Why VR Training is the Future of Forklift Safety

Is virtual reality training suitable for your organization?

By: Joe Proulx, Contributor

Imagine stepping into a training session where you can hop onto a forklift and navigate through a busy warehouse without any real-world risks. That’s what virtual reality (VR) training brings to the table for material handling operations. VR training is able to immerse you in realistic scenarios, helping you learn the ropes in a safe, controlled environment.

INDUSTRY NEED FOR VR FORKLIFT TRAINING

The development of VR training for forklifts was motivated by several important industry needs including safety, cost and accessibility. Recent studies also found that VR learners:

• Train 4 times faster compared to classroom training
• Develop 275% more confidence to apply skills after training
• Retain 75% more easily surpassing lectures (5%), reading (10%), and audio/visual learning (20%)
• Recall 8.8% more over traditional training methods

Forklift accidents can lead to serious injuries and even fatalities. However, VR training allows operators to experience hazardous scenarios in a virtual environment, where they can learn how to handle them safely without any real-world risks.

As far as costs, traditional forklift training requires physical equipment, dedicated training spaces, and often results in downtime for the business. This can be quite costly. VR training, on the other hand, reduces the need for physical resources. Also, trainees can practice on virtual forklifts in a simulated environment, which reduces wear and tear on actual equipment and minimizes downtime.

One of the greatest benefits of VR training is its flexibility. It can be conducted anywhere, making it easier to train employees across multiple locations without the need for travel. This is especially helpful for companies with a dispersed workforce or those operating in remote areas. Employees can access the training modules from their own locations, ensuring consistent training standards across the board. This convenience also means that training can be scheduled at times that are most convenient for the employees.

ADVANTAGES OF VR TRAINING

• Immersive Learning Experience: VR provides a highly immersive environment that replicates real-world scenarios, allowing trainees to engage in virtual hands-on practice without real-world consequences.
• Consistency and Standardization: VR training ensures that all employees receive the same high-quality training experience, reducing variability that can occur with different instructors.
• Cost-Effectiveness: While the initial investment in VR technology can be high, the long-term savings from reduced training time, lower travel costs, and decreased equipment wear, and tear can make it a cost-effective solution.
• Enhanced Engagement and Retention: VR training is interactive and engaging, which helps improve knowledge retention and makes learning more enjoyable for employees.
• Hands-On Experiences: VR allows learners to engage in virtual hands-on experiences that would be difficult, dangerous, or costly to replicate in real life.
• Multisensory Experience: VR offers a dynamic experience involving visual, auditory, and sometimes haptic (physical) feedback, catering to different learning styles. This multisensory experience helps with comprehension and skill retention, whereas online learning tends to be more passive, relying on videos, reading, or quizzes.
• Flexibility: Face-to-face training is often more time-consuming or expensive logistically. VR can supplement this by offering a more immersive, controlled, and flexible training environment.
• Unlimited Repetitions: VR allows unlimited repetitions and the ability to practice inspecting various vehicle defects due to the randomization embedded into courses. VR training can be done remotely, any time, and anywhere, without the need to gather learners in one location or deal with logistical issues.
• Safety: VR provides a safer, risk-free environment to practice with no danger to learners or vehicles, compared to real-life training, where mistakes can be costly or dangerous.

DISADVANTAGES TO VR TRAINING

• High Initial Costs: The upfront costs for VR equipment and content development can be significant, which may be a barrier for some organizations.
• Technical Issues: VR systems can be prone to technical glitches and require regular maintenance and updates.
• Physical Discomfort: Some users may experience motion sickness, headaches, or eye strain due to the immersive nature of VR. This is especially true for first-time users or those with sensitivities to virtual environments. It is recommended to limit time in the headset to approximately 30 minutes.
• Learning Curve: There may be a learning curve for both learners and trainers, particularly if the course involves complex VR manipulation. Some users might find it challenging to interact with the technology at first, which could hinder the effectiveness of the training.
• Limited Real-World Interaction: While VR provides a simulated environment, it may not fully replicate all the nuances of real-world interactions and physical feedback.

HOW CAN I DETERMINE IF VR TRAINING IS SUITABLE FOR MY ORGANIZATION?

VR training may not suit every organization, so it’s important to evaluate your needs and budget to ensure success. Here are some things to consider.

First, assess whether VR training matches your specific training needs and goals. Think about where traditional methods might fall short, like in high-risk scenarios or complex procedures.

Next, figure out your budget for VR training, including costs for hardware, software, and content development. Make sure you have the resources for ongoing maintenance and updates.

Consider how familiar your employees are with VR technology. Offer introductory sessions and support to help them get comfortable with the new training method.

VR training should enhance, not replace, your current programs. Find ways to seamlessly integrate VR into your overall training strategy.

POINTERS TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT VR IN YOUR TRAINING PLAN

At this point, if you’ve decided that VR is the way to go, here are some ideas to get your organization ready for a smooth implementation:

• Start with a small-scale pilot to test how effective VR training is and gather feedback.
• Make sure your trainers are comfortable with VR technology so they can support the trainees.
• Also, be sure to establish clear metrics to evaluate how effective VR training is. Look at improvements in safety records, training completion times, and employee feedback.
• Finally, keep updating and refining your VR training content based on feedback and the latest tech advancements.

Key to remember: VR training can transform forklift safety by providing immersive, cost-effective learning. By understanding its benefits and challenges, organizations can make informed choices and implement VR training successfully. WMHS

Joe Proulx, MS, CSP, is EHS Editor at J.J. Keller & Associates. With a background in environmental, health, and safety, he provides regulatory insight and develops content for customers with a focus on continuous improvement methods for worker safety and minimizing workplace hazards. Visit: www.jjkeller.com/