SMS) to detect and alert users about unsafe conditions while working at height, Karam Safety Private Limited (KSPL), one of the leading global fall protection company, and FITT, an industry interface organisation at IIT Delhi, have recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). 

The project under the MoU, which was signed under the aegis of the office of Corporate Relations, IIT Delhi, will be led by Prof. Husain Kanchwala, Centre for Automotive Research and Tribology (CART), and Prof. Sunil Jha, Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Delhi.

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Speaking about the need for such a smart monitoring system, Prof. Husain Kanchwala, said, “Falls from a height are one of the main causes of serious and fatal workplace accidents. Most of these accidents occur when a worker is wearing the safety gear but forgets to connect it to anchor point either due to habit or in a hurry to complete work. In order to monitor whether the safety procedure is followed by the worker on height we have proposed a Smart Monitoring System (SMS). If the worker has not connected the safety gear while working at height, the system will alert the user by audible warning alarm and also communicate to the supervisor and the safety in-charge via an APP”. 

Prof. Sunil Jha, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Delhi, said, “The objectives behind development of the SMS include detection of connection with anchorage by a user while working at height, to maintain trackability and to record the repeated safety violations which can be used for worker counselling and training."

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Speaking of the MoU with IIT Delhi, Lalita Teckchandani, General Manager, KSPL, said, “The adoption of a scientific approach to safety is a must. We are very keen to collaborate with one of the most reputed institutions in India and hope the future technocrats have a wider view on safety and create safer workplaces in the future."

All sectors of the economy, including manufacturing, building and construction, power generation, etc., place a high focus on worker protection. The development of the smart monitoring system will add to their efforts in ensuring the safety of the workers.