Providing clean water to communities and commercial facilities requires multiple technologies and operational practices anchored in safety. Water treatment plants are striving to modernise operations and adopt digital solutions to overcome water treatment challenges, meet customer demands and guarantee the safety of physical, chemical and biological processes and water.
Connected worker technology leverages IIoT sensors, various software and digital devices to simplify communication and streamline routine operations for a safer work environment. Let’s see how water treatment plants can leverage connected worker technology to improve safety.
Monitoring employees in real time
Connected worker technology enables plants to gather data and monitor the performance of different assets in real-time. Embedded sensors in critical water treatment equipment detect minute changes in processes and generate timely alerts.
The alerts help identify and rectify hazards that can cause accidents or contaminate clean drinking water, exposing end customers to health risks. Sensors provide remote information on the quality of processes and equipment, which eliminates the need for workers to operate and inspect assets in hazardous locations — reducing workplace injuries.
Connected workers use sensor-enabled PPE and wearables for monitoring employees in real time, providing safety supervisors with adequate information on the well-being of field employees. Water treatment plants can use this data to make informed decisions on the reliability of hazard prevention systems and the safety of different water treatment operations.
Implementing predictive maintenance
Regular maintenance enhances the efficiency, safety and durability of water treatment equipment. Digitalising operations in utilities requires significant upgrades to maintenance programmes, including implementing predictive maintenance. Connected worker technology uses sensor data to create customised predictive maintenance algorithms for optimising equipment and process performance in water treatment plants.
Connected worker technology uses sensor data to create customised predictive maintenance algorithms for optimising performance
Analytics software used in connected worker platforms analyses sensor data from different sources, identifying patterns and water treatment trends — indicating potential safety risks and impending failures or breakdowns. The predictive systems alert maintenance teams to mechanical abnormalities, allowing them to rectify defects on time and averting potential safety risks. Predictive maintenance is particularly beneficial for aging infrastructure and critical water treatment assets.
Enhancing communication and collaboration
Employees and supervisors must constantly communicate to ensure seamless water treatment. This includes real-time updates on prevailing safety risks, production targets, changes in operating standards and operational risk assessment.
These workers use wearables, mobile devices and technology such as instant messaging, pre-recorded virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) videos to share mission-critical information and disseminate guidance and instruction. Multiple communication channels ensure employees can report workplace hazards in real-time, ensuring everyone is aware of safety risks and quick response. Water treatment plants can share crucial work instructions and standardized checklists to prevent human error, which can exacerbate safety risks.
Parting thoughts
The safety of wastewater treatment plants is the top priority for utility companies. Investing in appropriate connected worker technologies optimises workflows while improving safety at the same time. Implement connected worker platforms in phases and focus on collecting data crucial for boosting process and worker safety. Use this data to drive continuous safety improvement, and make sure you keep an eye on emerging connected worker technology to stay ahead of your safety game.