Hold the 3-D Steak

Consumers were asked to rate how well businesses protect their customers and workers from risk, especially those created by new technologies such as 3-D printers, in Chubb’s 2015 Consumer Perceptions of Business Risk Survey.

Many survey respondents were extremely or very concerned about the safety of materials used to manufacture 3-D printed products (63%) and the durability and performance of those products (54%). Nevertheless, they were willing to consider using 3-D printed items, including: a prosthetic limb, such as an arm, leg or hand (77%), shoes or clothing (64%), an automotive part (58%) and a house (51%).

A substantial majority of adults would allow businesses to fly drones and to require wearable technologies in the workplace: 59% of respondents said they would always or often permit drones to inspect utilities, facilities or property in remote areas. Only 48% would always or often permit them to take aerial pictures of property, 42% to fly a banner advertisement in a public space, and 37% to deliver a package to a customer’s home or business.

Most respondents wanted companies to provide drone operators or employees with safety training (92%), ensure that the data or images captured do not violate an individual’s privacy rights (88%), and notify and obtain written consent from businesses and individuals subjected to surveillance or fly-overs (83%).

They were less in favor of using personal wearable technology on the manufacturing floor (41%), in corporate strategy meetings (39%), while driving for business purposes (39%), when meeting with clients (34%) or during a job interview or a performance review (25%).

Most respondents believed that businesses protect office (76%), manufacturing (64%) and retail workers (63%) from injury or harm extremely or very well. When it comes to protecting consumers’ financial and other personal information, retailers were thought to be doing the poorest job of any sector: 58% of respondents said they were not protecting the information, compared with 37% for financial institutions (37%) and 36% for health care organizations (36%).

Additional findings of the survey are:

• 49% said employees should be able to always or often use their own personal wearable device while engaged in construction, utility or work-related physical activity;
• 23% would be willing to eat 3-D printed food; and
• 8% would not use any 3-D printed item.