"Protecting Those Who Protect Us"

1

I Witnessed Tragedy. So, I Built Technology to Prevent It.

A Three-Part Series

By Herman B. Smith, Founder | ProChek1 Vision X

PART 1: The Moment That Changed Everything

There is a moment that changes everything.

For me, it was seeing a preventable tragedy in a high-risk work environment. Someone who showed up to do their job, someone protecting our infrastructure, our safety, our communities did not make it home that day.

Not because they were not skilled. Not because they were not careful.

Because at that critical moment, they did not have the information they needed when they needed it, in a way they could access it safely.

The Problem We Don’t Talk About

I am a certified professional inspector with 22 years in field plumbing, HVAC, electrical, roofing, commercial systems, and code enforcement. I have seen near-misses. I have investigated failures. I have read incident reports that all say the same thing:

“If only they had known…”

Every day, skilled trades professionals work in environments where a single mistake can be catastrophic:

• Electricians working on live panels

• HVAC techs managing refrigerants in confined spaces

• Plumbers dealing with gas lines

• Inspectors navigating hazardous sites

• First responders entering unstable structures

These professionals cannot afford to:

• Look away from their work to check a manual

• Remove safety gloves to scroll on a phone

• Climb down from a dangerous position to verify a specification

• Make assumptions when lives are on the line

My 22 Years in the Field Taught Me This

As a certified inspector and code official, I have investigated what goes wrong:

The electrician who misidentified a wire

…because he could not safely reference the diagram while holding the tester.

The HVAC tech who mixed refrigerants

…because the labels were worn and he was working from memory.

The contractor who missed a critical code update

…because the information was buried in a PDF he would have to stop working to read.

These are competent people. These are skilled professionals trying to do dangerous work with inadequate tools.

We send people into high-risk environments with 1990s information access methods.

After seeing that tragedy, I planned: I would build the technology that should have existed. Technology that could prevent what I saw from ever happening again.

The question was: How?

→ Coming in Part 2: The solution I built, why it had to be AR smart glasses, and the testing that proved it works in the field.

2

I disagree with you. Accidents are preventable. I do not require glasses to make me safer.
A: PPE for the required job.
B: A lockout chain of custody document. Lockout/Tagout Wall Mount Stations.
C: The minute you are limited from, reading, measuring, or testing safely, you stop.
D: Go to the right person in charge of safety.

1 Like
3

The lockout only occurs when the field service tech contacts the control center," correctly captures the essence of this coordination. Whereby the system becomes de-engerize and isolated. The glasses eliminate the guesswork!

4

Morning, Herman. Hope to find you well.

Please excuse my opening post/string.

I feel, the glasses will give a false sense of security, when in fact a building being inspected can be very dangerous undertaking.

It starts with learning safely protocols under various situations.
Then PPE.
Then, understanding using any monitoring equipment, that should be on or near yourself, at all times.

Your glasses going to detect elevations of explosive gasses or carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide?
In my opinion, when/if you fail to understand a lockout chain of custody, you should not be on that job.

I stopped opening panel fronts because clients, homeowner, or maintenance manager would go behind my back and stick their hands in live panels. Some wiggling OCPD’s. Electric shock or even flash…Insane!

So now someone puts on your glasses and they feel safe? IMO, a false sense of security.

Good luck with your endeavor.
Regards.
Robert

5

Is this your website?

6

PART 2: The Technology Built to Protect Lives

If you missed Part 1, I shared the preventable tragedy that changed my career and why skilled trades professionals deserve better safety technology.

After seeing that tragedy, I knew what the solution had to be:

Hands-free. Instant. Resolute. Built by someone who understands the work.

That is why I built ProChek1 Vision X.

Why AR Smart Glasses? Because Nothing Else Works.

Phones require you to stop working, remove gloves, and look away from the hazard. Tablets are bulky, fragile, and impossible to use on a ladder. Printed manuals are outdated on the day they are printed and buried somewhere in the truck. Smart AR glasses put critical information directly in your line of sight—without interrupting your work.

ProChek1 Vision X: Field-Tested, Certified, Ready

Here is what Vision X delivers:

:white_check_mark: 900,000+ verified service manuals — updated according to manufacturer records

:white_check_mark: Real-time safety alerts — hazard detection and environmental warnings

:white_check_mark: Voice-activated access — keep your hands on your work, eyes on the task

:white_check_mark: Step-by-step protocols — correct procedures when precision matters most

:white_check_mark: Offline reliability — works in basements, remote sites, anywhere you need it

This technology was originally developed for assistive applications helping individuals with hearing and vision impairment navigate safely through real-time captioning, sign language recognition, and spatial awareness. The same technology that helps someone cross a street safely can help a technician work safely in a high-risk environment.

The Validation You Can’t See (But Need to Know Exists)

Before launching this West Michigan pilot, we did our homework.

ProChek1 Vision X has:

Completed case studies with professionals in high-risk environments.

:white_check_mark: Received product certifications meeting industry safety and performance standards

:white_check_mark: Been confirmed by early adopters whose feedback shaped the final design

Due to non-disclosure agreements and professional confidentiality, particularly about proprietary manufacturer data and supplier intellectual property, I cannot publicly show specific partner identities or detailed study results without written consent.

But here is what I can tell you:

Real technicians, in real work environments, have used this technology. They have evaluated it in the conditions you work in every day. Their feedback was not just helpful, it was essential.

And they are still using it.

Several have expanded deployment to other team members. Their safety records have improved. Their diagnostic times have decreased.

That tells you everything you need to know.

Why Confidentiality Matters in This Industry

You might wonder: “If this works so well, why not share the case studies?”

Because the professionals and organizations who helped us evaluate this technology work under strict confidentiality requirements. They are protecting:

• Proprietary manufacturer specifications that cannot be publicly disclosed

• Supplier intellectual property covered by NDAs

• Competitive operational methods they have developed over years

• Employee privacy in safety-critical roles

Respecting those boundaries is not a weakness, it is how serious companies work.

When early adopters trust us with their processes, their data, and their feedback, we honor that trust. Always.

This Is Not Just About Efficiency

Yes, Vision X makes technicians faster. Yes, it improves accuracy. Yes, it reduces callbacks.

But that is not why it exists. It exists because every preventable workplace tragedy is one too many. When a tech can verify the right wire without taking their eyes off the panel that’s safety. When an inspector can access structural data while navigating a compromised building hat’s safety. When a first responder can see real-time hazard alerts while their hands are occupied that’s safety. The studies are done. The certifications are approved. Technology works.

Now comes the hard part: scaling it responsibly with the right partners.

→ Coming in Part 3: The West Michigan pilot program, who should apply, and how we are building this together with the professionals who need it most.

7

Yes, it is! And how may I help you?

8

Thank you!

9

PART 3: Join the Mission to Protect Those Who Protect Us

Catching up? Part 1: The tragedy that started this mission | Part 2: The technology and validation.

Technology is built. The certifications are approved. The early studies prove it works.

Now we need the right partners to help us scale it responsibly, effectively, and with the people who matter most: you.

West Michigan Pilot: 100 Contractors, One Mission

We are opening first access to 100 contractors in West Michigan. Not because we need more testing. We have done that.

Because we believe in building with our community, not just for it.

West Michigan has strong skilled trades culture professionals who take pride in their work, value safety, and are not afraid to give honest feedback. That is exactly who we want as founding partners.

This Is a Partnership, not a Beta Test

What you will get:

:white_check_mark: Firsthand training and support — we will make sure you and your team know how to use Vision X effectively

:white_check_mark: Direct access to our development team — your feedback shapes future features

:white_check_mark: Early adopter pricing locked in for life — as a founding partner, you will never pay more

:white_check_mark: Priority support — when you need help, you get it at once

:white_check_mark: Recognition as a safety leader — companies that invest in worker protection attract better talent

What we ask in return:

:white_check_mark: Honest feedback on performance in real-world conditions

:white_check_mark: Patience as we refine based on your input

:white_check_mark: A commitment to safety-first deployment — this technology saves lives when used correctly

Who Should Apply?

This pilot is for:

• Electrical contractors working with live systems

• HVAC companies working in confined or high-temperature environments

• Plumbing professionals dealing with gas lines and hazardous materials

• General contractors managing high-risk job sites

• Inspection firms entering compromised structures

• Any skilled trades professional who is ever thought, “There has to be a safer way to do this”

You do not need to be a tech expert. You do not need a large operation.

You just need to care about bringing your people home safely every day.

To Those Who Protect Us

To the electricians who keep our power running.

To the first responders who run toward danger.

To the HVAC techs working in 120-degree attics.

To the inspectors who enter unstable structures.

To every skilled professional who takes risks so the rest of us do not have to:

You deserve technology that protects you as much as you protect us.

I did not build ProChek1 because I saw a market opportunity.

I built it because I stood at a memorial service and thought: “Never again. Not if I can do something about it.”

The studies are done. The certifications are approved. Technology works.

Now I am asking you to be part of the solution.

How to Join

:envelope_with_arrow: Email: info@connectprochek1.com

:globe_with_meridians: Learn More: www.connectprochek1.com | www.prochek1visionx.com

Subject Line: West Michigan Pilot Application

In your email, tell me:

1. Your name and company

2. Your trade/specialty

3. Why worker safety matters to you personally

4. What you hope Vision X can do for your team

We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis. The first 100 qualified contractors who commit will be in.

This Is About Respect

Skilled trades professionals are the backbone of our infrastructure. You keep our homes comfortable, our buildings safe, our systems running.

You deserve tools that match the risks you take.

Let us build the future of worker safety—together.

Herman B. Smith