Transforming occupational safety: new approaches to high-tech personal protective equipment in the digital environment

The process of digital transformation of the Russian economy requires industrial companies to introduce new information technologies that allow increasing the labor productivity and, consequently, the companies' efficiency.The research purpose was to substantiate a new approach and a system of criteria for classifying personal protective equipment as innovative and high–tech amidst digital transformation.The authors analyzed the elements and suggested forecast of the digital transformation of an industrial company. The authors justified the importance of innovative personal protective equipment, defined the requirements and developed a system of criteria for assigning personal protective equipment to innovative and high-tech. The conceptual and categorical apparatus in the digital environment is developed. New definitions, which makes it possible to justify the classification of personal protective equipment in the digital environment, are proposed.Criteria for high-tech personal protective equipment against heavy pollution and increased mechanical loads, toxic and aggressive substances, as well as extreme conditions should be included in the occupational risk management system in order to improve the industrial production safety.The results of the study may be useful to representatives of public authorities, specialists of the labor protection system, as well as experts solving problems of improving the efficiency of the occupational health system management.

occupational safety, digital transformation, digital engineering, innovative and high-tech personal protective equipment, end-to-end technology, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, smart technology