Think Your Job is Hard on Your Computer? These 4 Jobs are WAY Worse

By Staff Reporter - 14 Mar '20 15:41PM

(Photo : Unsplash)

What peril does your laptop have to deal with on a daily basis? A spilled coffee? Maybe a drop onto the office floor?

That's child's play to some people. Their line of work means their laptops have to survive being dropped underwater, or even an actual car chase.

Here are 4 industries that are notoriously brutal on their computers.

1. The Police Department

If you've seen the inside of a police car recently, we hope it wasn't for the wrong reasons.

However, if you have taken a peek inside, you may have marveled at the level of technology they have.

Police officers need a rugged and durable laptop that is fast enough to access the information they need to keep us safe. Their vehicles may also contain things like a trunk-mounted 4 camera DVR system to capture and record crucial video footage.

2. The Fire Department

The life-and-death nature of the fire department's work means they need the most durable and reliable computer solutions to help save lives. Today's modern fire trucks need to be able to perform in high-stress environments, with no time for technical hiccups.

Some trucks feature a thermal imaging camera integrated into the boom ladder control system, which allows the boom operator to see 40 meters above the ladder. At the same time, their control station needs to be able to perform in extreme conditions that are often wet and dirty. These controls also have to stand up to extreme heat or cold.

3. Paramedics and EMTs

Time is everything in the world of emergency response. Highly skilled and highly stressed paramedics and EMTs need a computer system that can keep up with the demands of their job.

Today's ambulances are equipped with touchscreen displays and custom software that gives workers instant access to the best possible route to their destination, and even an aerial view of the patient's location. Once they arrive, they also have quick access to the patient's full medical history.

This ensures that emergency response workers can get to their call as quickly as possible, while preparing them for exactly what awaits them when they arrive.

4. Chef

This one may surprise you, unless you've worked in a busy restaurant. The devices in the kitchen have to perform in conditions that are almost exclusively hot, dirty, and greasy.

Any lag or downtime can bring the entire restaurant to a halt. This can result in a lot of aggravated employees. Meanwhile, your frustrated customers will leave your restaurant and possibly even leave bad reviews online.

This is why high-volume and high-stress restaurants like The Keg have invested in rugged touchscreen "back of house" reference systems to keep their kitchens moving, while keeping their customers coming back for more.

The average device probably wouldn't last an hour (much less a full workday) in any of the work environments we've talked about today. Tough conditions demand tough technology.

If any of the tech we've talked about today sounds like something your company could use, you should look into what's available in today's rugged PC marketplace.