VR for dangerous jobs

Harnessing Virtual Reality for Training in High-Risk and Complex Job Roles

VR for high risk job training

In today’s fast-evolving workplace, training employees for high-risk and complex job roles presents unique challenges. Traditional training methods often fall short in safely and effectively preparing workers for such demanding environments. This is where virtual reality for training steps in as a game-changer, offering an innovative and practical solution for training in dangerous or intricate job roles. Let’s explore how VR is revolutionizing training methodologies across various industries. 1. Understanding VR in Training Virtual reality training immerses the user in a simulated, interactive 3D environment. Using VR headsets and sometimes additional equipment like haptic gloves (Haptx we’re looking at you), trainees can experience realistic scenarios without the risks associated with real-world training. This technology not only ensures safety but also enhances learning outcomes through immersive experiences.  VR is opening the door for a new paradigm shift in the way we train, and for many job roles that have an inherent risk associated, this means increased efficacy and a reduction in workplace injury or incident. 2. VR Training in High-Risk Industries Aviation and Aerospace In the aviation sector, pilots use VR for flight simulation training, and this has long been the case. Things are evolving at a rapid pace, however, and nowadays you can essentially have a 1-to-1 recreation of the real-world plane to learn the ropes on. This method allows pilots to experience different flight situations, emergency procedures, and weather conditions in a controlled, risk-free environment. A notable example is the VR training program for Airbus pilots, which immerses them in realistic cockpit simulations, providing hands-on experience without the need for actual flight hours. Healthcare Another area making headway with immersive learning is the healthcare sector where surgeons and medical professionals utilize VR to practice complex surgical procedures. This approach provides a safe environment to make and learn from mistakes without putting patients at risk. For instance, VR simulations enable neurosurgeons to practice intricate brain surgeries, enhancing their skills and precision.  We can expect to see this sector increase in usage and function in 2024 as various VR hardware improves its quality and pixel density, as well as the advent of systems like Apple’s Vision Pro coming to market. Emergency Response and Military Firefighters and emergency responders use VR to simulate critical situations like fire outbreaks, natural disasters, and hazardous material spills. Military personnel also train in VR environments to prepare for combat scenarios, improving their tactical skills and decision-making abilities under pressure. Heavy Machinery Operation Operators of heavy machinery, such as cranes, excavators, and forklifts, benefit from VR training by getting accustomed to the machinery’s controls and operations in a safe setting. This reduces accidents and equipment damage during real-world operations. Here at VR Vision, we’ve done quite a few simulations for clients that range from crane operation to electric forklift maintenance and repair tasks that give trainees the ability to operate a digital twin of the real world to gain powerful insights into the usage and function of their lifelike counterparts. Energy Sector In the energy industry, particularly in oil and gas, VR training simulates scenarios like drilling operations and handling of high-pressure systems. This method effectively trains workers in safety protocols and emergency responses to potential on-site accidents. VR is also being used in the electrical utilities segment, as in our collaboration with Toronto Hydro, VR training modules were developed to simulate scenarios such as electrical installations and repairs. This training allows workers to navigate and interact with high-voltage environments safely, understanding the risks and learning the correct procedures without the danger of actual exposure.  These VR scenarios can include recognizing and responding to hazards like live wires, transformer malfunctions, and other electrical risks. 3. The Advantages of VR Training Risk Reduction: VR eliminates the dangers associated with training for high-risk job roles. Enhanced Learning Retention: The immersive nature of VR leads to better retention of information and skills. Cost-Effective: VR reduces the need for physical resources, locations, and equipment. Scalability: VR can train multiple individuals simultaneously, irrespective of their geographical locations. Real-Time Feedback: Trainees receive immediate feedback on their actions, facilitating rapid learning and improvement. 4. Real-World Examples of Successful VR Training Avangrid Renewables: They implemented a VR training program for turbine maintenance and repair, leading to a net zero incident rate and significant savings in annual costs. The full case study with Avangrid sheds further light on this. Healthcare Training: A medical institution used VR to train surgeons for complex procedures, resulting in enhanced precision and lower patient risk. Military Simulation: An army unit employed VR for combat training, significantly improving soldiers’ situational awareness and decision-making skills. 5. Overcoming Challenges Despite its benefits, VR training faces challenges such as high initial development costs, technological accessibility, and the need for specialized hardware. However, with advancing technology and decreasing costs, these barriers are gradually diminishing.  We’ve found that adopting a modular approach to VR content development allows for the reuse of assets and scenarios across different training modules, reducing overall costs and significantly increasing the time to value. 6. Looking to the Future The future of VR in training is promising, with potential advancements like augmented and mixed reality integrations, more realistic haptic feedback, hand tracking, and even AI-driven personalized training scenarios. As VR technology evolves, it will continue to transform training methodologies, especially for high-risk and complex job roles. Conclusion Virtual reality is reshaping the landscape of training in various industries, particularly where risk and complexity are high. By offering safe, realistic, and engaging training environments, VR is not just an alternative but a necessary evolution in training methodologies. As we move forward, embracing VR in training will be crucial for organizations aiming to enhance the skills and safety of their workforce in challenging job roles.

VR Training Can Eliminate Risk for Dangerous Jobs

Husqvarna-VR

It’s 2022, and unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past two years you should have seen a virtual reality demo or headset by now. With more Oculus Quest 2 sales in the past quarter than ever before (Even surpassing Switch, PlayStation and Xbox sales), and more than 50,000 concurrent active users during the holiday season, now is the time more than ever to “get immersed”. It is estimated that the AR/VR market is set to grow to over 200+ billion this year alone, and as of this writing there are more than 171 million VR users worldwide. Now that we got the boring numbers out of the way let’s talk about the intrinsic value of VR and why it is a worthwhile tool for businesses that have an element of risk in what they do.  Imagine for a second you are a roofer, and you thought you’ve been trained properly, but alas you make a mistake one day and forget to tie a harness the right way.  This can lead to a fatal injury and also is very hard to train for — in fact, it’s next to impossible to train a roofer “in the field”.  Recreating this potentially dangerous environment virtually becomes an easy way to completely eliminate the risk associated with their job.  In fact, training in VR would remove the element of harm to the point where there would no longer be issues training that results in injury or worse. Now keep in mind roofing is definitely a dangerous job, but according to a study done by the  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census, it is only the 4th most dangerous job in America today where on average there are 41 fatalities per 100,000 workers. Wouldnt it be nice to eliminate a portion of that risk by training in VR? In 2018 there were 96 deaths from roofing coming from slips, falls and improper harnessing.  I’m not saying VR is the end-all solution for learning better safety procedures, but there are definitely some lessons that can be learned to become a safer and more proactive roofer. What jobs are more dangerous than roofing you may ask? According to the USBLS data, the most dangerous job today in the USA is a logging worker, where their fatality rate is 33 times that of the average job nationwide.  The most common fatal accidents came from contact with objects and equipment. I did some digging and I couldn’t find any virtual reality training simulations for the lumber industry. The closest thing I was able to find was a virtual reality logging game where you can pretend to be a lumberjack  — this was launched by a Swedish chainsaw brand Husqvarna looking to drive more awareness for their brand. There is nothing on the market for training to be a logging worker and the element(s) of danger associated with the job. Perhaps they are old-fashioned, hence the nature of the industry, but still, technological advancements need to happen and VR seems like a perfect fit for training and harm reduction. The second most dangerous job in America is pilots and flight engineers, which to their credit have been using advanced simulators and fully immersive training labs for the greater part of the last decade.  They’ve seen considerable investment in their sector to try and reduce the element of risk and ensure that pilots and engineers alike are trained as well as possible before take-off. CAE has been leading the pack in this regard and they are building fully immersive full-flight simulators called FFS’s which are more advanced than even the latest VR headsets on the market today. While there is no real need for virtual reality in this industry because of the existing solutions on the market, perhaps for remote training VR could have some impact as I’m sure these full FFS’s are not readily available or close by for all potential pilots or trainees. There are also a number of virtual reality simulators readily available for VR, but perhaps the leader in this category would be Microsoft Flight Simulator that has been around since the early ’90s (1989 to be exact!).  And while this early iteration was in VR, it has evolved to be what is Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.  For a full demo and review of the product check out this Youtube video from Tyriel Wood – A VR tech enthusiast Youtuber. Rounding out the top 3 most dangerous jobs (Logging, Pilots and…. Oil & Gas/Mining) we have derrick operators in oil, gas, and mining.  What does a derrick operator do you may ask? (I know I had to Google it) A derrick operator works in construction many times and operates the crane or tower that manages heavy booms in order to move heavy materials and objects around job sites. In the oil and gas industry, they initially dig the hole for a well and then force the drill pipe deep into the earth creating a borehole.  From there pumps are operated by the rig derrick in order to circulate mud and extract oil and gas!  Definitely, a lot of risky business going on here with dangerous equipment and objects. There are a number of crane simulators in the virtual reality space already, but many of them are quite generic and I can imagine that oil, gas and mining companies would have their own set procedures and processes for how they operate. That being said the ITI VR Crane Sim is probably the leader in the space because of their OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) accredited simulations which enable trainees to become certified through learning with their virtual crane simulators. You can learn more about how effective these VR simulators are in this hour-long playthrough test and full demo from Eric Liga from HoustonVR.  He provides a full breakdown of the merits of learning in VR as well as the benefits of using a simulator prior to going into the real world. While I’ve VR Training Can Eliminate Risk for Dangerous Jobs