As Covid-19 infections surge again, Empiricai CEO Salman Chaudhary has urged manufacturing companies to think long-term regarding workplace safety measures
Following updated guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on close Covid-19 contact, advanced analytics company Empiricai is calling for the manufacturing industry to invest in longer-term, sustainable, and cost-effective safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
The updated guidance in the US now states that infection can be caused by multiple exposures in a day, amounting to 15 minutes in total, rather than one continuous 15-minute exposure, as previously believed.
With vaccines likely to take more than a year to mass produce, distribute, and administer across the country, Empiricai has called for continuous monitoring of safety measures, including:
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), ensuring it is worn properly across the workplace;
- Real-time social distancing compliance and violations;
- Heat maps to detect workplace overcrowding.
As a second lockdown has been put in place from today in the UK, governmental guidance continues to be “work from home, if you can”, but factories have been allowed to remain open, and working remotely remains incompatible for much of the sector.
“The recent uptick in infections, the new CDC guidance, and the emerging belief that vaccines may only offer seasonal protection, show face masks and social distancing will be needed for much longer than we think,” said Salman Chaudhary, CEO of Empiricai.
“If businesses are to stay open and productive, they will need to put measures in place to protect their employees and keep their workplaces safe, not just today, but well into the future.”
Based in London, Empiricai leverages Computer Vision AI to help manufacturing workplaces monitor Covid safety guidelines compliance in real-time, reducing the risk of infection in their offices and sites, and preventing closures.