SAFETY EVALUATION AND FEEDBACK SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20080189142A1
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Tom, Chalfant, Scott, Gingrave, Michael, Vines, Brian, Anthony, John J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,563,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety

Abstract

Systems and methods are discussed for providing a sensor enhanced employee safety evaluation system. Sensors that monitor employee behavior are placed at the workplace of an insured entity. Data from the sensors are processed to obtain a safety evaluation. Based on the safety evaluation, the insurance provider can adjust the terms of the insurance policy to accurately reflect the risks associated with the insured entity. Feedback based on the safety evaluation is also provided to the insured entity and the employees of the insured entity to promote improvements in safe behavior.

Claims

1. A safety evaluation system comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to monitor actions performed by employees of an insured entity;

a safety evaluation module configured to;

collect data from the plurality of sensors;

analyze the collected data;

output a safety evaluation related to the performed actions based at least in part on the analysis;

an output device configured to provide feedback to the employees that is as least in part based on the safety evaluation; and

a business logic processor configured to adjust a term of an insurance policy covering the insured entity based at least in part on the collection of the sensor data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein adjusting the term of the insurance policy comprises adjusting at least one of a premium, a deductible, a limit, services associated with the insurance policy, costs of the services, rating plan parameters, and dividend plan parameters.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the business logic processor adjusts the term of the insurance policy based at least in part on the safety evaluation output by the safety evaluation model.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the business logic processor adjusts the term of the insurance policy based on the sensor data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the business logic process adjusts the term of the insurance policy based on the sensor data being collected by the entity without regard to the content of the safety data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the safety evaluation comprises a safety evaluation for at least one employee of the insured entity.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the safety evaluation comprises a safety evaluation for a facility operated by the insured entity.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the safety evaluation comprises a safety evaluation for the entire insured entity.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising a user interface module for receiving identification of a safety policy implemented by the insured entity, wherein the safety policy includes an entity response to the collected data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the business logic module adjusts the insurance policy term based at least in part on the entity-implemented safety policy received by the user interface module.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors include sensors worn by employees, and wherein the sensors output data indicative of lifting behaviors of respective employees.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the safety evaluation module outputs a lifting safety indicator related to the lifting behaviors of the respective employees based at least in part on the data collected from the sensors.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the business logic module adjusts the term of the insurance policy based on the lifting safety indicator.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise sensors coupled to articles of personal protective equipment, and wherein the collected data comprises data indicative of entity employees'"'"' proper usage of appropriate articles of personal protective equipment.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the business logic module adjusts the insurance policy term based on a level of proper personal protective equipment usage determined from the collected data.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the business logic module comprises a predictive model.

17. A safety evaluation system comprising:

a plurality of sensors configured to monitor actions performed by employees of an insured entity;

a safety evaluation module configured to;

collect data from the plurality of sensors;

analyze the collected data;

output a safety evaluation related to the performed actions based at least in part on the analysis;

an output device configured to provide feedback to the employees that is as least in part based on the outputted safety evaluation; and

a communications module for communicating at least one of the collected data and the safety evaluation to a server operated by an insurance company providing the entity workers'"'"' compensation insurance.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the communications module is configured for communicating the safety evaluation from the safety evaluation module to the output device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the output device provides real-time feedback to the employees, and wherein the feedback comprises at least one of a visual, audio, or tactile stimulus.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of sensors are worn by at least one of the employees, and wherein the sensors output data indicative of the lifting behavior of a respective wearer.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise sensors coupled to articles of personal protective equipment, and wherein the sensors are configured to log the number of times a person fails to properly use the articles of personal protective equipment.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the outputted safety evaluation is unfavorable when the logged number of times is over a predetermined threshold.

23. A safety evaluation system comprising:

a server configured to receive safety data derived at least in part from a plurality of sensors monitoring actions performed by employees of an insured entity; and

a business logic module configured to adjust the terms of an insurance policy covering the insured entity based at least in part on an analysis of the received data by a safety evaluation module.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the analysis of the received safety data comprises determining whether the insured entity is monitoring data output by the plurality of sensors.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the analysis of the received safety data comprises an evaluation of the safety of the employee'"'"'s behavior based on data output by the sensors.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein adjusting the terms of the insurance policy comprises adjusting at least one of a premium, a deductible, a limit, services associated with the insurance policy, costs of the services, rating plan parameters, and dividend plan parameters.

27. The system of claim 23, comprising the safety evaluation module.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the safety data received by the server comprises a safety evaluation for at least one employee of the insured entity based at least in part on data output by the sensors.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the safety data received by the server comprises a safety evaluation for a facility operated by the insured entity.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the safety data received by the server comprises a safety evaluation for the entire insured entity.

31. The system of claim 23, comprising a user interface module for receiving identification of a safety policy implemented by the insured entity, wherein the safety policy includes an entity response to the safety data.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the business logic module adjusts the insurance premium based at least in part on the entity-implemented safety policy received by the user interface module.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of sensors include sensors worn by employees, and wherein the sensors output data indicative of lifting behaviors of respective employees.

34. The system of claim 33, comprising the safety evaluation module, and wherein the safety evaluation module is in communication with the business logic module, evaluates the safety of the lifting behaviors of the respective employees based on the data output by the sensors, and outputs a lifting safety indicator based on the evaluation.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the business logic module adjusts the terms of the insurance policy based on the lifting safety indicator output by the safety evaluation module.

36. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise sensors coupled to articles of personal protective equipment, and wherein the safety data comprises data indicative of entity employees'"'"' proper usage of appropriate articles of personal protective equipment.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the business logic module adjusts a policy term based on a level of proper personal protective equipment usage determined from the received safety data.

38. The system of claim 23, wherein the business logic module comprises a predictive model.

39. A method of evaluating employee safety, the method comprising:

monitoring by a plurality of sensors actions performed by employees of an insured entity;

collecting by a safety evaluation module data from the plurality of sensors;

analyzing by the safety evaluation module the collected data;

outputting by the safety evaluation module a safety evaluation related to the performed actions based at least in part on the analysis;

providing by an output device feedback to the employees that is as least in part based on the outputted safety evaluation; and

communicating by a communications module at least one of the collected data and the safety evaluation to a server operated by an insurance company providing the entity workers'"'"' compensation insurance.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the communications module is configured for communicating the safety evaluation from the safety evaluation module to the output device.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein providing feedback comprises providing feedback in real-time to the employees, and wherein the feedback comprises at least one of a visual, audio, or tactile stimulus.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the plurality of sensors are worn by at least one of the employees, and wherein the sensors output data indicative of the lifting behavior of a respective wearer.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise sensors coupled to articles of personal protective equipment, and wherein the sensors are configured to log the number of times a person fails to properly use the articles of personal protective equipment.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the outputted safety evaluation is unfavorable when the logged number of times is over a predetermined threshold.

45. A method of evaluating employee safety, the method comprising:

receiving by a server safety data derived at least in part from a plurality of sensors monitoring actions performed by employees of an insured entity; and

adjusting by a business logic module the terms of an insurance policy covering the insured entity based at least in part on an analysis of the received data by a safety evaluation module.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis of the received safety data comprises determining whether the insured entity is monitoring data output by the plurality of sensors.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the analysis of the received safety data comprises an evaluation of the safety of the employee'"'"'s behavior based on data output by the sensors.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein adjusting the terms of the insurance policy comprises adjusting at least one of a premium, a deductible, a limit, services associated with the insurance policy, costs of the services, rating plan parameters, and dividend plan parameters.

49. The method of claim 45, comprising analyzing by a safety evaluation module the received safety data, and outputting by the safety evaluation module a safety evaluation for the insured entity based on the received safety data.

50. The method of claim 45, wherein the safety data received by the server comprises a safety evaluation for at least one employee of the insured entity based at least in part on data output by the sensors.

51. The method of claim 45, wherein the safety data received by the server comprises a safety evaluation for a facility operated by the insured entity.

52. The method of claim 45, wherein the safety data received by the server comprises a safety evaluation for the entire insured entity.

53. The method of claim 45, comprising receiving by a user interface module identification of a safety policy implemented by the insured entity, wherein the safety policy includes an entity response to the safety data.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the business logic module adjusts the insurance premium based at least in part on the entity-implemented safety policy received by the user interface module.

55. The method of claim 45, wherein the plurality of sensors include sensors worn by employees, and wherein the sensors output data indicative of lifting behaviors of respective employees.

56. The method of claim 55, comprising evaluating by a safety evaluation module in communication with the business logic module the safety of the lifting behaviors of the respective employees based on the data output by the sensors, and outputting by the safety evaluation module in communication with the business logic module a lifting safety indicator based on the evaluation.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the business logic module adjusts the terms of the insurance policy based on the lifting safety indicator output by the safety evaluation module.

58. The method of claim 45, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise sensors coupled to articles of personal protective equipment, and wherein the safety data comprises data indicative of entity employees'"'"' proper usage of appropriate articles of personal protective equipment.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the business logic module adjusts a policy term based on a level of proper personal protective equipment usage determined from the received safety data.

60. The method of claim 45, wherein the business logic module comprises a predictive model.