A ny company will tell you that its people are at the heart of its business – yet workplace injuries still remain a pervasive problem . Each year , over 350 million workers get hurt – some even fatally . In fact , every 15 seconds a worker dies from a work-related accident or disease , according to the International Labour Organisation . Despite mounting safety regulations and procedures , workplace accidents are still an all too common occurrence , which can have a devastating impact on an employee ’ s health and livelihood . As well as the distress of an employee suffering injury , employers may also have to contend with a slump in productivity or significant financial losses . Companies need to advance worker safety and – by using cutting-edge technologies like wearables , artificial intelligence ( AI ) and the Internet of Things ( IoT ) – IBM is hoping to offer a helping hand .