Scaffolding Safety Module

1. Scaffolding Safety Module

1.1. Modes

This section the different modes that are available in Virtual Construct Scaffolding Safety

The available modes are :

Free mode
Guided mode
Assessment / Test mode

Figure 1. Mode selection

1.1.1. Free Mode

In free mode, the user moves about freely on the construction site. All the possible dangers on the construction site are present and fatal errors may occur if the user gets too close to one of the dangers. If the user becomes a fatality, he then respawns in the locker room and has to start over.

Figure 2. Fatality

The user passes the exercise if they are able to cover a required distance in a specified time period. Both the distance and time parameters are set by the instructor in Vulcan (more detail on Vulcan at the end of the document).

In this mode, the user does not have the possibility of securing any dangers that he encounters and can leave the exercise at any time by clicking on the cross on the top right corner of the tablet on his left wrist.

When the user is finished, the time and distance statistics are displayed on the menu screen.

The evaluation criteria are:

Reaching the floor objective
Exceeding the target time "Time to accident"

Figure 3. Free mode result

1.1.2. Guided Mode

The user can select from two different scaffolding sites to use, facade and multidirectional scaffolding. They can be completed in any order.

After selecting an exercise, the user moves to a station which is identified by a red pin floating above it.

Once under a marker, the user is given instructions on the tablet and through the headset.

Figure 4. Marker

Figure 5. Tablet Instructions

After one exercise is completed then the user is transported to the locker room and needs to complete the other exercise.

The exercises are described in greater detail later in this document.

1.1.3. Assessment / Test Mode

This mode tests the user on the knowledge they have acquired as they have completed the various exercises.

The user selects Assessment/Test Mode from the three choices on the main menu and then selects which exercise they are to be tested in.

Figure 6. Tablet in Assessment mode

During the Assessment/Test Mode, the user gets instructions on their tablet as well as through the headset.

When the user is finished each section of the evaluation, the results are displayed floating beside each station.

Figure 7. Floating assessment reults

When the user is completely finished the evaluation, the final results will be displayed on the main menu. The user will then have the choice to retry that specific evaluation or continue on to the next evaluation.

Figure 8. Assessment results

1.2. Guided Mode Exercises (Reception Exercises)

In guided mode, the user will be helped at each phase of the exercise with screen tips and audible tips. The user is invited to correct any mistakes as he or she goes along to assimilate best practices.

The evaluation criteria are:

Analysis: relevance of the user’s answers during the preparation phase
Scenario: validation of all of the steps of which the scenario is comprised
Identification: capacity to recognize assembly flaws
Execution time: capacity to finish the scenario in a defined time

Both Guided Mode exercises start the same way so the procedure will be explained here and then any differences will be explained in the appropriate subsection below.

The following steps must be completed:

1.2.1. Select exercise

User selects an exercise to complete

1.2.2. Receive instructions

The screen changes to an instruction screen. Click on the Interactive Button to hear a voice read it to you.

Figure 9. Exercise instructions

1.2.3. Select weather

After validation, a weather forecast appears. The user must determine if the weather conditions are favourable scaffolding work on the construction site.

Figure 10. Exercise instructions

1.2.4. Get PPE

Turn to the left and an open locker is visible with an interface enabling the user to choose the equipment to wear. If the user makes a poor choice, this is highlighted, and the user has to correct the error before moving on to the next phase. Once the user has selected the equipment, click on the checkmark on the right hand side of the screen

Figure 11. Select the PPE

The correct PPE to select is:

Table 1. PPE
	Hardhat with strap
	Protective glasses
	Ear protectors
	Coveralls
	Work gloves
	Saftey boots
	Harness

1.2.5. Select location

The user is automatically brought to the work site and has to choose the location that corresponds to the exercise. Teleport to the desired location.

Figure 12. Location

The next steps are specific to their own type of scaffolding and will continue in their appropriate sub-section.

1.3. Facade Scaffolding

In this exercise, the user must evaluate the quality of the mounting of the scaffolding and identify any flaws. All the faults must be found with the scaffolding before the exercise can be completed. The user has to identify all the faults on a level before using the ladder to climb up to the next level.

1.3.1. Mark work area

The user is required to select the appropriate PPE and cution tape to mark the scaffolding as off-limits.

Figure 13. Select PPE and caution tape

Figure 14. Place caution tape at end of scaffolding

1.3.2. Check anchors

The user then has to look at the scaffolding construction plans and ensure they have been followed. On the top right hand corner of the Tablet, click on the "Highlight Anchors" button. This will highlight in green all the anchors on the scaffolding.

Figure 15. Highlight the anchors to ensure conformity to building plans

1.3.3. Identify dangers

The aim here is to methodologically identify all the scaffolding assembly flaws, floor by floor. As mentioned earlier, all the faults must be identified before the user is allowed to go up to the next floor. The faults are generated randomly as a function of the instructions given by the trainer on the Vulcan platform, so that each session is different for each user.

With the help of a laser, the user will highlight the parts that he considers to be defective or incorrectly assembled. The parts selected by the user appear highlighted in Cyan.

Figure 16. Highlight the faulty installation

It is during this phase that the correction intervenes in Guided mode: if some flaws have not been identified by the user, the trap door will not open and the forgotten flaws will be highlighted in red, with a message indicating the mistake. The student must correct all mistakes before being able to reach the following level.

Figure 17. Fault highlighted in red

Once the user has identified all the flaws on a floor, he moves on to the next floor by using the ladder and oging through the trap door.

The possible faults are shown in the table below:

Table 2. Guided Mode-Facade faults
Part	Flaw	Photo

Anchors	Incorrect anchors

Base jack	Missing nibs

Plateau or tray	Deformed retaining hook

Metal planking	Deformed

Metal planking	Oxidized

Metal planking	Retaining hook deformed

Walk through frame	Deformed

Walk through frame	Oxidized

Guard rail	Deformed

Guard rail	Oxidized

Toe board	Incorrectly installed

Toe board	Wrongly posioned

Ladder	Broken rung

Ladder	Broken hook

Top rail	Hook not secured

Planking	broken cable

1.3.4. Multidirectional scaffolding

The guided mode for multidirectional scaffolding is identical to the guided mode for facade scaffolding. The difference is the type of scaffolding the user is required to assess.

1.4. Usage Exercises

This exercise gives the user practice with the use of scaffolding by different trades. The scaffolding is considered to have already been approved and controlled; so the aim of the exercise is to acquire good daily practices.

Such as:

IPE management
Sign verification
Movement between the floors
Obstacle management

There are four different modes corresponding to four different trades:

Finishing
Study of constructions
Structural work
Wood framing

Each trade will starting in a different zone, depending on the trade.

Figure 18. Where each trade starts

The evaluation criteria, for this exercise is as follows:

Analysis : relevance of the learner’s answers during the preparation phase
Scenario : validation of all the phases that make up the scenario
Identification : capacity to see and rectify obstacles on the user’s path
Execution time : Capacity to finish the scenario in a defined time

1.4.1. Starting the exercise

The following steps must be completed:

Select exercise

User selects an exercise to complete.

Receive instructions

The screen changes to an instruction screen. Click on the Interactive Button to hear a voice read it to you.

Figure 19. Exercise instructions

Select scaffolding

The user must select the type of scaffolding to be used.

Select weather

After validation, a weather forecast appears. The user must determine if the weather conditions are favourable scaffolding work on the construction site.

Figure 20. Exercise instructions

Get PPE

Figure 21. Select this PPE

Arriving at site

Once the preparation phase is finished, the user is teleported to the construction site and must choose what scaffolding corresponds to the mission. The choice is validated by moving on to the appropriate area indicated in purple.

Figure 22. Select the start point

Ensure scaffolding specifcations

Before going on the scaffolding, the user must ensure that it’s specifications comply with the needs related to the trade selected iat the beginning of the exercise.

The user must read the sign to verify the maximum load is allowed:

Finishing : scaffolding bearing 200kg/m² or more
Construction studies : scaffolding bearing 150kg/m² or more
Structural work : scaffolding bearing 600kg/m² or more
Wood framing : scaffolding bearing 450kg/m² or more

Figure 23. Ensure scaffolding is acceptable

If the weight limit presented on the sign is not correct, and the user has answered the question, the value is automatically corrected to be able to continue the exercise.

Climb the scaffolding

The user can now mount the scaffolding. The simulator will evaluate his capacity to move around safely, in particular his capacity to close each trap door after himself. The user must move to the work area indicated by a red icon.

Figure 24. Red icon at a work area

Clear obstacles

On the way to the objectives, the user may encounter obstacles: heavy loads or materials which block the passage. In this case, he will have to point at the object and click on the Interact Button to put them in their correct place.

Figure 25. Obstacles on scaffolding

Move to purple circle

Once he has reached the intervention site, the user must walk to the purple circle. A sound confirms that the work went well.

Figure 26. Stand on the purple circle

Climb down

The user then must climb down the scaffolding, always maintaining all the saftey rules. It is impossible to teleport off the top of the scaffolding. Move to the purple circle where the exercise started and the user will then be teleported to the locker room where the results will be shown.

The exercise is now complete.

1.5. Assessment / Evaluation Mode Exercises

In evaluation mode, the user doesn’t receive any hints and mistakes will be controlled at the end of the exercise.

The criteria for evaluating are:

Analysis: relevance of the user’s answers during the preparation phase
Scenario: validation of all of the steps of which the scenario is comprised
Identification: capacity to recognize assembly flaws
Execution time: capacity to finish the scenario in a defined time

For both the facade and multidirectional scaffolding assessment, the user is required to find all the faults but no hints are given. If the user misses a fault, it is considered to be a fatal error and the assessment is immediately stopped and the student fails. Once, the user has completed all seven floors, he moves to the purple circle at the end of the scaffolding to be teleported to the locker room where the results are shown.

Figure 27. Teleport zone at top of scaffolding

1.6. Score sceen

At the end of each exercise, a score screen will be displayed with the user’s results for that particular exercise.

Figure 28. Score screen

If a fatal error occurs, the exercise will immediately stop and the score screen will display the reason for the error and prompt the user to Retry or Continue.

Figure 29. Fatal score screen with message

1.7. Vulcan Exercise Settings

The default exercise settings may not be modified, but it is possible to create editable copies of the exercises and then modify the parameters. This will allow the trainer to change the weight of the marking of each parameter (coefficient) based on different criteria.

The parameters that can be modified are:

Table 3. Vulcan changeable variables
Exercise Name	makes it possible to modify the name of the exercise as it will be displayed in the simulator

Level	corresponds to the level of the exercise, it is important to not modify this parameter during the copy of an exercise by default (beginner=free mode, advanced=guided mode, expert=evaluation mode)

Validation threshold	minimum score required to pass the exercise

Inclusion threshold	score below which the result of the exercise will not be taken into account

Percentage penalty per identification	how much of a penalty for not identifying a fault

Percentage penalty per securing error	how much penalty for not securing a fault

Percentage penalty per incorrect PPE	how much penalty for choosing the wrong PPE

1.7.1. Scaffolding safety sensors

This table shows what the saftey sensors can be set for and their minimum and maximum allowable values.

Table 4. Scaffolding safety sensors Free Mode
	Min	Target	Max

Floor objective	0	Number of floors that the user must reach to pass the exercise	7 (there are 7 floors)

Time before an accident (seconds)	Minimum amount of time user must spend in the exercise, anything less will result in 0	Duration spent on the exercise starting from which the score will be 100%	Unlimited, but must be set to a number

Execution time (seconds) (applies only ot Reception and Usage)	0	anything below this will result in a score of 100%	any time spent on the exercise above which will result in 0%

The non-adjustable sensors in scaffolding are as follows:

Analysis
Securing
Identification

1.7.2. Scaffolding safety variables in Vulcan

It is possible to change some of the variables in the editable copy of the exercise in order to adjust for the difficuty and complexity of the exercise.

They are as follows:

Number of defects on individual floors: number of errors generated randomly on the floor concerned
Activate fatal errors: when the function is activated, a fatal error results if the user has forgotten to identify a fatal error on the current scaffolding floor
Number of obstacles on individual floors: when the function is activated, a fatal error results if the user has forgotten to identify a fatal error on the current scaffolding floor