Industrial safety training using virtual reality

Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) received a $324,657 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076) awarded October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2028. The project delivers virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)-based industrial safety training curriculum enhancements for LIT's Process Operating Technology and Instrumentation Technology programs. The primary products include updated curriculum modules featuring immersive, interactive safety training scenarios that reinforce risk mitigation, emergency response, and teamwork competencies while eliminating physical hazards during instruction.

Key deliverables encompass identification of essential safety skills and industry certifications, development of VR/AR training content aligned with workforce demands, and establishment of industry recognition protocols to validate improved student safety awareness. The project leverages collaboration between LIT faculty and industry advisors to ensure curriculum sustainability beyond the award period and addresses the industry-wide demand for comprehensive immersive safety education. The anticipated outcomes include reduced workplace accidents and incidents, decreased insurance claims for employers, and improved overall jobsite and community safety outcomes through enhanced technician preparation for industrial employment settings.

Abstract

Traditionally, industrial safety training has been done using case studies, incident RE-enactments, and personal experience narratives. The use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in safety education has been shown to significantly enhance knowledge retention, promote a safety culture, and improve student engagement. The goal of this project at the lamar institute of technology (LIT) in beaumont texas, is to enhance LIT's process operating technology and instrumentation technology programs by using VR/AR technology to immerse students in realistic, interactive industrial safety training scenarios that will reinforce risk mitigation, emergency response, and teamwork. This approach will address the increasing demand for comprehensive, immersive safety education in industry, preparing students for employment in industrial settings while minimizing physical hazards during training. Key objectives of the project include identifying essential safety skills and certifications, updating curriculum with VR-based training, and ensuring industry recognition of improved student safety awareness. Faculty will collaborate with industry advisors to align the curriculum with workforce needs and ensure sustainability beyond the project's duration. The techniques developed in this project will help to address an industry wide concern and have the potential to lead to a reduced number of accidents and incidents, both on and off the jobsite, consequently decreasing insurance claims and associated costs for businesses and increasing overall safety and well-being on the jobsite and the community. This project is funded by the advanced technological education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.