Investigating different methods of safety training for the construction industry

ISRCTN ISRCTN55183871
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN55183871
Secondary identifying numbers 117306
Submission date
03/12/2018
Registration date
17/12/2018
Last edited
16/02/2021
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Injury, Occupational Diseases, Poisoning
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
This study aims to investigate virtual reality as a safety training method for the construction industry. It will also explore how training focused on human aspects in safety can increase safety knowledge and skills.

Who can participate?
Construction workers of both genders aged 20 and over, with at least 2 years of work experience.

What does the study involve?
This study involves four types of safety training processes. The participants will be randomly allocated to take part in one of the following types of safety training process: virtual reality, lecture-based, a combination of virtual reality safety training and training on human aspects in safety, a combination of lecture-based safety training with training on human aspects in safety. The participants will fill in questionnaires to investigate their attitudes and knowledge relating to safety before the training, immediately after the training and at 1 month after the training.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The possible benefits of the study include improved safety attitudes and safety knowledge among the participating workers. A possible side effect of virtual reality safety training is mild motion sickness.

Where is the study run from?
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2018 to January 2020

Who is funding the study?
The Finnish Work Environment Fund, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and the participating construction companies.

Who is the main contact?
Maria Tiikkaja, PhD, Researcher, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, maria.tiikkaja@ttl.fi

Contact information

Mr Mikko Nykänen
Scientific

Uimalankatu 1
Tampere
33540
Finland

Phone +358304742786
Email mikko.nykanen@ttl.fi
Dr Maria Tiikkaja
Public

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
PO Box 40
Työterveyslaitos
FI-00032
Finland

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0003-2102-9374
Phone +358 30 474 2750
Email maria.tiikkaja@ttl.fi

Study information

Study designInterventional four-arm randomized controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Other
Study typePrevention
Participant information sheet Not available in English. For more information, contact Mikko Nykänen, Researcher, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, mikko.nykanen@ttl.fi
Scientific titleInterventional four-arm randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of a virtual reality safety training and human factor learning method
Study acronymMoSaC
Study objectivesVirtual reality safety training more effectively increases safety knowledge, perceived behavioural control and safety motivation than traditional lecture-based safety training with a short-term follow-up. We also expect the HF tool to have beneficial effects on safety learning.
Ethics approval(s)Finnish Institute of Occupational Health ethics committee, 28/09/2018
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedOccupational safety and health
InterventionWe will obtain written informed consent from all the study participants and will inform them of the potential risks and benefits of participating in the trial through an information sheet. No personal-level study data concerning the participants will be shared with employers or any third party during or after the study.

The study consists of four intervention arms into which study participants are randomly assigned.

1. The first arm consists of immersive virtual safety training. Virtual safety training will last approximately 30 minutes and includes the following steps: technical guidance, brief introduction to movement in virtual reality and safety training in a VR-learning environment. The VR-learning environment guides study participants to identify work-related hazards, safety procedures and behavioral strategies to prevent accidents. Study participants will practice safety-related actions such as visual search for hazards, removing hazards, inspecting equipment and machinery for any defects and walking safely around or through the work zone.

2. The second arm consists of traditional lecture-based safety training. Lecture-based safety training will last approximately 30 minutes. Informational content will equivalent in content to the VR-training. The difference will be that active learning process in VR-learning environment is missing and lecture-based training method will be used.

3. The third arm combines immersive virtual reality safety training and a modified version of a previously developed human factors safety training. Study participants will be guided to use a systematic checklist (HF-tool) to identify the role of human factors in safety-related processes, accidents and incidents. Human factors training will last approximately 2.5 hours and includes following the steps: Introduction to the content of HF-tool and basic concepts of human factors in safety, using HF-tool to analyze case-example of occupational accident. The human factors safety training guides study participants to identify background factors of accidents, analyze human contribution to safety and plan strategies to improve safety management.

4. The fourth arm combines lecture-based safety training with the HF-tool training.

We will use a validated questionnaire to assess the efficacy of intervention arms. Baseline data will be collected prior to the randomization into intervention arms. The first follow-up measure will be collected immediately after VR-safety training and lecture-based training. The second follow-up measure will be collected approximately 1 month after the baseline measurement. Data collection takes place at the workplaces and paper questionnaires are used
Intervention typeBehavioural
Primary outcome measure1. Safety locus of control
2. Safety self-efficacy
3. Perceived control over safety issues
4. Safety knowledge
5. Safety-related outcome expectancies
All primary outcome measures will be assessed by questionnaire at baseline, immediately after the end of VR-safety training/lecture-based safety training, and approximately 1 month after the baseline measurement.
Secondary outcome measures1. Safety motivation assessed using questionnaires and previously developed study scales at baseline, immediately after the end of VR-safety training/lecture-based safety training and approximately 1 month after the baseline measurement.
2. Safety performance assessed using the safety performance scale at baseline and approximately 1 month after the baseline measurement.
Overall study start date01/01/2018
Completion date30/01/2020

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Other
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants130
Total final enrolment120
Key inclusion criteriaCurrent inclusion criteria as of 21/08/2019:
1. Aged 20 and over
2. At least 2 years of work experience
3. Native Finnish language competence
4. Currently employed in the construction sector

Previous inclusion criteria:
1. Aged between 20 and 50 years
2. At least 2 years of work experience
3. Native Finnish language competence
4. Currently employed in the construction sector
Key exclusion criteriaDoes not meet inclusion criteria
Date of first enrolment01/01/2019
Date of final enrolment30/06/2019

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Finland

Study participating centre

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
Topeliuksenkatu 41 B
Helsinki
0032
Finland

Sponsor information

The Finnish Work Environment Fund
Other

Pohjoisesplanadi 21 A
Helsinki
00100
Finland

Phone 09 6803 3311
Email info@tsr.fi
Website https://www.tsr.fi/etusivu
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/02v046k89

Funders

Funder type

Other

Työsuojelurahasto
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
Finnish Work Environment Fund, Työsuojelurahasto Arbetarskyddsfonden, Työsuojelurahasto | Helsinki
Location
Finland
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health

No information available

STARA

No information available

YIT

No information available

SRV

No information available

NCC

No information available

Lujabetoni

No information available

Voimatel

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date30/06/2020
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot expected to be made available
Publication and dissemination planTo be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
IPD sharing planThe datasets generated and analyzed during the current study will not be available due to agreement with study participants.

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol article protocol 01/08/2020 15/01/2021 Yes No
Results article results 01/12/2020 16/02/2021 Yes No

Editorial Notes

16/02/2021: Publication reference added.
15/01/2021: Publication reference added.
21/08/2019: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The intention to publish date was changed from 28/02/2020 to 30/06/2020.
2. The total final enrolment number was added.
3. The inclusion criteria were updated.