Clinical trial NCT06728566: Work at Heights Training: Conventional Approach With and Without Immersive Virtual Reality
Official title: Work at Heights Training: Conventional Approach With and Without Immersive Virtual Reality
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Workers at Heights
Keywords: Occupational Groups
Virtual Reality
Simulation Training
Lead sponsor: Universidad Autonoma de Occidente
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Universidad del Valle, Colombia
First posted: 2024-12-11
Enrollment: 20
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 65
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: The type of experimental design will be a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial, with an analyst blind, to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the intervention. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups, the group receiving the intervention, with work-at-heights training using immersive virtual reality, before practical training in a real field, and the control group, receiving the existing standard intervention (prior theoretical training only). This allows us to compare the results between the groups and determine if the intervention is effective compared to the control.
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: This study focuses on the design and evaluation of an innovative training protocol aimed at working at heights in the construction sector in the city of Cali. The main focus of this protocol lies in the use of Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) and the measurement of biosignals to enhance workers' safety and preparedness. The training protocol is developed by creating virtual environments that simulate hazardous working conditions, allowing workers to practice high-risk situations safely and effectively. Additionally, the integration of biosignal measurements, such as heart rate variability and respiratory rate, is used to assess workers' stress levels and decision-making abilities during simulations.

The protocol evaluation is conducted through a pilot study with real workers in the construction field. The results are analyzed to determine whether the use of IVR and biosignal measurement improves assertiveness and, therefore, safety, reduces workplace accidents, and increases workers' confidence in high-risk environments. The findings of this study will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of IVR and biosignal measurement as training tools in the construction sector, which could have a significant impact on reducing workplace accidents and injuries. This innovative approach has the potential to enhance occupational safety and workers' preparedness in high-risk environments, thereby contributing to a safer and more efficient working environment in the construction industry.

Detailed description: Safety in the construction sector is of vital importance, especially in high-risk activities such as excavations and working at heights. To improve worker training and preparation in these areas, this research proposal has been developed.

This project focuses on the use of advanced technology, such as Immersive Virtual Reality, to simulate real work situations and allow workers to practice and acquire the necessary skills to face the challenges of their daily tasks. However, what makes this project particularly interesting is the incorporation of biosignal measurement during training.

Biosignals are physiological indicators that can be measured and analyzed to assess an individual's emotional and physical state. In this context, devices will be used to capture data such as heart rate, respiratory rate, and their variability. These measurements will provide precise information about the worker's reactions to different simulated situations, which will, in turn, help identify areas for improvement and optimize the training protocol.

The main contribution of this project lies in generating new knowledge about how biosignals can be used as a complementary tool in the design and evaluation of training protocols for workers in high-risk activities. The information obtained through biosignal measurement will allow for the identification of patterns and trends that will help better understand workers' physiological and emotional reactions, as well as their performance in critical situations.

This clinical trial compares two training methods for workers at heights, one using Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) in addition to the conventional training, and the other using only the conventional training. The main questions to be answered are:

What is the impact of the IVR training protocol on the acquisition of knowledge and practical skills of workers in high-risk activities compared to traditional training?

Is there a relationship between immersive Virtual Reality training and the physiological response to stressful situations in high-risk activities, through the recording of biosignals taken during the intervention?

The researchers will compare the two forms of training and identify if there are differences in both fitness and cardiorespiratory response.

Participants in the control group will perform practical work at heights while heart rate, respiratory monitoring, and ergonomic analysis of the activity will be performed. The participants of the intervention group, in addition to the above, will be exposed to virtual reality environments as part of the training of work at heights, this will be before the actual practical part.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Learners from the National Learning Service (SENA).
* First time taking the work at heights training course.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Experience in working at heights.
* Health conditions that prevent performing both the IVR training and work at heights.

Primary outcomes:
measure: PRACTICAL SKILLS FOR WORKING AT HEIGHTS
timeFrame: The time frame for completing all practical activities, assessments, and evaluations is approximately 10 hours, distributed over 2 days.
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Heart Rate Variability
timeFrame: Heart rate variability will be assessed over an approximate period of 45 minutes.
measure: Respiratory Rate Variability
timeFrame: Respiratory rate variability will be assessed over an approximate period of 45 minutes.
measure: Ergonomic Analysis of the Activity
timeFrame: The REBA score will be assessed over an approximate period of 25 minutes during the observation of the occupational task.
measure: Attention and memory measurements
timeFrame: Before the training protocol
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Occidente
name: Oscar Campo, PhD
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References:
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