Safety evaluation and feedback system and method

• US 9,563,919 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• 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, Anthony, John J., Chalfant, Scott, Gingrave, Michael, Vines, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Eric T
• Application Number:
  US12/024,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,294 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/223, 705 1- 55, 713 27-182
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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:

an application server configured to perform data presentation, data extraction and data conversion and having a certificate authority to authenticate communications among devices using public key infrastructure;

a webserver in communication with the application server, the webserver configured to automatically retrieve safety data from a remote computer at a worksite, the communications being authenticated using certificates issued by the certificate authority, the safety data derived at least in part from a plurality of wireless sensors worn by employees of an insured entity, the sensors comprising pressure sensors in footwear, to yield a two-dimensional weight map for each foot, and motion sensors, wherein the sensors monitor actions performed by the employees and output data indicative of lifting behaviors of respective employees, the data indicative of lifting behaviors comprising data indicative of body posture, measured weight distribution, including between left foot and right foot and between toe and heel, and movement of the employees while lifting objects, the safety data further comprising static data comprising data indicative of a weight of an object and encrypted medical record data extracted from a worksite associated data storage device and stored in the remote computer;

a safety evaluation processor configured to evaluate the lifting behaviors of the respective employees based on the data output by the sensors and the static data, and output a lifting safety indicator based on the evaluation; and

a business logic computer, in communication with the application server, configured to adjust terms of an insurance policy covering the insured entity based at least in part on the lifting safety indicator output by the safety evaluation processor;

the lifting safety indicator being output to provide immediate feedback to the employee.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors further comprise heat sensors for detection of overheating of the employees, and wherein the data indicative of lifting behaviors further comprises data indicative of overheating of the employees while lifting objects.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the static data relating to the respective employees comprises one or more of weight and physical shape data.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the safety evaluation processor is configured to determine differentially, based on one or more of employee physical shape and employee weight, whether lifting of an object of a same weight is safe or unsafe.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising the sensors in footwear and the sensors worn by employees.

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

providing by an application server a certificate authority;

automatically retrieving, by a webserver in communication with the application server, safety data from a remote computer at a worksite, the communications being authenticated using certificates issued by the certificate authority, the safety data derived at least in part from a plurality of wireless sensors worn by employees of an insured entity, the sensors comprising pressure sensors in footwear, to yield a two-dimensional weight map for each foot, and motion sensors, wherein the sensors monitor actions performed by the employees and output data indicative of lifting behaviors of respective employees, the data indicative of lifting behaviors comprising data indicative of body posture, measured weight distribution, including between left foot and right foot and between toe and heel, and movement of the employees while lifting objects, the safety data further comprising static data comprising data indicative of a weight of an object and encrypted medical record data extracted from a worksite associated data storage device and stored in the remote computer;

evaluating by the safety evaluation processor in communication with the business logic processor the lifting behaviors of the respective employees based on the data output by the sensors and the static data, and outputting by the safety evaluation processor in communication with the business logic processor a lifting safety indicator based on the evaluation;

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

outputting by the safety evaluation processor the lifting safety indicator to provide immediate feedback to the employee.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the sensors comprise heat sensors for detection of overheating of the employees and wherein the data indicative of lifting behaviors further comprises data indicative of overheating of the employees while lifting objects.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the static data relating to the respective employees comprises one or more of weight and physical shape data.

9. A safety evaluation system comprising:

an application server configured to perform data presentation, data extraction and data conversion and having a certificate authority to authenticate communications among devices using public key infrastructure;

a webserver in communication with the application server, the webserver configured to automatically retrieve safety data from a remote computer at a worksite, the communications being authenticated using certificates issued by the certificate authority, the safety data derived at least in part from a plurality of wireless sensors worn by individuals, the sensors comprising pressure sensors in footwear to yield a two-dimensional weight map for each foot, heat sensors for detection of overheating of the individuals, and motion sensors, wherein the sensors monitor actions performed by the individuals and output data indicative of lifting behaviors of respective individuals, the data indicative of lifting behaviors comprising data indicative of body posture, measured weight distribution, including between left foot and right foot and between toe and heel, movement and overheating of the individuals while lifting objects, the safety data further comprising static data comprising data indicative of a weight of an object and encrypted medical record data extracted from a data storage device and stored in the remote computer; and

a safety evaluation processor in communication with the webserver, configured to evaluate the lifting behaviors of the respective individuals based on the data output by the sensors and the static data, and output a lifting safety indicator based on the evaluation to provide immediate feedback to the individual.