VIRTUAL REALITY APPLIED TO SAFETY TRAINING

Abstract

<jats:p>According to the International Labour Organisation, approximately three million people die annually due to occupational accidents or diseases, with construction, mining, and manufacturing being the most affected sectors. One of the main contributing factors is the lack of adequate safety training programs, combined with poor safety knowledge. Literature suggests that immersive technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), effectively enhance occupational safety training by allowing workers to experience hazardous scenarios in a controlled environment. This enables skills development without exposure to real-world risks. DigiRescueMe and STRIM European projects were designed with this principle in mind. DigiRescueMe focuses on miners rescue training for professionals, while STRIM develops mining curricula with a special emphasis on occupational safety and health for students and mining professionals. The first phase of both projects involved identifying the most pertinent training content through focus group discussion and needs analysis. Then, realistic virtual scenarios were developed using Unity 3D, incorporating 3D-scanned objects via Peel3D technology to enhance realism. Currently, these scenarios are being tested by students and professionals, with feedback collected for further improvement.</jats:p>