Australia Post uses computer vision for site safety

Australia Post is using computer vision technology to detect team members moving into “unsafe zones” at facilities as a site safety initiative.

Executive general manager of parcel, post and ecommerce services Gary Starr told the Online Retailer Conference this week that the use case involved machine learning and computer vision technology underpinned by Google Cloud Platform (CGP).

“We’re now using computer vision to improve team member safety in our operational facilities,” Starr said.

“With almost 30,000 people working at various facilities across our network, we’ve made significant investments into protecting this workforce.”

Starr said that delivery network facilities meant interacting with machinery such as forklifts, large metal cages of parcels, sorting machines and trucks.

“With the help of Google technology, we’ve used machine learning to teach our cameras to monitor the safety of our team movements at these operational facilities,” Starr explained.

“These cameras are now able to detect if any team member moves into an unsafe zone, alerting the management of team breaches so we can help keep our teams safe.

“We use these insights as coaching opportunities for our team members and to help embed a safety culture, and it’s had a massive impact. 

“This has helped us obviously create a safer workplace for our people, with a significant reduction and exposure to danger.”