Virtual reality training, your No. 1 solution in the prevention of construction site risks

May 12, 2021 | Professions

The construction industry is one of the sectors most prone to work-related accidents. 

These accidents are mainly due to a lack of safety training on the construction sites. 

The solution? 

VR (or virtual reality) training, which is the ideal prevention tool to make future workers aware of safety and dangers on a construction site. 

Sécurité et dangers sur un chantier

Raising your trainees’ awareness of site risks

The construction sector records 56 work accidents per 1,000 employees. This is enormous! 

The average for other sectors is 34 (source). 

It is true that the construction industry has an infinite number of disaster scenarios! We are talking here about: 

Working at heights 

  • Use of massive machinery 
  • Handling sharp tools 
  • Wiring of electrical networks 
  • Transport of heavy materials 
  • Etc 

All these factors can jeopardize the health of your employees and the smooth running of a project. 

Virtual reality training allows you to prevent risks and ensure safety, and above all to make your learners aware of the risks on the construction site. 

It has been adopted by many large French companies, such as Vinci Construction, who use virtual reality as part of their on-site risk prevention. 

As the saying goes, “Prevention is better than cure”! 

Identify elements at risk

Generally, accidents on a construction site occur because of bad habits taken by the workers. 

What could be more dangerous than leaving tools lying around in the middle of scaffolding? 

A worker catches his feet in a wrench and ends up falling 12m below. 

Finally, to avoid this and to take good habits (or re-learn them), VR is the solution. 

Many immersive training platforms, including Virtual Construct, allow learners to identify construction site risks in dedicated scenarios. 

Hygiene, good posture or the installation of elements that help with safety (guide rail, protective cover or tripod for props), all these factors must be taken very seriously and must become a habit for each trade present on a construction site. 

Machine operators, masons, crane operators, facade builders, surveyors, building painters, immersive training allows each trade to be immersed in its environment and to identify the elements at risk before any manipulation. 

Learn how to handle emergency situations

Another positive aspect of virtual reality training is the ability to prepare workers and project managers to perform any emergency procedure, fire drill or other potential hazard. 

Immersion can help the learner use protective equipment and how it should be used in an emergency. 

For example, the person using the VR headset needs to learn how to stay calm in a fire and how to properly use a fire extinguisher. 

With traditional training, it is almost impossible to recreate the emergency situation without risk to the learner, which is one of the main advantages of immersive training, safety. 

Implementing emergency procedures in real time allows for progressive learning for all team members, not just the trainees. 

Media virtual indus

VR literally allows you to experience the danger. 

You’re not watching someone get crushed by rebar, you’re the person who took 1 ton of metal to the head. 

When you experience this visually and aurally, it stays with you! 

This is the potential of immersive training in construction risk prevention. 

You live the risk, which allows the mind to remember the danger permanently. 

Being told what to do in an emergency through PowerPoint slides or pamphlets is not nearly as informative as experiencing it through virtual reality. 

VR training is more engaging compared to traditional training where drowsiness happens quickly! 

The younger generation will be more inclined to participate and invest more in VR training. 

Let’s face it, future generations have grown up with technology and have eyes only for it. 

They would much rather test their skills in a virtual reality simulator than sit in a chair and listen for hours. 

Reduce training costs

Thanks to VR simulators in construction risk prevention, training costs in prevention and safety are considerably reduced. 

Instead of wasting time and money on travel, resources and consumables to conduct training, this innovative model brings everything you need together in one place. 

No inconvenience or weather disruptions, you can do everything from one permanent location! 

You can even control the weather yourself to create a dangerous situation on a scaffold, for example. 

Virtual reality training can be repeated over Virtual reality training can be repeated over and over again, without additional cost or risk to trainees. 

Conclusion

Virtual reality immersion guarantees training in all the good practices and good habits to adopt on a construction site in order to avoid all risks of accidents. 

The learner has access to a much more qualitative training in a constant way and without additional costs from the company. 

Mimbus imagines and develops disaster scenarios for the prevention of risks in the construction sector. 

We take care of integrating your training platform in your company and train you on the machines so that you can, thereafter, internally, train trainees, students in alternation or employees. 

Do not hesitate to contact us! and over again, without additional cost or risk to trainees.