Smart Innovators: Industrial Wearables

Steve Bolton

Steve Bolton

22 Aug, 2018

Access this research

Access all EHSQ Corporate Leaders content with a strategic subscription or buy this single report

Need help or have a question about this report? Contact us for assistance

Executive Summary

Workers in dangerous locations have used wearable devices (or “wearables”) for decades to alert them to hazards such as gas leaks. In the last fifteen years, the rise of digital consumer wearables such as augmented reality headsets and watches that monitor heart rates has opened the door to the launch of industrial wearables exploiting these consumer innovations. Concurrently, vendors and firms have diversified the environment, health and safety (EHS) functions in industrial settings to which wearables can be applied. This report provides EHS decision-makers, vendors of industrial wearable solutions, investors and other participants in the EHS technologies ecosystem with an overview of wearable devices applied to EHS functions.
Smart Innovators: Industrial Wearables
A Broad Range Of Wearable Devices Have Relevance To EHS Priorities
EHS Decision-Makers Indicate Early Signs Of Demand For Wearable Technology

Industrial Wearables Being Deployed For EHS Functions
Wearable Functionality Maps To Four Distinct EHS Use Cases

Industrial Wearables Must Overcome Adoption Hurdles To Reach Critical Mass
Vendors Need To Understand Success Factors To Accelerate Growth
Fast Adopting Industries Hold The Key To Wearables Success
Figure 1. Change In Spend Across EHS Categories In 2018 
Figure 2. EHS Budget Allocation Across Four Categories 
Figure 3. Significance Of Industrial Wearables To Operational Risk Management 
Figure 4. Industrial Wearables Support Four EHS Use Cases 
Figure 5-1. Mapping Wearables Vendors To EHS Use Cases 
Figure 5-2. Mapping Wearables Vendors To EHS Use Cases 

About the Author

Steve Bolton

Steve Bolton

Research Director

Steve leads the Verdantix EHS research practice, based out of our New York office. He has 25 years of experience advising on sustainability, EHS, circular economy, corporate s...

Other related content

Webinar
Quality Management Software
Process Safety Management Software
Manufacturing Operations Management
Industrial Transformation Leaders
Industrial Design Engineering Software
Industrial Analytics & Data Management
Field Services Management
Digital Transformation Leaders
Asset Performance Management Software
Asset Maintenance Software
AI Platforms & Applications
Building Digital Platforms & Operational Tech
Benchmarking Industrial Investments: Tr...

Industrial leaders face increasing pressure to allocate limited budgets effectively while delivering tangible results across operations, maintenance, and production. This webinar w...

Upcoming / 09 April, 2026

Webinar
EHS Specialist Software
EHS Software & Services
EHSQ Corporate Leaders
AI Platforms & Applications
3 Steps EHS Leaders Should Take To Prep...

For time-pressured EHS leaders, the challenge is not whether AI matters, but how to assess readiness, prioritise use cases, and avoid costly missteps. In this webinar, we’ll examin...

Upcoming / 07 April, 2026

Blog
EHS Specialist Software
What Winter Sports Injuries Can Teach U...

On the heels of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, there's an interesting parallel between the slopes and the shop floor in injury prevention. Research shows that roughl...

24 February, 2026

Blog
EHSQ Corporate Leaders
Global Instability Is Turning Quality M...

In 2026, instability has become the new norm for global supply chains; organizations are busy navigating constant changes amid persistent uncertainty. Shifting US-China trade polic...

23 February, 2026

Blog
EHSQ Corporate Leaders
EHS Trends In The Chemicals Sector You ...

In the regional and industry-specific breakdown of the 2025 Verdantix global corporate survey on EHS budgets, priorities and tech preferences, respondents in the chemicals sector...

20 February, 2026

Blog
EHSQ Corporate Leaders
EHS Trends In The Mining Sector You Sho...

In the regional and industry-specific breakdown of the 2025 Verdantix global corporate survey on EHS budgets, priorities and tech preferences, respondents in the mining sector re...

16 February, 2026