Using AI to Prevent Struck-By Incidents: How Vision AI and IoT Make Workplaces Safer

Struck-by incidents are among the leading causes of workplace injuries, particularly in industrial settings like warehouses, manufacturing plants, and construction sites. Whether it’s a falling object, an overhead crane mishap, or a forklift accident, these incidents often result from blind spots, human error, or undetected risks.

But what if technology could prevent these accidents before they happen?

Artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are revolutionizing workplace safety by enabling real-time monitoring, risk detection, and automated alerts. While many workplaces already use sensors to monitor conditions, AI plays a crucial role in making sense of that data—providing actionable insights instead of overwhelming operators with raw information.

Let’s explore how AI and IoT are transforming the way we approach struck-by prevention.

What Are Struck-By Incidents?

Struck-by accidents occur when a worker is hit by a moving object, vehicle, or falling equipment. These incidents can happen in various ways:

• Falling objects from high storage racks or shelves

• Overhead load failures from cranes or hoists

• Forklift collisions due to obstructed visibility or human error

While sensors alone can provide basic monitoring, AI ensures that workplaces don’t just collect data—but use it to prevent accidents before they happen.

How AI and IoT Enhance Workplace Safety

By integrating AI-driven analytics with IoT sensors, businesses can automate monitoring, detect patterns, and issue real-time alerts to workers and operators. Here’s how these technologies make safety more proactive and efficient:

1. Preventing Falling Object Accidents with Vision AI & Smart Sensors

Near Miss: Falling Box Hazard

Items stored on high shelves or racks can become dislodged due to overloading, structural issues, or forklift impacts. IoT sensors can monitor shelf conditions, but without AI, workers must manually analyze data—leaving room for oversight.

With AI, these systems can:

✅ Detect overloaded or imbalanced loads that might collapse

✅ Identify shelves in poor condition before they break

✅ Spot overhanging items and alert workers before they fall

For instance, AI-powered vision systems like Keyence recognize unsafe stacking and damaged packaging, preventing workplace injuries without requiring constant human monitoring.

2. Smart Monitoring for Overhead Loads

Cranes and hoists are essential in heavy industries, but an unsecured load can be catastrophic. AI-enhanced solutions improve safety by:

✅ Monitoring load stability with IoT sensors that track weight and tension in real time

✅ Detecting danger zones using AI-powered cameras to ensure no workers are in harm’s way

✅ Predicting equipment failures through AI-driven analysis of motor performance and cable strain

Versatile, for example, integrates AI with crane-mounted sensors to track load movement and weight automatically, reducing operator workload and improving safety.

3. Enhancing Forklift Safety with AI Vision

Forklifts contribute to a significant number of workplace injuries due to limited visibility and human error. Traditional sensors can detect obstacles, but AI takes it further by continuously analyzing video feeds and sensor data to:

✅ Track pedestrian activity and alert operators in real time

✅ Identify risky driving behaviors and suggest corrective actions

✅ Predict mechanical failures before they cause accidents

SEETERIA, for example, transforms standard CCTV cameras into AI-powered safety guardians, alerting forklift drivers about potential collisions in real time—without the need for expensive additional hardware.

Why AI Is Essential for Workplace Safety (Even If You Have Sensors)

One of the most common misconceptions about industrial safety is:

“We already have sensors—why do we need AI?”

The answer is simple: sensors generate data, but AI makes it actionable.

Here’s why that matters:

🔹 Manual monitoring is impossible at scale. If a warehouse has hundreds of sensors tracking shelf weight, machine vibrations, and pedestrian movement, operators can’t realistically monitor all of them 24/7. AI does this automatically.

🔹 AI detects patterns that humans might miss. A single sensor might detect that a shelf is overloaded, but AI can correlate this with forklift impact data, recent maintenance records, and overall weight distribution to determine whether the shelf is likely to fail.

🔹 AI prioritizes real threats. Many industrial sensors generate false positives—like harmless vibrations or reflections. AI filters out irrelevant data and focuses on real risks, reducing unnecessary alerts while ensuring critical warnings aren’t missed.

Essentially, AI transforms industrial safety from reactive to proactive, preventing accidents instead of just recording them.

The Future of Workplace Safety with AI and IoT

AI and IoT are proving that safety technology can do more than just detect hazards—it can predict and prevent them. By integrating Vision AI, smart sensors, and predictive analytics, businesses can create safer environments, reduce accidents, and enhance operational efficiency.

As AI continues to evolve, workplaces will benefit from even smarter safety tools—ensuring workers are protected while minimizing downtime and disruptions.

Want to learn more about how AI is shaping the future of workplace safety? Contact SEETERIA to see how our AI-driven forklift safety system can help protect your workforce.

📩 sarit@seeteria.com

📞 647-594-6160