Integration of wearable sensing and human recognition functions in smart safety workwear: enhancing worker protection in construction sites

Purpose This study presents smart safety workwear that provides respiratory protection, atmospheric pollutants monitoring, accident recognition and human detection to assist collective rescue efforts during industrial accidents. Design/methodology/approach The research methodology comprised two primary phases: (1) prototype development integrating basic body protection, atmospheric pollutants detection-alert function, motion-based accident detection-notification capabilities and image processing algorithms for emergency rescue assistance through human detection-notification, and (2) comprehensive usability experiments to evaluate the wearability of the clothing platform and the operability of the integrated wearable systems. Findings Wearability testing validated the clothing platform’s suitability for construction applications, confirming the effective blockage of hazardous gases and particulate matter through its structural design and material selection. Simulations involving elevated gas concentrations and accident scenarios demonstrated the robust performance of the integrated accident detection-notification functions and atmospheric hazard element sensing-warning capabilities. The experiments involving morphologically diverse participants confirmed the human recognition algorithm’s efficacy in distinguishing between ambient objects and human subjects. Research limitations/implications While evaluating atmospheric hazard elements blocking, gas sensing-alerting and accident detecting-notifying performances were carried out through simulated hazardous conditions, the operational results demonstrated positive performance characteristics. These findings suggest the prototype’s viable potential for construction operations as a safety enhancement platform. Originality/value This study combines multiple sensing technologies for atmospheric pollutant detection and user accident sensing. An image-processing algorithm generally operated on desktop computers was applied in a minimized wearable system for collective emergency treatment. Through these approaches, a safeguarding multifunctionality for construction laborers was established.