A conceptual framework and tools characteristics for developing an immersive technology-based occupational health training mechanism

Training and education are crucial in tackling occupational safety and health risks, such as manual handling for construction workers as they help workers identify and handle hazards. Concurrently, integrating Immersive Technologies (ImTs) in training and education has shown promising results in enhancing how construction workers approach manual handling, consequently diminishing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. However, there is a noticeable gap in research, with limited studies focusing on creating an ImT-based tool to train construction workers on manual handling. Furthermore, the variations between numerous ImT-based software and hardware make it challenging to adequately determine whether an optimum solution will be achieved when developing such platforms. To address this gap, this study applies design science research methodology in providing insights into the development of an ImT-based training tool specifically tailored for construction workers and to describe the characteristics of prominent software tools that are integrated through a conceptual framework. It is intended that an improvement in the proficiency of construction workers in addressing manual handling challenges is achieved. However, challenges to applying the tool could include users experiencing simulation sicknesses.