Improving the efficiency and safety of factory staff with assisted worker technology

The safety of manufacturing operations is a critical priority for CPG companies, driven by both ethical responsibility and financial impact. Advances in AI and assisted worker technologies, such as wearable devices and automated vehicles, are transforming workplace safety by enhancing monitoring and reducing incidents. These innovations help companies create safer environments, improve efficiency, and significantly lower injury rates.

Touchpoint

CPG companies can use digital tools to provide real-time data, predictive analytics, and automation to monitor and mitigate risks to factory workers. Wearable devices can monitor working conditions, highlighting potential hazards like fatigue or unsafe environments. 
Automation and AI-driven tools reduce human exposure to dangerous tasks, allowing employees to focus on supervision and control. Overall, they create a safer, more efficient work environment through proactive management and risk reduction.

 

The safety of manufacturing operations is a top concern for CPG companies. It is both a moral obligation – employees are entitled to expect that their working conditions will have no adverse effect on their well-being – and a financial imperative: in the US, the National Safety Council found that the average cost for accident claims in 2020-2021 was $41,757 (!).

Over the past few years, manufacturing has entered a new era of digitization with a host of technologies ranging from wearable technology to Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) that augment the ability of manufacturing employees to do their jobs. These assisted worker technologies not only improve safety but can also have a huge impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of manufacturing employees.

The advancements made in AI can also be used to assist Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) teams in developing a strong safety culture. Based on trial deployments with Orange, AI and computer vision-based safety tools can increase observability of unsafe behaviours and events by 1152% and reduce safety incidents by 72%. Overall, AI technology enables organizations to make informed, real-time decisions and allows for more effective implementation of safety initiatives and proactive risk mitigation. Furthermore, the deployed safety solutions led to a 25% reduction in Lost Time Injury Rate (LTIR), improving employee well-being and minimizing productivity losses.

Assisted Working – Science fact, not fiction

Increasingly, CPG companies are turning to assisted technology to deliver both the enhanced safety they need and the improved productivity that is demanded by the brutal competitive environment in which they operate. The term ‘assisted worker’ may summon up images of a futuristic cyborg; but the reality is not science fiction but contemporary fact - augmenting workers is a necessary transformation. Put simply, an assisted worker uses technology to improve their skills, knowledge, and physical capacity, allowing them to perform tasks more efficiently and safely. Assisted working can provide employees working in the manufacturing facilities of CPG companies with a host of benefits. 

Reinforce employee safety

You can significantly mitigate incident risks and consequences by harnessing technology – including geolocation, computer vision, and enhanced communication tools – to improve employee safety. For example, deploying Push-to-X technology over smartphones enables maintenance, operations, and intervention (fire and medical) teams to seamlessly communicate and collaborate.

You can also use Augmented Reality (AR) to create virtualized environments in which to train your employees on critical processes and how best to use sophisticated manufacturing equipment without being exposed to operational risks. AR systems can also enable remote experts to guide on-site workers through complex tasks in real-time, improving accuracy and efficiency (see Covestro example). 

Empower workforce productivity

Other solutions that can allow you to elevate productivity include ergonomic terminals, digitalized processes, tailored apps, operational-context consideration, global oversight, and AR/XR. AR glasses, for example, can serve as an in-house SatNav system, guiding manufacturing workers through a factory or warehouse so they can quickly locate the items they are looking for.

Enhance employee satisfaction

Tailored tools and processes can expand employee effectiveness and engagement. You can also strengthen the sense of belonging through personalized communication and interaction tools aligned with responsibilities.

An Overview of Augmented Worker Technology

1. Wearable Technology

The wearables market now features a range of devices that enhance safety and productivity. For example, AR smart glasses provide real-time information, instructions, and visual overlays to guide workers through complex tasks, reducing errors and increasing productivity. Wearable health monitors track vital signs (e.g., heart rate and body temperature) to detect fatigue or stress, alerting workers and supervisors to potential health risks. Wearable GPS devices help monitor the location of your workers to ensure safety in hazardous areas and improve coordination and efficiency in large facilities.

Covestro is an industrial manufacturer that is working with Orange to migrate to a paperless environment in which all documentation is delivered to employees via ruggedized tablets over a 5G network. They are also investigating the use of augmented glasses to enable hands-free operation: this technology can also be used to send images to experts located elsewhere in the company.

 

2. Real-Time Environment Monitoring

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) revolution has seen the introduction of many different types of sensors, able to monitor factory conditions such as air quality, release of dangerous gases, temperature, and noise levels. When combined with AI algorithms, they can improve worker safety by enabling real-time monitoring of environmental conditions, predictive analytics, and proactive hazard detection, leading to faster esponses and reduced accidents.

Long Range (LoRa) networks are suitable for IoT devices with low traffic and are ideal for the sensors that typically make up real-time monitoring systems. They are easy to operate and can link hundreds of devices to the same gateway, providing a single platform for all your monitoring equipment at a low cost.

3. Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs)

AGVs can handle the transportation of materials within the factory, reducing the need for manual lifting and movement, thereby decreasing the risk of injury and increasing efficiency. By automating material handling, AGVs improve productivity by streamlining workflows and allowing workers to focus on more complex tasks.

Orange Business is working with Schneider electric on an AGV use case as part of an experimental rollout. Using 5G, operators can control a telepresence robot which can be manipulated with real-time responsiveness, allowing remote (virtual) visits to the site with high-quality video.

However, AGVs require effective communication with their environment to move and perform tasks without causing danger or disruptions. And, most importantly, they must be driven safely and securely, especially in confined spaces. This requires a stable, fast, low-latency, and high-capacity infrastructure. CPG companies are increasingly finding that Mobile Private Networks (MPNs) are ideally suited to this task. 

An MPN is a networking technology based on the 5G standard that provides reliable and secure connectivity for AGVs. It is also being used to support other innovative use cases like Augmented Reality for remote workers, safety with computer vision, and Push-to-X. Unlike public 5G networks, which are shared infrastructure for general use, MPNs are dedicated, private networks that allow CPG companies a greater degree of control, security, and performance. 

Orange Business was recently recognized as a Leader by Gartner in its inaugural 2025 Magic Quadrant for 4G and 5G Private Mobile Network Services. We can provide MPN as a managed service by assisting customers throughout all phases of the implementation, from business consulting and assessment to design, build, and run.

4. Computer Vision

Orange Business has partnered with Surveily to provide computer vision systems that support more than 50 use cases, ranging from quality inspection and defect detection to predictive maintenance and employee safety. There is no need to replace cameras or buy new ones – the software simply integrates with your existing CCTV equipment. 

Many CPG companies find that as much as half of all those on the factory floor are external contractors who may be unused to wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): the Surveily system can detect whether this equipment is being used and alert factory supervisors accordingly. It can also track people in real time so that, in the event of an emergency, they can be safely evacuated.

 

5. Enhanced Communication Tools

Devices like smartwatches and smartphones enable instant communication among workers and supervisors, facilitating quick responses to issues and improving coordination. These devices can also be used to send emergency alerts, ensuring timely evacuation or response in case of accidents or hazards, by using dedicated mobile solutions. For example, Push-to-X is a service that enhances communication and safety within businesses, particularly those relying on mission-critical communications. It provides dedicated Quality of Service (QoS) for critical communications and includes features like geolocation and work applications that enable businesses to improve safety and collaboration.

IoT-Optimized Network Environments

A state-of-the-art network is necessary to ensure that the large number of IoT devices deployed in autonomous working environments can function effectively. 5G MPNs are gaining traction with CPG companies as a means of supporting real-time applications. However, a range of different technologies are available to support large IoT estates: these include enhanced wireless and Low Power Wide Area Networking (LPWAN).

Orange Business has been recognized as a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant IoT Connectivity Services for seven consecutive years and offers a range of services to support manufacturing IoT devices. These include: 

• IoT Managed Global Connectivity – a flexible service management solution that helps with the deployment and management of IoT devices globally; 
• Connected smart products – a secure, cloud-based platform that allows users to connect machines and objects to business applications. 

Orange Business has an extensive partner ecosystem that specializes in IoT, geolocation, industrial supervision, and more. We can help select and implement partners and technologies to create fully tailored solutions for any CPG company’s individual business needs.

Conclusion

Some of the world’s largest industrial companies – behemoths like Boeing, Siemens and General Motors – are already using assisted worker technology to deliver long-term gains in efficiency and the minimization of costly downtime. (!) However, CPG companies are lagging behind their peers when it comes to the adoption of assisted worker technology. As McKinsey observes, “there’s a race on to capture value from digital and AI, and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are in danger of falling behind both retailers and consumers” (!).

Orange Business has 26,000 customers in the industrial sector, one-third of which are manufacturers, so have the experience and expertise to help CPG leaders investigate the use cases for assisted worker technology and urgently implement those that deliver the requisite ROI.