Theatre Safety Blog: NIOSH has released its first smart phone application (app) for mobile devices. This free app is aimed at improving extension ladder safety by providing real-time safety information delivered via the latest technology. Falls from ladders are a persistent source of workplace injuries.
16 comments:
Wow. There really is an app for that. I'm glad the article mentioned that you should never use the app while actually climbing a ladder. As obvious as that sounds, my first thought when I saw the title of the article was that someone would fall while using the app, sue the creators, and then they'd have to add a warning. Oh, the idiocy of man. Anyway, this app seems to be a good idea, in theory. How practical it actually will be on a job site is another question entirely.
When I read this title I rolled my eyes thinking it was simply just an app to give you safety tips and remainders which seemed excessive because there is literally an app for EVERYTHING and there really need not be. However after reading the article, this seems like an actually useful app. It claims to help prevent falls and the way its angle measuring works I actually believe it. This makes me wonder if there is a level app out there that works as well as this safety one does, because that would also be seriously useful and I am guessing could be accomplished with the same software as this app was.
I downloaded this application, but I have mixed feelings about its actual use. The clinometer function is interesting, but probably not useful as much more than a demonstration tool. Anybody who regularly uses a ladder should already know the information the app provides, and anybody who doesn’t should receive proper ladder training. People should not see these safety applications as a replacement for proper training.
Reading this article reminded me of those late night infomercials where a person has a difficult time doing and everyday task. At first this seemed like a silly app to even think about downloading, who doesn't know how to put a ladder up? After reading some more it does sound beneficial for someone who uses ladders a lot. However this poses the question who actually wants to take out their phone and measure the angle the ladder is at every time they use one. So in the end I don't really know how I feel about the app, I do know that I'm not going to spend time every time I place a ladder to measure the degree at which it stands.
I agree that this doesn't seem completely beneficial. I suppose this can help companies not get sued. As long as every employee has this on their phone, then they can't sue the company if they fall off the ladder. I wonder how reliable this app actually is and I completely agree with Olivia that no one if going to want to take out their phone every single time they climb a ladder just to make sure that the angle is correct. I understand the theory behind this app but I'm not completely sold on the practicality of it.
When I read the title of the article the first thought my mind went to was " really? Really? there's an app for that?". However once I started to read about the app, it is a little more acceptable. The fact that it allows you to calculate the incline of your ladder is great but the rest of the stuff on the app is a little unnecessary. The idea of an app with safety tips is a good one, but it seems counter productive seeing as to access the safety tips, you would have to be on your phone in the shop, which can also be a safety hazard. It seems like a better solution would be to have the clinometer built in to the ladder or as a separate tool rather than a phone app.
My first reaction to this was the same as everyone else; wow, is there really an app for that? But safety really is an important issue and if this helps improve ladder safety then I'm all for it. It does seem like it might be easier or more practical to just have a physical tool to measure the angle instead of trying to hold your phone up to the ladder. Even just having a piece of wood cut to the correct angle that you can prop under one of the legs to check the angle seems faster and easier, but like I said, if it improves safety I'm all for it.
This seems like a potentially useful tool, but I worry about technology like this taking the place of common sense. What if your phone malfunctions and you're so used to relying on it that your eye is degraded? Also, I would imagine that if you were around ladders so much that you wanted to download this app, you should be receiving appropriate ladder safety training anyway.
This app seems like a great substitution for the existing ladder safety methods that we all already use! I'm so glad I won't have to carry around the rest of my ladder gear whenever I go somewhere. (I honestly hope that you can sense the inherent sarcasm in the previous statement) I feel as though this application is an unnecessary substitute for just common sense and is a good example of how our lives are starting to get crammed onto small individual devices. I feel as though developers should stop making apps for things that should be imbedded in your head.
To be honest, I think we're getting a little bit overboard on this app business. Here's a fun tidbit: learn to use ladders well and don't rely on technology for literally everything. Safety is really important and even though this app is trying to make life easier and teach important concepts, accurate and comprehensive safety training is what's really important.
"Don't climb that ladder yet.. Let me get out my handy dandy ladder safety app.."
I would then proceed to assume that everybody in the room would roll their eyes and let out a collective sigh at the safety conscious smartphone wielding individual.
On a serious note, although I'm sure the app imparts so valuable wisdom on ladder safety, it certainly doesn't replace real world training or experience. There's definitely no harm in downloading and using the app, but hopefully using this application is not your only recourse to determine proper ladder usage!
Wow, everyone's really hating on this app... It's very true that people who work with ladders often should already know all of this information and not have to pull out a smartphone to check if the ladder they're about to climb is safe. However, I can absolutely see this app being incredibly useful for those who don't regularly use a ladder like, for example, high school students building a set, or freshmen actors who are on a crew call. Sure, their supervisor should ensure that everything they are doing is safe and according to NIOSH standards, but in reality, that is not always the case.
To address another point that someone brought up, this will in no way prevent an employer from being sued if one of their employees falls off of a ladder. Even if every single person in the building has this app, the employer is the sole person ultimately responsible for the safety of employees, and an app doesn't change that at all.
I think that there are a lot of assumptions being made about people using this app to supplement real world knowledge or substitute educations with this app. But honestly anybody with common sense should know not to turn entirely to technology without have some prior knowledge. I think that this is just an additional tool for people to use to have as a reference incase prior knowledge or other people in the room don't have the answers. Now as to content, I am no ladder expert, but if people are able to be more safe and have access to information they don't have or lacking, the I'm all for it.
If you simplify and spoon feed people information it can have a negative effect on their ability to think critically but with people having the information on hand there is no excuse for people to use ladders unsafely. After taking 30 hour OSHA and getting that information I am finding myself thinking much more about the safety of myself and those around me. You can train people and give them apps with the information but without an unspoken culture of safety those tools are meaningless. Safety must be instilled and enforced from the top and with significant consequences. We need to make sure that with the technology that we have that we make sure that people still have the knowledge from training and use the app only as a point of reference. I love the fact that NIOSH is really trying to take this information into the modern era. Safety is important and people should have access to the information in as many forms as we can.
Great there is an app for everything else, so why not for this also. It also would be useful for people who have smartphones, as not everyone does have a smartphone or would have it on them when they are working. There is nothing wrong with having more information via many mediums!!
This is a really smart idea. However I wonder if people who are busy working will actually take out their phone, start opening the app and checking all these things in the ladder.
When you're working you just want to work fast and a lot of time you forget about safety measures.
I think this app can be very useful for inexperienced workers, but I don't see experienced workers using it.
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