Developing A Virtual Safety Training Tool for Scaffolding and Formwork Activities

Abstract

As occupational accidents usually occur due to unsafe human behaviors in the construction industry, safety training is inevitably necessary for site personnel. On construction sites, various training methods including traditional and innovative ones, have been adopted to prevent accidents. In recent years, virtual safety training has been more prevalent because of providing highly engaging practice in a risk-free environment. Although these training tools have innumerable advantages in providing safety knowledge and awareness, they can be further improved. This study introduces a virtual safety training tool, V-SAFE.v2, to provide a more reliable and effective safety training for high-risk construction works. V-SAFE.v2 consists of three main modules; i) Training Module, ii) Testing Module 1, and iii) Testing Module 2. These modules are generated firstly to provide safety training for scaffolding and formwork activities and then to evaluate the safety performance of the trainees. An experiment was conducted with fifteen construction workers and ten engineers to measure the effectiveness of the training tool. The findings showed that V-SAFE.v2 is a reliable safety training tool for high-risk construction tasks as it supports collaboration, provides individual feedback, and repeatable practice. Also, the participants stated that V-SAFE.v2 has a great potential to reduce the falling from height accidents in the construction workplaces.

Keywords

• Occupational safety
• training
• serious game
• scaffolding
• formwork

References

1. ILO, Cases of Fatal Occupational Injury by Economic Activity. , 2019.
2. BLS, National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2017. , 2018.
3. Haslam, R. A., Hide, S. A., Gibb, A. G. F., Gyi, D. E., Pavitt, T., Atkinson, S., and Duff, A. R., Contributing Factors in Construction Accidents. Applied Ergonomics, 36(4), 401–415, 2005.
4. Guo, H., Yu, Y., and Skitmore, M., Visualization Technology-Based Construction Safety Management: A Review. Automation in Construction, 73, 135–144, 2017.
5. Kale, Ö. A., and Baradan, S., Identifying Factors that Contribute to Severity of Construction Injuries using Logistic Regression Model. Teknik Dergi, 31(2), 9919-9940, 2020.
6. Baradan, S., Akboğa, Ö., Çetinkaya, U., and Usmen, M. A., Ege Bölgesindeki İnşaat İş Kazalarının Sıklık ve Çapraz Tablolama Analizleri. İMO Teknik Dergi, 7345(7370), 448, 2016
7. Tözer, K. D., Çelik, T., and Gürcanlı, E., Classification of Construction Accidents in Northern Part of Cyprus. Teknik Dergi, 29(2), 8295- 8316, 2018.
8. Uzun, İ. M., Öztürk, D., & Gürcanlı, G. E., Mimari Restorasyon ve Konservasyon Projelerinde İşçi Sağlığı ve İş Güvenliği Uygulamaları. Teknik Dergi, 31(5), 2020.

9. Abdelhamid, T. S., and Everett, J. G., Identifying Root Causes of Construction Accidents. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 126(1), 52–60, 2017.
10. Tam, V. W. Y., and Fung, I. W. H., Tower Crane Safety in the Construction Industry: A Hong Kong Study. Safety Science, 49(2), 208–215, 2011.
11. Zhao, D., Thabet, W., McCoy, A., and Kleiner, B., Electrical Deaths in the US Construction: An Analysis of Fatality Investigations. International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 21(3), 278–288, 2014.
12. Winge, S., Albrechtsen, E., and Mostue, B. A., Causal Factors and Connections in Construction Accidents. Safety Science, 112, 130–141, 2019.
13. Zhao, D., and Lucas, J., Virtual Reality Simulation for Construction Safety Promotion. International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 22(1), 57–67, 2015.
14. Jeschke, K. C., Kines, P., Rasmussen, L., Andersen, L. P. S., Dyreborg, J., Ajslev, J., Kabel, A., Jensen, E., and Andersen, L. L., Process Evaluation of A Toolbox-Training Program for Construction Foremen in Denmark. Safety Science, 94, 152–160, 2017.
15. Hinze, J., Improving Safety Performance on Large Construction Sites. CIB Working Commission W, 99, 2003.
16. Goldenhar, L. M., Moran, S. K., and Colligan, M., Health and Safety Training in A Sample of Open-Shop Construction Companies. Journal of Safety Research, 32(2), 237–252, 2001.
17. Burke, M. J., Sarpy, S. A., Smith-Crowe, K., Chan-Serafin, S., Salvador, R. O., and Islam, G., Relative Effectiveness of Worker Safety and Health Training Methods. American Journal of Public Health, 96, 315-324, 2006.
18. Li, X., Yi, W., Chi, H. L., Wang, X., and Chan, A. P. C., A Critical Review of Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) Applications in Construction Safety. Automation in Construction, 86, 150–162, 2018.
19. Dawood, N., Miller, G., Patacas, J., and Kassem, M., Combining Serious Games and 4D Modelling for Construction Health and Safety Training. Computing in Civil and Building Engineering, 2087–2094, 2014.
20. Martens, A., Diener, H., and Malo, S., Game-Based Learning with Computers - Learning, Simulations, and Games. Transactions on Edutainment, 172–190, 2008.
21. Gao, Y., González, V. A., and Yiu, T. W., Serious Games vs. Traditional Tools in Construction Safety Training: A Review. Proceedings of the Joint Conference on Computing in Construction (JC3), Heraklion, Greece, 655–662, 2017.
22. Kuindersma, E., Field, J., and Pal, J., Game-Based Training for Airline Pilots. Conference: Simulation-Based Training For The Digital Generation, London, UK, 2015
23. Kneebone, R. L., Practice, Rehearsal, and Performance: An Approach for Simulation-Based Surgical And Procedure Training. JAMA, 302(12), 1336-1338, 2009.
24. Mun, Y., Oprins, E., Van Den Bosch, K., Van Der Hulst, A., and Schraagen, J. M., Serious Gaming for Adaptive Decision Making of Military Personnel. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Los Angeles, CA, 1168–1172, 2017.
25. Sacks, R., Perlman, A., and Barak, R., Construction Safety Training Using Immersive Virtual Reality. Construction Management and Economics, 31(9), 1005–1017, 2013.
26. Hasanzadeh, S., Esmaeili, B., and Dodd, M. D., Impact of Construction Workers’ Hazard Identification Skills on Their Visual Attention. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 143(10): 04017070, 2017.
27. Pedro, A., Le, Q. T., and Park, C. S., Framework for Integrating Safety into Construction Methods Education Through Interactive Virtual Reality. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, 142(2), 2015.
28. Bosché, F., Abdel-Wahab, M., & Carozza, L., Towards A Mixed Reality System for Construction Trade Training. Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering, 30(2): 04015016, 2015
29. Fang, Y., and Teizer, J., A Multi-User Virtual 3D Training Environment to Advance Collaboration Among Crane Operator and Ground Personnel in Blind Lifts. Computing in Civil and Building Engineering, 2014, 2071–2078, 2014.
30. Dickinson, J. K., Woodard, P., Canas, R., Ahamed, S., and Lockston, D., Game-Based Trench Safety Education: Development and Lessons Learned. Electronic Journal of Information Technology in Construction, 16(8), 119–134, 2011.
31. OSHA, Commonly Used Statistics: Construction’s ‘Fatal Four. , 2017
32. Jeong, B. Y., Occupational Deaths and Injuries in the Construction Industry. Applied Ergonomics, 29(5), 355–360, 1998.
33. Huang, X., and Hinze, J., Analysis of Construction Worker Fall Accidents. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 129(3): 262–271, 2003.
34. OSHA, Safety and Health Topics: Scaffolding. , 2017.
35. Rubio-Romero, J. C., Carmen Rubio Gámez, M., and Carrillo-Castrillo, J. A., Analysis of the Safety Conditions of Scaffolding on Construction Sites. Safety Science, 55, 160–164, 2013
36. Gürcanli, G. E., and Müngen, U., Analysis of Construction Accidents in Turkey and Responsible Parties. Industrial Health, 51, 581–595, 2013.
37. Hallowell, M. R., and Gambatese, J. A., Activity-Based Safety Risk Quantification for Concrete Formwork Construction. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 135(10): 990–998, 2013.
38. López-Arquillos, A., Rubio-Romero, J. C., Gibb, A. G. F., and Gambatese, J. A., Safety Risk Assessment for Vertical Concrete Formwork Activities in Civil Engineering Construction. Work, 49(2), 183–192, 2014.
39. Zhou, Z., Goh, Y. M., and Li, Q., Overview and Analysis of Safety Management Studies in the Construction Industry. Safety Science, 72, 337–350, 2015.
40. Hsiao, H., Simeonov, P., Dotson, B., Ammons, D., Kau, T. Y., and Chiou, S., Human Responses to Augmented Virtual Scaffolding Models. Ergonomics, 48(10), 1223–1242, 2005.
41. Bilir, S., Gürcanli, G.E., A Method For Determination of Accident Probability in Construction Industry. Teknik Dergi, DOI: 10.18400/tekderg.363613, 29 (4), 8537- 8561, 2018.
42. Le, Q. T., Pedro, A., & Park, C. S., A Social Virtual Reality Based Construction Safety Education System for Experiential Learning. Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems, 79(3-4), 487-506, 2015.
43. Baradan, S., and Usmen, M. A., Comparative injury and fatality risk analysis of building trades. J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 132(5), 533–539, 2006.
44. Li, H., Lu, M., Hsu, S. C., Gray, M., and Huang, T., Proactive Behavior-Based Safety Management for Construction Safety Improvement. Safety Science, 75, 107–117, 2015.
45. Guo, H., Li, H., Chan, G., and Skitmore, M., Using Game Technologies to Improve the Safety of Construction Plant Operations. Accident Analysis and Prevention, 48, 204–213, 2012.
46. Kiral, I. A., Comu, S., and Kavaklioglu, C., Enhancing the Construction Safety Training by Using Virtual Environment: V-SAFE.” 5th International/11th Construction Specialty Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, 161–169, 2015.
47. Whitaker, S. M., Graves, R. J., James, M., and McCann, P., Safety with Access Scaffolds: Development of A Prototype Decision Aid Based on Accident Analysis. Journal of Safety Research, 34(3), 249–261, 2003.
48. BLS, Fatal Occupational Injuries by Event or Exposure for All Fatalities and Major Private Industry Sector. (June. 7, 2019), 2011.
49. Zhou, W., Whyte, J., & Sacks, R., Construction Safety and Digital Design: A Review. Automation in Construction, 22, 102-111, 2012.
50. Li, H., Chan, G., and Skitmore, M., Visualizing Safety Assessment by Integrating the Use of Game Technology. Automation in Construction, 22, 498–505, 2012.
51. Li, H., Lu, M., Chan, G., and Skitmore, M., Proactive Training System for Safe and Efficient Precast Installation. Automation in Construction, 49, 163–174, 2015.
52. Irizarry, J., & Abraham, D. M., Application of Virtual Reality Technology for the Improvement of Safety in the Steel Erection Process. Computing in Civil Engineering. 1-11, 2005.