With wearable technologies – like VR headsets, smartwatches, and even exoskeleton tech – advancing rapidly, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is warning that data privacy and cybersecurity concerns may hinder the ability of those technologies to reach their full potential.
The March. 4 report says that wearables such as smart helmets, powered gloves, and shoulder exoskeletons have the potential to improve employee safety and productivity a across industries.
“In 2022, workers in warehousing, manufacturing, and construction experienced over 700,000 nonfatal injuries and over 2,000 fatal accidents,” stated the GAO.
“But concerns about data privacy, cost, and ease of use may deter adoption of wearables. For example, employees have had concerns about being tracked by the devices,” the agency said.
Among GAO’s list of cautions are that “monitoring devices can store data on employee physiology and movements, which may create privacy concerns,” stated the GAO. The agency also said that “data stored on wearables may be vulnerable to hackers because updating software can be difficult and many devices lack strong encryptions.”
GAO said that while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) oversees workplace safety, it does not have any specific standards related to wearables.
Going forward, GAO said that Federal policy questions on wearable tech may include:
- What types of additional studies would determine whether wearables achieve benefits such as improving employee safety?
- What is the federal role, if any, in overseeing these technologies and their use in the workplace?
- What safeguards or standards, if any, could help ensure that the development and adoption of wearables achieves positive outcomes and responds to employee concerns?
