Jonathan Guest, founder and CEO of Safety Shield Global. All photos courtesy of HSE Americas.

After the death of a close friend in a workplace accident, Jonathan Guest began a 15-year effort to prevent similar tragedies.

That mission eventually led him to found Safety Shield Global in 2018, a U.K.-based company focused on developing artificial intelligence (AI) technology designed to reduce serious incidents around heavy equipment.

Today, the company’s AI system uses Human Form Recognition (HFR) to monitor hazardous zones around heavy equipment.

The company’s AI vision technology is widely adopted across the U.K. and is being deployed internationally in sectors including construction, mining, agriculture, utilities and tree care.

HSE Americas, founded in July 2025 in San Francisco, was created to bring Safety Shield’s technology to North American markets. The company works with contractors, dealers and safety professionals to deploy AI-enabled safety solutions in high-risk industries.

For tree care, where safety is always top of mind, HFR technology offers a new way to help prevent serious incidents before they occur.

Nicolas Domeyko, director and CEO of HSE Americas.

From reaction to prevention

Safety improvements in tree care have traditionally followed a familiar pattern: an incident occurs, investigators determine what went wrong and procedures are strengthened to prevent a repeat.

While that process has led to meaningful progress, it still relies on learning after something has already gone wrong.

AI-assisted monitoring systems such as HFR are designed to shift that model toward prevention. The technology monitors configurable high-risk areas around equipment, commonly referred to as “red zones,” and alerts operators in real time when someone moves in too closely. In some applications, such as brush chippers, the system can also be configured to stop the feeder when a person enters a high-risk zone.

“Safety Shield’s HFR software acts as a third eye for the machine operator,” says Nicolas Domeyko, director and CEO of HSE Americas.

The goal is not to replace operators, Domeyko notes, but to provide an additional layer of visibility in environments where conditions can change quickly.

Learning from near misses

One of the most valuable benefits of AI-assisted monitoring is the ability to capture and analyze near misses – situations when someone enters a hazard zone but no injury occurs.

Near misses frequently go undocumented or are forgotten once a job is complete. Video documentation allows companies to review these moments and identify patterns in how crews interact with equipment.

“Real-time incursion data and video recordings are instantly made available in the Safety Shield VUE portal, providing insights into behavioral patterns or potential problem areas,” Domeyko explains.

For example, companies may discover that workers consistently approach equipment from angles that increase exposure risk, or that certain job-site conditions lead to more frequent red-zone incursions.

Instead of relying solely on memory or verbal reports, safety managers can use recorded events to guide training discussions and operational improvements.

An extra eye on safety

On busy job sites where equipment, workers and the public may move through the same space, visibility can become a serious safety challenge.

“AI video safety solutions can be particularly valuable in dense or complex environments, because there are often more variables and more people moving around equipment,” Domeyko says. “In tree care operations, crews may be working near sidewalks, roadways, homes or other public areas where both workers and third parties can unintentionally enter hazardous zones.”

Whether it is a crew member feeding brush into a chipper or a homeowner walking into a work zone unexpectedly, the system detects the human form and alerts the operator. In fact, the technology is independently verified at 99.6% accuracy and is proven to cut at-risk behaviors by 88%.

And, unlike wearable safety devices, which rely on workers carrying sensors, AI video systems detect when a person enters the work area, including members of the public who may inadvertently step into a job site.

“In real-world environments, particularly in public spaces, third parties are unlikely to be wearing those devices,” Domeyko says. “AI video systems address that gap by recognizing any person in the environment, not just individuals equipped with wearables.”

Installing Safety Shield Global’s Human Form Recognition AI technology.

The cost factor

For many tree care companies, one of the first questions when considering new safety technology is cost.

Domeyko says AI-assisted safety solutions such as HFR have become significantly more affordable as the technology has matured and adoption has increased, with entry-level solutions starting around $5,000 per machine.

“As with most safety technology solutions,” he adds, “the cost should be considered in the context of the potential benefits, reducing incidents, protecting workers and helping organizations manage risk more proactively.”

And a benefit for smaller companies is the ability to implement the technology gradually. Instead of equipping an entire fleet at once, companies can begin with one or two machines and expand coverage as operations grow.

Impact on insurance

Another area that will evolve in the coming years is how insurers evaluate this technology. The software generates audit-ready incident logs and safety reports that contractors can use to document how risks are being monitored and managed on their job sites.

“As companies adopt these systems, they begin building a record of how safety is being actively managed in real time,” Domeyko explains. “That kind of documentation can support conversations with insurers about risk management and safety performance.”

Similar discussions are already taking place internationally.

“In markets such as the E.U., U.K. and Australia, these technologies are increasingly part of conversations around safety performance, risk management and insurance pricing,” he says. “As adoption grows and more operational data becomes available, we expect similar conversations to develop in the U.S.”

Conclusion

For tree care companies considering whether AI-assisted monitoring systems are worth the investment, Domeyko says the decision ultimately comes down to prevention.

“Waiting for an incident to justify investing in safety is the most expensive way to learn that lesson,” Domeyko says. “The strongest argument for adopting this technology now is simple: It helps companies protect their people while strengthening their safety culture.”

Esther de Hollander is the director of editorial & content strategy at TCI Magazine.

At a Glance
Company: HSE Americas
Address: 2261 Market St., Ste. 85489, San Francisco, CA 94114
Founded: 2025
Product or Service: HSE Americas deploys AI-powered safety technology to help reduce workplace accidents in high-risk industries such as tree care.
Email: hello@hseamericas.com
Website: hseamericas.com