Adopting new technology that helps to simplify safety procedures and connect managers to their employees in hazardous environments has never been more easy. MSA Safety announced that its latest innovation – the ALTAIR io 4 Gas Detection Wearable device – is now available for order.

Designed to work in concert with the company’s new MSA+ safety subscription service, the ALTAIR io 4 device represents the hardware portion of a cloud-ready suite of technology that MSA calls the Connected Work Platform. When connected together, the ALTAIR io 4 and MSA+ create a versatile and powerful hardware/software combination that enhances worker safety while simplifying safety program management.

“The Connected Work Platform brings workers, worksites and workflows together to help make safety simpler for everyone,” said Gustavo Lopez, MSA Safety’s Vice President of Connected Services & General Manager of Industrial Products. “We’re empowering safety managers to use the platform as a solution to develop adaptable and proactive safety plans by leveraging our world-class sensor technology and cloud-based solutions to enhance safety and productivity.”

To showcase the features, benefits and value of MSA’s Connected Work Platform, the company is hosting a virtual Connected Work Summit May 17 – 19, 2022. Attendees can learn from and chat with MSA experts about why the technology that enables connectivity is often under-utilized or missing from safety management programs and how to leverage connected technology to address those gaps and create adaptive safety programs.

MSA will feature the ALTAIR io 4 at the summit, highlighting how it was designed from the ground-up, making it MSA’s first direct-to-cloud gas detector to feature:

• Out-of-the box global cellular connectivity and GPS location to transmit real-time data, like critical gas detection readings and location information, directly to supervisors via the MSA Grid software platform;
• Access to MSA software services that enable fleet management, as well as real-time monitoring, incident reporting and datalogging services;
• A new, electronic MSA id device tag that replaces paper-based sign-out processes;

• MSA’s industry-leading XCell Sensors; and

• Compatibility with a new ALTAIR io Dock calibration test stand, enabling automatic bump testing, calibration and datalogging.

With MSA+, safety managers can bundle hardware and software needs for long-term safety advancements and a convenient way to stay ahead of safety innovation and with minimal capital expense. The MSA Grid and accompanying MSA+ safety subscription has various price points and subscription levels to accommodate individual customer needs and budgets. MSA+ also extends warranty coverage and provides automatic and ongoing software upgrades.

“Having the ALTAIR io 4 connected with MSA+ means it will only get better with time,” Lopez said. “It means getting the latest software updates automatically, ultimately bringing the most recent safety technology immediately to the worksite. Additionally, with safety data automatically logged in the MSA Grid, it helps make compliance easier by streamlining the data gathering and creating reports to inform safety decisions.”

In addition to the Connected Work Platform and the ALTAIR io 4, the mid-May Connected
Work Summit will allow safety managers to learn more about managing and protecting their safety programs now and in the future. Over the three-day event, learn how connected worksites, gas detection wearables, and software solutions can enhance worker and infrastructure safety.

Sessions include:

• How Connectivity Can Help Simplify Safety and Boost Productivity – Tuesday, May 17;

• Managing Your Gas Detection Fleet with Hardware and Software – Wednesday, May 18;

• Why Cybersecurity Matters for Connected Work Programs – Thursday, May 19.

To register for the free summit sessions, click here. The ALTAIR io 4 will be first made available in the United States and Europe, and MSA said it expects to begin shipments in May. For more information on the ALTAIR io 4 Detector and MSA+, please visit the company website by clicking here.