Examining the Use of Virtual Reality (VR) Technology in Health and Safety Training within Hazardous Work Environments: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Hazardous working environments in industries such as oil and gas, mining, chemical, construction, and firefighting pose significant risks to employees’ health and safety, for which an effective training program is required. Conventional training methods often fail to adequately prepare employees for the dangers and complexities of these environments. Virtual reality (VR) technology has emerged as a promising solution that simulates real-world scenarios without exposing trainees to real-life consequences. This dissertation uses a systematic literature review approach to assess the efficacy of VR technology in hazardous working environments. The review collates and synthesises 20 peer-reviewed journal articles using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. The articles examine the effectiveness of VR on knowledge acquisition and retention, engagement, and sense of presence. The review findings identify benefits such as enhanced user engagement, sense of presence, motivation, and knowledge retention, which are higher in immersive VR environments than non-immersive ones. The review identifies limitations, including a lack of longitudinal research, challenges in transferring acquired skills to real-world applications, and demographic factors such as age, gender, and digital literacy. Insights from this review aim to guide future research and improve the practical use of VR technology in health and safety training in hazardous work environments.