The impact of the internet of things on health and safety performance at work: An empirical study of Brazilian companies

Abstract

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is an emerging topic, and its effects on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) remain uncertain. The Internet of Things (IoT) is one technology used to monitor variables through sensors in the workplace. By enabling the transmission, monitoring, and control of variables from both the environment and employees, IoT can affect workplace risks and OHS. This study aims to analyze and evaluate the impact of the IoT on workplace risks and OHS performance, considering organizational factors as moderators in the proposed relationships. A survey was conducted with OHS specialists in Brazilian companies. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), which is a multivariate statistical method was used for quantitative data analysis. The results show that IoT significantly reduces workplace risks, which, in turn, positively impacts OHS performance. Indirectly, by reducing workplace risks, IoT improves OHS performance. Additionally, the results support that organizational factor mediate the relationship between environmental risks and OHS performance and show that organizational factors positively influence OHS performance. The findings suggest that managers should consider organizational factors to enhance OHS performance. The authors did not find empirical studies linking IoT and OHS in the Brazilian context. This study addresses this gap and makes an original contribution to the existing literature.