First Aid Goes VR

Virtual reality is already changing the way people work across KION. It helps teams make projects more tangible, test ideas more effectively and bring complex processes closer to real-life conditions. From vehicle development and forklift driver training, to onboarding in manufacturing to testing procedures , VR has found a growing number of applications. Now, it is being used in another area where realistic practice matters: first aid training.

Participation Boost

“We were able to almost double participation in our courses within a year,” says Monika Hoffmannova, Head of EHS (Environment, Health and Safety) at Dematic’s Stříbro site in the Czech Republic. Participation is mandatory only for the site’s roughly 20 first aiders, who are required to complete annual training. Yet over the past year, almost all employees took part. According to Hoffmannova, there is a simple reason for that: “It’s just fun now.”

The difference lies in the format. Instead of listening to instructions, participants spend most of the session trying things out for themselves. Wearing a VR headset, they are placed in a realistic emergency scenario – on a subway platform, for example, or by a riverbank. Their task is to respond quickly and perform chest compressions on a person in cardiac arrest. As they do, the system tracks whether the compressions are fast enough and forceful enough, providing immediate feedback on their performance.

The success of the VR training did not come as a surprise to the team, as virtual reality has long been part of the regular onboarding process. “VR has been part of our training centre for quite some time,” explains Jiri Cmolik, Senior Director Manufacturing EMEA. “At Dematic, we have made a safety pledge to ensure that everyone is ready, safe, and sound at work. With VR, we can prepare colleagues for a wide range of situations and make sure they know how to behave and react.”

Easy Access

Yet the appeal is not only about fun. It is also about availability. At Dematic’s Stříbro site, employees can complete the VR first aid training whenever it fits into their schedule, e.g. during a lunch break or while waiting for a delayed meeting or a machine under maintenance. The sessions are held in the site’s training center, the same space used for product training and other employee development programs.

The process is deliberately simple. When the training room is not being used for another session, employees can simply stop by and ask to take part in the VR first aid training. Trainer David Vácha gives a brief introduction before participants put on the headset and begin the 20-minute session. “It’s also a chance to step into a completely different world,” says Hoffmannova. “That curiosity is often what gets people through the door.”

Prepared to Help

The 20-minute session may take place in a virtual world, but the skills it builds are meant for real emergencies – emergencies that happen far too often. In the Czech Republic alone, around 10,000 people suffer cardiac arrest every year. “When that happens, every second matters,” says Hoffmannova. “Irreversible brain damage can occur after just four to six minutes without oxygen, while an ambulance takes about 15 minutes on average to arrive at the scene.”

The greatest success of the training is that employees at the Stříbro site are now better prepared for a real emergency. But the impact of Hoffmannova’s idea is also reflected in what comes next. The program is already being expanded to include defibrillator training via VR headset. Dematic is now looking to roll out the concept to additional sites – a logical next step for a format that makes safety training more accessible, practical and engaging.

The first step was already taken when Hoffmanova joined her colleagues in Germany for their local Health days, enabling German colleagues to also participate in the course.