While body-worn cameras may be best known for their use in law enforcement, they're becoming increasingly common in a range of other sectors, from retail to private security to transportation and logistics. For the latter, that's specifically the case for last-mile delivery fleets – and for good reason.
According to research compiled by JD Supra, based on a decade of delivery driver data, last-mile delivery personnel face greater occupational hazards than workers in other industries, many of which are more commonly perceived as being dangerous. JD Supra cites data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that delivery truck drivers accounted for 20% of all work fatalities between the years 2016-2019 with a higher likelihood of a fatal injury on the job than even police officers face.
Further, given the growing ubiquity of home deliveries, recent data shows carjackings have increased notably in recent years posing risk to delivery drivers of all kinds, whether working for the DHLs and FedExs of the world, or delivering food for the local pizza restaurant.
Safety solutions on-the-move
Ensuring the safety and security of delivery fleets is nuanced given these teams are often made-up of lone workers who are in constant movement during a shift. The surest way to deliver that extra layer of safety and security for these employees is for them to physically wear it.
Here are examples of body-worn cameras are helping:
Increasing safety of delivery personnel
Body-worn cameras increase the safety of delivery personnel in several ways. For starters, the simple presence of a body-worn camera can deter unwanted behavior and aggression by those in a delivery person's path. The cameras can also de-escalate conflict or tense encounters with others.Given last-mile delivery drivers are often in a lone worker environment, having an extra set of "eyes" also provides peace of mind while out in the field. Features like built-in panic alerts that enable employees to discreetly call for assistance reassure delivery drivers that they have back-up support if necessary. The ability to live-stream encounters also helps reassure drivers they aren't alone knowing other team members have an uninterrupted view of their whereabouts.
Enhancing accountability and ensuring compliance
Body-worn cameras can be a valuable tool for enhancing staff accountability and ensuring compliance regulations are met. Bodycams also support in resolving disputes and providing evidence in investigations by delivering a comprehensive, unedited record of interactions. Once captured, that footage can (and should) be securely uploaded to an evidence management platform where it can easily be organized, accessed and analyzed.Further, footage from body-worn cameras serves as a record of compliance-related processes like pre-trip inspections. All of these factors help to increase liability protection and ensure compliance for transportation businesses.
Aiding in training and professional development
Body-worn cameras help with staff training and professional development by making footage available for post-incident analysis. This gives delivery personnel and training staff the opportunity to review employee actions, reflect and identify ways to improve, supporting continuous learning and staff development.When it comes to onboarding new hires, the ability to watch actual interactions of other colleagues helps new team members understand expectations, witness common interactions and learn best practices for handling them.
These benefits contribute overall to improved operational efficiency and continuity for last-mile delivery teams and transportation businesses. Though the use of this technology is in its relatively early days, additional benefits have been seen from longer term use in other sectors, like passenger transport, where employees have acknowledged body-worn cameras contribute to a safer work environment and an increased sense of trust in the employer given their focus on safety. As deployment across the sector grows, the organizations utilizing bodycams will be better enabled to protect their most valuable asset – their employees.
