Philadelphia Construction Accident Lawyers: Construction Injuries and Virtual Reality Training

Over four million employees, many in construction, are injured in work accidents each year in the United States. Construction workers may soon face a dynamic training program, designed just for them. The University of Exeter is working on virtual reality training technology to reduce construction accidents. Safety training plays a key role in reducing workplace injuries. One study demonstrated that training programs that include engaging, real-world situations are most effective at reducing on-the-job accidents. Virtual reality may be just what is needed.

Construction Dangers and Virtual Reality Training

Construction is dangerous work. Construction workers must climb ladders, navigate scaffolds, and balance beams at deadly heights while working with power tools and other complex equipment. External forces such as wind, co-workers, moving equipment, and more further add to the dangers. Little wonder then that roughly one out of every ten construction workers are injured each year. OSHA records a dozen work-related fatalities every day, many in construction.

Cineon Productions, which operates from Exeter University in the UK, has teamed up with nuclear energy experts and Dr. Sam Vine to develop specialized virtual reality safety training. The goal is to create an interactive training system that teaches users how to prevent common on-the-job accidents while providing feedback for future modules. By monitoring both eye activity and physiological responses, the system should help researchers better understand why people make the choices they do in pressure situations.

Because no training system can account for every possible hazard a worker may encounter, this interactive system can help train workers to make better choices regardless of the situation.

The background for this research and technology has been in the works for the past decade and has involved training for surgeons, military personnel, and avionics. By creating a virtual reality 3-D system combining both real-world scenarios with the psychology of learning, Dr. Vine and his team expect to revolutionize safety training for countless fields, including construction and mining.

Virtual reality training for construction workers has promise and will likely be very helpful in protecting employees from on-the-job hazards. Yet it does nothing to help workers and families already harmed by hazardous conditions and negligence. OSHA has found that on-the-job safety is not accomplished by individuals, but by teams. Everyone from upper management to the newly hired construction hand must actively participate in and be committed to job safety programs.

Philadelphia Construction Accident Lawyers at DiTomaso Law Help Victims of Workplace Accidents Recover Compensation

For more than 25 years, the Philadelphia construction accident lawyers at DiTomaso Law have been fighting for workers hurt by companies seeking to protect their bottom line at the cost of employee safety. Virtual reality safety training may yet be decades in the future, but if you need help now, we will fight to make sure you get the compensation you deserve. We help clients in Philadelphia and throughout South Jersey. To arrange a free consultation, contact us online or call now 856-414-0010.