Imagine a new employee facing complex machinery or a real emergency situation on their first day… Are they truly prepared? What if a mistake had fatal consequences or resulted in million-euro losses for the company? This is the harsh reality: the most crucial corporate training, the one that prepares for the greatest dangers, is often the most risky and expensive to conduct. Companies need to train their teams for critical scenarios, but how can they do it while ensuring total safety and truly effective learning? How can they simulate dangerous situations without putting employees at risk?
There is a revolutionary way to immerse your workers in the heart of danger, allowing them to practice over and over until they master the situation, all without risks. Keep reading and discover how technology allows simulating dangerous situations in a completely new, safe, and cost-effective way.
What are the costs of an accident for the company?
In previous articles, we discussed the importance of Occupational Risk Prevention (ORP): the need for safer training is not trivial; it’s an urgent demand backed by alarming figures and devastating costs. Ignoring this is to ignore a latent risk within your own operation.
Are human errors the most frequent cause of workplace accidents?
In Spain, in 2023 alone, there were 647,495 work-related accidents resulting in leave, and tragically, 619 were fatal during the workday. These aren’t just numbers; they are lives and families affected. Most concerning is that up to 90% of these accidents stem from human error, according to organizations like OSHA. This directly points to insufficient training as the fundamental root cause.
How much do workplace accidents cost Spanish companies?
Beyond the human cost, the economic impact is staggering. The average cost of a workplace accident in Spain already exceeded €24,592 in 2011 (Mutua Universal). Extrapolating, the total cost in 2023 could surpass €15.3 billion. And this is not just about compensation; think about the indirect costs:
- Loss of productivity.
- Damage to equipment and machinery.
- Repair and replacement costs.
- Administrative sanctions (up to €600,000).
- Production stoppages.
- Hiring and training costs for replacements.
- Impact on morale and reputation.
- Increase in insurance premiums.
What are the main shortcomings of traditional workplace safety training?
In the face of this reality, traditional training methods fall short, especially when it comes to simulating dangerous situations:
- Lack of realism: Theory and videos do not prepare for real pressure. Learning is passive.
- Inherent risk: Practicing with real danger compromises employee safety.
- Prohibitive costs: Expensive physical simulators, costly production shutdowns.
- Impossibility of replicating: Rare (but vital) critical scenarios are impossible to recreate physically.
- Low retention: We only remember 20% after a week of theoretical training. Lack of practice.
- Subjective evaluation: Difficult to measure real skills objectively.
It’s clear there is a critical gap. Companies need to prepare their staff, but traditional methods are insufficient, risky, or expensive. This is where technology provides the ultimate solution: the ability to simulate dangerous situations in a realistic, repeatable, and measurable way—yet risk-free and with controlled costs.
How can I train my employees for dangerous situations without putting them at risk?
The key lies in immersive technologies: Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Extended Reality (XR). These tools transform corporate training.
Benefits of VR for simulating dangerous situations
VR uses headsets to immerse the user in a 100% digital environment. It creates a real sense of “presence” within the simulated scenario.
To simulate dangerous situations, VR is incredibly powerful. It can recreate any scenario—fires, machine failures, working at heights, confined spaces, medical emergencies, etc.—with astonishing realism but with complete physical safety.
Its greatest benefit is experiential learning (“learning by doing”) in a controlled environment. It allows users to make mistakes and see virtual consequences with no real risk. This safe-failure approach is pedagogically invaluable. Plus, the practice can be repeated endlessly.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR): Reduces risks in corporate training.
Unlike VR, AR (Augmented Reality) and MR (Mixed Reality) enhance the real world by overlaying digital information (instructions, alerts, 3D models) through devices like smart glasses or tablets.
In the context of safety, they help to prevent errors in complex or dangerous tasks in the workplace:
- Step-by-step instructions superimposed on the machine.
- Visualization of internal components without disassembly.
- Real-time hazard alerts.
This way, safe execution at work is improved by reducing critical errors through contextual information.
Which companies are using Virtual Reality for safety training?
The theory is interesting, but practical results speak for themselves. Leading companies are already using VR to simulate dangerous situations without risks:
Industry and manufacturing: Practice LOTO (Lockout/Tagout) procedures with Virtual Reality
- The Challenge: Risks in machinery operation, maintenance, LOTO, waste management.
- The Solution: VR to operate machines virtually, practice safe LOTO. AR to guide maintenance.
- Notable Examples:
- FEMEVAL: VR platform for Occupational Risk Prevention in the metal industry. Results: +275% confidence, 4x faster. You can view the project here.
- Tyson Foods: VR for general safety, >20% reduction in injuries.
- Boeing: RA para ensamblaje, -25% tiempo producción.
Construction: Preventing falls from height with virtual reality
- El Desafío: Caídas altura, PEMP, excavaciones, EPIs. Alta siniestralidad.
- The Solution: VR to practice working at height, harness use, MEWP operation, risk identification. Simulation of consequences (virtual falls) to raise awareness (64% failed to put on PPE in simulations!).
- Notable Examples:
- Silman 97: VR simulation on falls from height. Practice prevention and the use of PPEs.Discover more about the project here
- Skanska: VR to increase risk awareness by putting them “in danger” virtually.
- UK Study: Immersive 360° video reduced 32% of strikes on underground services.
Energy sector: Simulate emergencies (fires, leaks) in the energy sector without risks
- The Challenge: High voltage, substations, fires/explosions, hazardous materials, offshore, confined spaces.
- The Solution: VR to simulate emergency response (fires, electrical failures), nuclear operations, LOTO, evacuations.
- Notable Examples:
- Orsted: Innoarea VR for safety drills to reduce incidents. More information about the project here.
- Intel: VR electrical safety course. 300% ROI in 5 years, 94% satisfaction.
Health and emergency services: Practicing to save lives
- The Challenge: Critical procedures (surgery, CPR), patient handling, infection prevention and control (IPC), PPEs.
- The Solution: VR to practice surgeries, CPR, trauma, IPC protocols without risk to patients.
- Notable Examples:
- Intermountain/Emory: VR pilot for IPC improved adherence and competency.
- Accenture/UBC/BC Women’s: VR for donning/doffing PPE. 70% correct after 1 practice vs 20% traditional.
These cases demonstrate that simulating dangerous situations without risks with XR is a transformative reality.
Concrete results offered by safety training with Virtual Reality
The evidence is compelling. Immersive training offers measurable benefits:
- Reduction in workplace accidents: Reported reductions of 20% to 70% in injuries depending on the sector and company. Key to addressing 90% of accidents caused by human error.
- Ahorro económico: Reducción costes directos (compensación, seguros) e indirectos (productividad, daños). Formación RV más económica a escala (ROI 300% Intel).
- Learning speed: Training up to 4x faster (PwC), -40% total time, faster onboarding.
- Retention: 75-80% knowledge retention after 1 year vs 20% traditional. You learn by doing and you remember.
- Worker confidence: +275% confidence in applying what they’ve learned (PwC).
- Performance: +70% performance improvement. 4x more focus. 3.75x more emotional connection (PwC).
- Objective evaluation: Detailed performance monitoring.
- Immediate feedback: Real-time reinforcement.
- Optimization: Identification of patterns to improve training and protocols.
These figures make it clear: simulating dangerous situations without risks using XR is a qualitative leap.
Innoarea: Your expert partner to implement the risk-free training of the future
Simulating dangerous situations without risks is possible, cost-effective, and accessible today thanks to VR and XR. The key is to implement it effectively.
With over 130 real projects completed, at Innoarea, we are experts in developing immersive solutions for virtual training in companies, especially in critical sectors. We understand your challenges and turn the potential of VR, AR, and XR into measurable results.
Ready to elevate the safety and effectiveness of your training? Do you want to leave behind unnecessary risks and prepare your team for any eventuality?
Transform your training and ensure safety. Contact our expert team today. We’ll provide a personalized consultation to help you simulate dangerous situations without risks and revolutionize training in your company.