Risk Management in 2025: Improving Construction Safety Training with VR

It is perhaps self-evident that construction is a naturally hazardous sector to work in. Workplace injuries can be common and even though construction companies have put in a lot of work in ensuring that better training is in place and correct personal protective equipment is used – it remains the case that those working in construction will be at risk when doing their jobs.

Indeed, there is good evidence to suggest that currently, the problem is getting worse, not better. 

Statistics revealed by the UK construction industry found that the number of fatalities in construction had risen by 70% compared with five years ago. Perhaps even more interesting is the fact that other industries have not seen a similar rise in workplace deaths – this is a problem that construction businesses are failing to address.

Thankfully, however, emerging technologies are making it increasingly possible to provide new and valuable ways to manage risk and improve safety training. 

The use of virtual reality for safety training is something that has been growing in popularity, but still needs a push to become the standard across the industry. But as we will see – this is not something that the sector can afford to put off.

Why risk management is essential to construction safety

Risk management is undoubtedly a major feature of the efforts taken by construction companies to keep workers safe. Of course, the term ‘risk management’ can be applied more broadly to the construction industry across diverse areas of risk in issues such as delays to construction projects or unforeseen expenditure, and other financial factors – but in this article, we will focus on how risk management can impact safety culture in the sector. One effective way to strengthen safety culture is by implementing safety incident management software, which allows teams to report, track, and analyze incidents in real time, fostering accountability and proactive risk mitigation on-site.

Naturally when we think of ‘risk’ and how it relates to construction – the most obvious and pertinent feature is the risk to construction workers themselves. Health and safety on any construction project needs to be paramount because any lapses not only have the potential to injure workers in the short-term, but they can have long-term debilitating consequences.

The use of risk management is vital because it gives construction companies, project leaders, and superintendents a systematic and step-by-step process to follow that can ultimately mitigate a lot of the potential dangers and problems that are a natural part of this kind of work.

As we approach 2025, it is important to use all of the tools at our disposal to not only identify and analyze risk – but also create potential solutions. 

So when it comes to undertaking any kind of safety training, it has become essential to look to the possibilities of technological innovation to make that training as effective and relevant as possible.

The limitations of traditional safety training

Of course, safety training has been a part of the construction sector for as long as companies have taken workers’ rights seriously. And there are many opportunities for different forms of traditional safety training – whether that comes in the form of classroom-style lessons, or practical in-person training.

But it’s worth noting that both forms of training come with some major limitations in terms of their effectiveness.

For example, when we think about how classroom training can be implemented – it can have the drawback that it feels less practical and can’t give direct experience. There is also evidence to suggest that this sort of dry, classroom-based learning offers lower retention rates; ultimately meaning that the training isn’t as effective as it could be.

Some of these issues can be overcome with practical on-site training – but this is not without its problems. On-site training tends to be more expensive and disruptive to the working environment. It can also overlook the fact that every construction site is different and will come with its unique, individual safety challenges.

VR training in construction – a game changer

It is important then, for the construction sector to embrace the possibilities of new technologies and how they can apply to safety training. 

3D Walkabout is one company that specializes in producing VR training tools in the construction and building sector. The work that they and other similar businesses in this area are doing is genuinely revolutionary to age-old topics like risk management.

For example, there is the use of 3D artists and modelers, who can “create renders of historic architectural disasters which can be relived and experienced by trainees and professionals alike, so they can identify the causes of the problems and implement safety measures in their own work”.

Immersive 3D walkthroughs of construction sites can allow risk management to be conducted before a site even exists in reality. The opportunity to identify issues and represent them in a VR model could not only save construction businesses a significant amount of money – it can legitimately make their workers safer too.

The benefits of VR to risk management and safety training

As construction companies look into the prospect of utilizing VR as a part of their overall risk management strategy, it is important for them to understand the many benefits that VR can bring to safety training. 

The use of VR as an aspect of training isn’t just a gimmick, or technology for the sake of technology; it can actually provide a range of tangible benefits.

Increased engagement and retention

It has been shown that making use of technology like VR can make training more engaging, and help workers to retain more of the information. 

In a study conducted by researchers from the Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology that looked at the use of VR technology in construction safety training, it was shown that participants who used VR had a 13.5% increase in hazard identification accuracy, as well as a faster completion time of hazard assessments.

Scalable and repeatable 

Using VR training environments allows construction companies to easily repeat scenarios and allows learners to go through the process of learning multiple times without expending physical resources or having to wait for specific scenarios in person. This also naturally means that you can scale the training easily for the number of workers that need it.

The best of both worlds

We noted above some of the challenges and issues with traditional classroom and on-site training, and part of the major benefit of VR training is that it allows for the immersive experience of being on the site, without the expense or practical challenges of leaving the classroom.

Training can be tailored

Another huge advantage of VR is that it can do things that simply are not practical in the real world. For example, the ability of virtual environments to be tailored for specific circumstances means it is possible to play out scenarios or situations that would be almost impossible to replicate safely.

In conclusion

Construction firms need to make the safety of workers a priority in 2025 – and one of the key ways to do this is by investing in technology that has a proven impact on aspects of risk management. As VR training becomes more commonplace across the industry, there can be no excuse to avoid the benefits that this kind of technology can provide. 

Managing risks to workers not only helps to provide a safer working environment, it can do wonders in terms of keeping projects on track. When you can minimize potential safety issues, you reduce the risk of them impacting the work – so both employer and employee benefit in the long-term. 

Read more: How do I start a construction company

Written by Billy Guteng. November 14, 2024

Billy is a content writer for Kukun. He was born in France, and has lived in multiple cities around the world ever since. He loves art, design and architecture as well as construction and real estate.