spacebands gain additional £1m investment for next development stage

Article originally covered in:
https://www.buildnews.co.uk/wearable-safety-technology-firm-secures-1-1m-to-address-noise-and-vibration-risks/

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A workplace hazard monitoring technology company has secured £1.1 million in funding to support the reduction of preventable hearing loss and vibration-related injuries across UK construction and infrastructure projects.

spacebands, which develops wearable safety technology, plans to use the funding to further develop its wrist-worn devices and expand its data analytics platform, aimed at helping employers identify harmful exposure to noise and hand–arm vibration earlier and take preventative action.

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Occupational health risks remain widespread

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), around 12,000 workers each year experience hearing loss caused or worsened by their work, with millions more exposed to hazardous noise levels.

In construction and civil engineering, prolonged exposure to noise and vibration remains a significant cause of long-term occupational ill health.

Conditions such as noise-induced hearing loss and hand-arm vibration syndrome typically develop gradually, often without immediate symptoms.

By the time the effects are identified, damage is frequently permanent, leading to long-term health issues, time away from work and potential compensation claims.

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Real-time monitoring of site exposure

spacebands’ technology focuses on monitoring individual exposure to hazards such as vibration and noise in real time.

The wrist-worn devices alert workers as exposure increases, while also generating data that health and safety teams can use to manage risk through task rotation, tooling changes or process adjustments.

The approach aims to address limitations associated with traditional risk assessments and static monitoring, which can fail to capture cumulative exposure across varied tasks and working conditions common on construction sites.

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Use across major infrastructure projects

The technology is already in use across a number of safety-critical sectors, including construction, highways and rail. Organisations deploying the system include Network Rail, M Group Highways, Kier Group and Balfour Beatty, where long-term exposure management is both a regulatory requirement and a key part of workforce protection.

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Funding to support further development

The latest funding round will support continued development of the wearable devices and online analytics platform, as well as a new device developed through consultation with health and safety professionals.

Ronan Finnegan, co-founder of spacebands, said:
“Too many workers only discover the impact of noise or vibration exposure years after the damage is done. By then, it’s too late.

“This funding allows us to keep building tools that help employers see risk as it develops, not after the harm has already occurred. Prevention has to happen in real time, on the person, not retrospectively in a report.”

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Regulatory pressure and cost of occupational ill health

As regulatory scrutiny increases and the cost of occupational ill health continues to rise—estimated to cost the UK economy tens of billions of pounds each year—construction employers are under growing pressure to demonstrate effective control of long-term health risks, not just compliance documentation.

Finnegan added:
“spacebands was founded on the belief that better data leads to better decisions and safer outcomes. By giving employers visibility of exposure that has historically gone unmeasured, the company aims to reduce avoidable harm, protect workers’ long-term health, and help organisations demonstrate effective control of risk.”

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Article also covered in:
https://newsfromwales.co.uk/spacebands-secures-1-1m-to-help-tackle-preventable-hearing-loss-and-vibration-injuries-across-uk-workplaces/
https://www.facilitiesmanagement-now.com/article/246332/spacebands-secures-1.1m-to-help-tackle-preventable-hearing-loss-and-vibration-injuries-across-uk-workplaces
https://www.insidermedia.com/news/wales/workspace-hazard-wearables-company-secures-1.1m-funding
https://www.wales247.co.uk/cardiff-safety-tech-firm-spacebands-secures-1-1m-funding-boost
https://businessnewswales.com/cardiff-firm-raises-1-1m-to-tackle-occupational-noise-and-vibration-risks/