Framework for Integrating Safety into Construction Methods Education through Interactive Virtual Reality

Construction accidents, injuries, and fatalities have not declined significantly, despite arduous efforts of researchers, safety professionals, and strongly-enforced safety laws. Safety education is crucial in promoting safe and healthy construction work environments; however, current pedagogical methods and tools at the tertiary level do not sufficiently engage students or provide practical experience to support the acquisition of safety knowledge. This paper aims to address the problem by proposing a novel approach that integrates safety with construction materials and methods education. A system is proposed comprising of three sequential modules: (1) safety and hazard lecture (SHL) module; (2) hazard identification game (HIG) module; and (3) student evaluation and assessment (SEA) module. The pedagogical suitability of the system is evaluated by a series of trials where students interacted with instructors. Interim results indicate that the system offers an innovative medium for experientially improving hazard identification ability, transferring safety knowledge, and engaging students. Insights of matching safety with construction methods are also discussed in the paper.