Training design, development and evaluation for occupational safety and health hazard identification using virtual reality

Abstract

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) hazard identification training for Site Safety Supervisor (SSS) is challenging in meeting the demands of construction industry since accident rates are still alarming despite robust OSH enforcement and practices implemented. The major reason is an incompetent hazard identification by safety personnel due to ineffective training of hazard identification. Hence, this study aimed at identifying the perception of current practices in OSH hazard training, designing and developing a new proposed hazard identification training approach for SSS utilizing mobile Hazard Identification - Virtual Reality Simulation (HI-VRS) and evaluating its effectiveness. This study employed a mixed method approach through incorporation of quantitative and qualitative approaches. This study was carried out in three major phases. The first phase was the analysis phase involving quantitative data analysed using SPSS to derive the guideline for the design and development stage. The second phase involved a qualitative approach that employed a design and development research (DDR) design for creating the HI-VRS that involved a qualitative approach. Finally, the third stage utilized a quantitative approach through an experimental study for empirical testing on HI-VRS implementation in hazard identification training. A total of 208 SSS trainees participated in the study and were assessed for their reaction, learning and safety performance. A Structural Equation Modeling was utilized for hypothesis testing and model of prediction and confirmation using PLS-SEM. Training for OSH hazard identification conducted through the use of mobile HI-VRS showed that trainee satisfaction on proposed training design utilizing HI-VRS, platform, content, virtual function learning satisfaction and safety performance were rated at high and moderate whereby learning and safety performance showed significant changes of hazard recognition score and hazard identification accuracy grade. The results obtained also validates the coefficient of determination (R2) for the overall model to be considerable in which all exogenous constructs in the model had a good predictive relevance for endogenous constructs. Findings of the study showed that Virtual Reality Interaction and Virtual Reality Features influence learning while Virtual Reality Immersion and Virtual Reality Features improve OSH performance. Hence, it can be observed that the Transfer of Training (TOT) model adapted to the training design influences the performance of trainee at construction site. This research contributes to the values on current practices of construction hazard identification training and enriches literature on empirical findings for the effectiveness of training practices particularly for OSH training implementation.