Abstract:

At present, there is a clear trend of digitization and new modern technologies in all directions. Virtual reality (VR) is a new trend. It has long been focused not only on computer games and entertainment, but also has a strong place in education.

VR can train effectively, cheaply and without language and other barriers using this technology successfully demolished.

Changes in approach, increased interest and use of VR in training in all areas, including health and safety and fire protection, will also bring change related to COVID-19, but also due to the fact that compared to the traditional approach to providing knowledge and experience benefits.

It is thanks to the advantages of this technology that academic, educational and research organizations are becoming increasingly involved in this field. The current impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has also contributed to this, as it is necessary to look for new and contactless ways of training and education that are at the same time effective and can bring the trained person adequate competencies and experience as if they were in a real situation.

Occupational health and safety (OSH) and fire protection (FP) training through VR is a modern approach in preventing the risk of damage to employees' health as a result of an accident at work or an occupational disease. Virtual reality education is possible in the form of training and coaching of new and experienced employees, health and safety training or, for example, training critical situations that may occur during the work process, but their simulations in the real world are either difficult to implement or very costly.

Priorities in the field of VR in OSH currently focus primarily on risk identification, process learning of critical procedures, process learning in eliminating dangerous events, emergency management, training in operating certain types of machinery and equipment, initial training in various segments, occupational safety training when operating equipment and machines, some types of training on protection at work at heights and protection against falls, etc.

We decided on the advantages of VR technology within the Occupational Safety Research Institute (OSRI), to create an educational system of safety and health protection at work, while due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we focused primarily on the medical segment. Today, due to the COVID19 pandemic, healthcare is one of the most vulnerable occupational sectors with new risks. As part of the research project, a system of education of health professionals for health and safety training through virtual reality is being created. This is the most effective and flexible way of training employees, which can currently be offered to employees and thus increase their knowledge and experience in health and safety. Specifically, it is a training software that, in the form of credibly processed situations / procedures from the environment of medical facilities, ensures the acquisition of knowledge about skills in health and safety, thanks to which health professionals increase their knowledge and skills in the field and other negative impacts related to insufficient experience and knowledge.

Due to the cooperation of an expert consortium, we created the mentioned educational system and carried out extensive laboratory measurements.

The aim of our research was to combine the advantages of modern VR technology and proper education in key areas of occupational safety and health.

Keywords:

Education and training, OSH, occupational safety and health, virtual reality.