The Manitoba Homebuilders Association (MHBA) is digitalizing four safety courses using the latest technology to support the delivery of MHBA’s safety training. The safety programs will be delivered at and in partnership with the Construction Safety Association of Manitoba (CSAM). The target group or audience includes general laborers, tradespeople, new supervisors and safety trainers working in homebuilders, commercial and the heavy construction industries and transportation. It is the intention of MHBA to share these resources with the Construction Safety Association of Manitoba, Work Safely with the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association, Risk Professionally Managed, Manitoba Trucking Association, Elite Safety Services, International Brotherhood of Electrical Works, Manitoba Building Trades and other safety associations who would benefit from these interactive resources.
The workplace safety and health issues to be addressed include: confined space, fall protection, scaffolding and safe use of power tools. Currently these courses are not available using this innovative and engaging approach to teaching safety.
The blended/on line virtual reality format will standardize safety training, allow greater access to training in rural and remote locations, increase access for refresher training, improve retention through use of different teaching strategies, provide opportunity for repetition to improve retention and reduce employees time away from work for training. Virtual reality gives safety associations the means to engage our technology savvy youth. In addition, virtual reality allows participants to experience height and confined space sensations in a safe non-threatening environment before getting into a difficult and uncomfortable situation. Students will be able to identify unsafe situations and know when additional training is required. Recent changes to legislation will demand increased training in these areas so digitalization of the courses will ensure larger audiences receive certification. This virtual reality experience will be developed by a team of experts well versed in construction safety, adult learning principles and knowledge transfer planning.