Developing a virtual environment for safety training

Desktop virtual environments offers the possibility to design a manageable space for safety training, in which trainees can experience situations in context, interact with the virtual environment and practice emergency procedures. This paper presents the design process of a desktop virtual reality prototype for safety training for people who works on offshore oil plaforms. A safety training approach is suggested based on educational theories and cognitive science that support the use of virtual environments as training tools. A description of the software tool for implementation is included along with a explanation of the applications that were implemented in the prototype.