Working Safely with Drones: A Virtual Training Strategy for Workers on Heights
Publication: Construction Research Congress 2022
ABSTRACT
The use of drones in construction grew exponentially over the last few years, making the construction industry one of the fastest commercial adopters of drones. Drones are widely used in the construction industry for applications such as aerial mapping, safety and quality inspection, job site logistics, and progress monitoring. The integration of drones in construction job sites raises novel occupational safety and health issues for construction workers. Workers on heights are particularly exposed to the health and safety risks posed by drones. This work-in-progress paper presents the analysis and development phases of the study aimed at developing and evaluating training content for construction workers on heights. The objective is to train workers about drones in their environment and the associated health and safety risks. The training content includes Virtual Reality (VR) simulations, audio-visual instructions, and a VR game consisting of virtual drones to train workers in an effective, realistic, and safe environment. The learning objectives of the training are to (1) train workers about the basic operation and uses of different types of drones used on construction sites; (2) train workers about the health and safety risks associated with drones, including physical risks, attentional costs, and psychological impacts; and (3) train workers to work safely with drones.
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Construction Research Congress 2022
Pages: 622 - 630
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Published online: Mar 7, 2022
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