IMXR® Job Training VR Content - Prevention of Asphyxiation Accidents in Confined Spaces at Ports

VR Training Content for Preventing Asphyxiation Accidents in Confined Spaces at Ports

Asphyxiation accidents in confined spaces at ports are serious industrial incidents that occur in areas with limited ventilation such as tanks, cargo holds, and manholes, caused by oxygen deficiency or the accumulation of hazardous gases. Insufficient pre-work risk assessment and non-compliance with procedures are the primary causes.

Accurately understanding and complying with safety procedures before and during entry into confined spaces is essential to accident prevention. Accordingly, the VR content for preventing asphyxiation accidents in confined spaces at ports has been designed based on relevant laws and safety guidelines, enabling learners to experience step-by-step processes including confined-space work permits, air measurement, ventilation, PPE usage, and emergency response procedures.


Virtual hands-on training content	Learning accident causes and preventive measures	Realistic asphyxiation accident experience

INTRO

The severity of asphyxiation accidents · Risks and limitations of real-site practice · The need for experiential safety training

Asphyxiation accidents in confined spaces at ports are representative serious industrial disasters that occur due to oxygen deficiency or exposure to hazardous gases in poorly ventilated spaces such as ship tanks, cargo holds, piping, and manholes, and can result in fatal consequences for workers. In particular, confined-space work often does not appear dangerous externally, making it easy for workers to underestimate the risks. As a result, accidents continue to recur due to failure to implement safety measures prior to entry and a lack of awareness regarding emergency situations. Therefore, identifying hazards in advance and complying with standard safety procedures are key elements in preventing accidents. In actual port worksites, confined spaces themselves are high-risk environments, making it difficult for trainees or new workers to repeatedly enter real spaces for training. In addition, the potential for accidents imposes limitations on hands-on, experience-based training. Theory-based training alone is not sufficient to fully improve judgment and response capabilities in real situations.

SOLUTION :

IMXR Port Confined Space Asphyxiation Accident Prevention VR content has been developed to allow learners to safely experience and learn confined-space situations similar to real port worksites through a virtual reality (VR) environment. Learners can step through various confined-space scenarios such as cargo holds, tanks, and manholes, experiencing pre-entry risk assessment, air measurement, ventilation measures, and PPE-wearing procedures. Through this, the content enhances port workers’ safety awareness and maximizes the effectiveness of practical, field-oriented safety training for preventing asphyxiation accidents.


Duration	Supported Language	Hardware
Approx. 7 minutes	Korean	HMD

Highlight

VR Content Structure for Training on Preventing Asphyxiation Accidents in Confined Spaces

This VR content begins with the learner taking the role of a port worker and correctly wearing the essential safety equipment required before confined-space work. Next, the learner enters a poorly ventilated confined space and experiences a simulated asphyxiation accident scenario, designed to help them intuitively recognize the risks of oxygen deficiency and hazardous gas exposure through the accident progression. After the accident experience, a learning phase follows in which the learner analyzes the cause of the accident based on site information and situational clues, identifying non-compliance points and risk factors. Next, the learner studies key precautions during rescue and step-by-step rescue methods. Finally, excluding reckless entry, the learner directly performs rescue activities while complying with safety rules such as PPE usage, air measurement, and ensuring adequate ventilation. Through this series of processes, learners can comprehensively strengthen hazard recognition, judgment, and safe rescue competency required for preventing and responding to asphyxiation accidents.


Accident Experience	Learning Safety Measures

Learning Accident Cases	Victim Rescue

Specialized Technologies for VR Training on Preventing Asphyxiation Accidents in Confined Spaces

01. Photorealism : Provides a realistic environment by reflecting the structure and movement paths of real worksites. As a specialized technology that connects reality and the virtual world, Samwoo Immersion used Unreal Engine 5 to implement the actual environment as-is through graphics that pursue photorealism at the same level as film CG and live-action visuals, without constraints such as polygon count.

02. Detailed Modeling and Optimization Technology : High-resolution 3D modeling technology was applied to realistically reproduce port confined-space work environments and asphyxiation accident situations. Confined-space structures unique to ports such as cargo holds, tanks, and manholes, along with surface textures and internal equipment, were meticulously implemented based on real worksites. Protective equipment such as helmets, breathing apparatus, and gas detectors, as well as worker movements, were also expressed with high realism so that learners can feel immersed as if they are on site. To ensure smooth operation across various VR devices and training environments, system resource management technologies such as polygon optimization, texture lightweighting, and real-time rendering efficiency improvements were applied. This secures both high realism and stable performance, maximizing learning effectiveness and usability.

03. Realistic Animation : Situation-responsive animation technology was applied to realistically convey port confined-space work and asphyxiation accident scenarios. The worker’s movement, equipment wearing, and collapse were naturally implemented based on real situations and designed to enable intuitive understanding of the situation. In addition, during the rescue process, the movements of the rescue target are finely synchronized during hands-on rescue experiences, including PPE usage, helping learners effectively develop accurate judgment and safe actions required in real worksites.

Key Features of VR Training for Preventing Asphyxiation Accidents in Confined Spaces

01. Indirect Port Experience : Based on Ulsan Port, this content realistically recreates port confined-space work environments including docks, ship mooring areas, and the interiors of cargo holds and tanks, allowing learners to experience the same spatial layout and atmosphere as the actual site from the worker’s perspective. By indirectly experiencing areas that are difficult for the general public to access, learners can enhance their understanding of port operations.

02. Interaction-Based Learning : The content is designed so that learners directly operate and carry out every step, from performing safety procedures before entering the cargo hold to attempting victim rescue. Interactions are applied to each key stage, including placing safety equipment in the correct location, measuring oxygen concentration, and inflating the lift bag for victim movement during rescue, enabling active participation rather than passive observation. Through this, learners can strengthen judgment and procedural understanding required in confined-space work and rescue situations, and effectively enhance on-site response capability.