Wearable Technologies in Occupational Safety and Health: A Systematic Review and a Human-Centered Implementation Model

Wearable technologies have emerged as promising tools for supporting Occupational Safety and Health through continuous and multimodal monitoring of physiological, biomechanical, and environmental risk factors. However, evidence regarding their real-world effectiveness and implementation remains fragmented. This study presents a systematic literature review conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, synthesizing evidence from 60 studies addressing wearable-based monitoring, assessment, and intervention in occupational contexts. The review examines the types of technologies applied, the risks and functions addressed, the evidence on effectiveness, the evaluation metrics used, and the main barriers affecting implementation. The findings show that wearable technologies are mainly applied to ergonomic, physiological, environmental, and critical-event risks, using devices such as inertial sensors, biosensors, smart personal protective equipment, and exoskeletons. While the evidence indicates strong potential for real-time monitoring, risk detection, and data-informed decision-making, most studies rely on controlled or short-term evaluations, and consistent evidence of sustained accident reduction remains limited. The results also highlight technical, organizational, ethical, and human-related barriers, including usability, interoperability, privacy concerns, worker acceptance, and data governance. Based on this synthesis, a conceptual human-centered implementation model is proposed to support responsible and context-sensitive adoption.