The European Commission (EC) defines, through the "Strategic Framework for Safety and Health at Work 2021-2027. Safety and health at work in a changing world of work", the key priorities and actions to improve the safety and health of the working population, addressing rapid changes in the economy, demographics and working patterns.

From the 1989 European Framework Directive on Safety and Health at Work - the basis for common principles and minimum standards across the EU - the standard focuses on the culture of risk prevention, highlighting the obligations of employers, as well as the actions set out in the various directives on: risk assessments; preventive measures; the provision of information on health and safety at work to workers; training; consultation; and balanced participation.

Fundación Laboral de la Construcción develops specialised training in occupational risk prevention for construction professionals and companies, also through the European initiatives that it coordinates and in which it participates. These are free courses, self-training or innovative technological developments that make the transmission of knowledge easier and closer for those interested.

Up-to-date health and safety content for 'green jobs'

Health and Safety Blueprint is the training action that was developed by the joint body between December 2018 and June 2020 for the EC. It is a free, online self-training that consists of three sections, with eight modules: Materials (Insulation and Sealing, Finishing, Bituminous and Sustainable), Operations (Insulation, Inverted Green Roofs and Renewable Energy Systems) and Waste (Waste Management). These modules will help to address health and safety issues in the most common materials and operations, not forgetting major hazards or lesser known issues.

Anyone interested in updating their knowledge in health and safety, applied to the new professional profiles for 'green' jobs, in an autonomous way and with self-assessment, has a great opportunity at hand, endorsed by the Commission. Moreover, it is an indispensable complement to the "Strategic Approach to Professional Skills in the Construction Industry", materialised through the Construction Blueprint project, which is led by Fundación Laboral de la Construcción.

In addition to Spanish, this self-training is available in English, Italian, German, French and Polish.

Virtual reality applied to work at COR

In the VRoad project, part of the Erasmus+ programme, headed by the Foundation, a Virtual Reality (VR) application was created for learning health and safety work in the Conservation and Operation of Roads (COR), which allows total immersion in real simulation practices for work on roads. Specifically, lane cutting, guardrail and vertical sign repair and road spill action.

Virtual Reality (VR) facilitates first-person learning and allows a greater absorption of knowledge, thanks to the simulation, interaction and perception that users experience. It is a key element and fundamental support for learning, especially in areas where visualisation of the processes studied is particularly difficult, as well as putting them into real practice, as in the case of COR, due to the dangers it entails for teachers and trainees.

Augmented reality to improve training in safe earthworks

The SetAr project, also part of the Erasmus+ programme, in which the Foundation has been participating since December 2020, aims to reduce the accident rate during excavation work through a training methodology based on the use of Augmented Reality (AR).

To achieve this challenge, training resources on earthworks will be developed until November this year, with an emphasis on work efficiency and health and safety standards.

Years ago, Fundación Laboral already participated in two other European projects related to augmented reality: ARCW, which addressed health and safety procedures for the construction of curtain walls; and Arfat, which focused on training for the safe assembly and disassembly of formwork and scaffolding. In both projects, AR applications were designed to promote training through innovative learning methods and the use of platforms and applications for mobile devices, as is being done in SetAr.

Smart clothing for prevention on construction sites

Another of the European initiatives in which the joint entity is collaborating is the Bionic project, part of the Horizon 2020 programme, which researches, develops and applies 'smart' clothing for workers, with the aim of monitoring their movements and providing guidelines for improving occupational health in order to support and promote active and healthy ageing.

For this technological development, four pilot experiences have already been carried out in the sectors involved: construction and industry.

Serious games for work at height

Among other initiatives of the Erasmus+ programme with which the Fundación Laboral has addressed aspects of occupational prevention, there is also the Upp Games application, from the project of the same name, which can be used to test knowledge of Health and Safety for work at height in the construction sector; or Health and Safety Games, through which games integrated into a mobile application were developed to promote learning basic skills in health and safety on construction sites.