HEALTH & SAFETY
Outside help German-designed Paexeo Shoulder exoskeleton is helping reduce staff turnovers – and the construction industry is taking note Leading German medical technology company Ottobock is revolutionising the capacity for manual overhead labour with innovative wearable tech body suit, the Paexo Shoulder exoskeleton, which could provide major benefits when it comes to the Australian construction industry. The upper body exoskeleton, which is now being used in 500 plants and factories worldwide, recently launched in the Australian market following its initial release in Europe 18 months ago. There it has already been snapped up by leading businesses in the construction and internal fit-out industries. The exoskeleton was designed to relieve muscular stress for workers who specifically spend long periods of time working with their arms raised. When people wearing the Paexo Shoulder raise their arms, pads around the biceps transfer weight to the hips thanks to mechanical cable pull technology. 34
Construction Engineering Australia • Apr/May 2020
It provides noticeable relief for the muscles and joints in the shoulder region. This makes it particularly beneficial for people such as plasterers, painters, electricians, builders, assembly line workers or anyone else in the construction, general maintenance or repair fields, required to do intricate or repetitive tasks overhead. German company Thor Industries GmbH & Co. KG which provides qualified staff for the household, building and supply technology sector was one of the first companies in Europe to use the Paexo Shoulder exoskeleton. The company, which has around 1,000 employees, is known for being extremely loyal to workers and in 2012 was named one of the top 100 employers amongst German SMEs. With people now living on average well into their 80s and beyond, and retirement age increasing, the issue for many
companies such as Thor is how to retain and support staff as their health needs change, particularly those specialising in manual tasks. One of Thor’s prime objectives is to keep staff turnover as low as possible, in part by ensuring the highest levels of health and safety. “Our employees were delighted by the way the exo immediately relieved strain on their muscles, for example during overhead welding or electrical installations under ceilings,” said Thor CEO Kersten Thor. “Exoskeletons also make jobs in industrial assembly more attractive. They can increase employee loyalty and help us recruit new employees.” A former heating engineer, Mr Thor worked for years as a temporary worker on assembly. Wanting to improve working conditions for those in the temporary employment industry, he has been on a mission for 20 years to improve conditions for workers, whether it be bad pay, poor treatment or inadequate working environments. The company has long ensured that employees have perpetual contracts, performance-based pay, over-the-counter allowances, free weekends, and monetary incentives and awards. Mr Thor, who was also awarded Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013, said, understanding how employees perceive their working environment is vitally important for any business going forward in a fast-paced market.
