Reducing the dangers of operator distraction through simulation training

Civil construction relies on a range of heavy excavation and earthmoving equipment. Operator distraction is a significant danger to the safe operation of this equipment, leading to serious crash-related injuries, delays in work progress and damage to other plant and equipment onsite. With modern construction sites presenting equipment operators with continuous opportunities for distraction, it is therefore paramount for industry to investigate training programs that can help operators combat the dangers of distraction on the job and increase their ability to focus attention on the task at hand. Heavy equipment simulators provide a safe, cost-effective training method in which appropriate distraction avoidance skills can be trained, practiced and assessed for impact on performance. This paper reports on a simulation and computer-based training program that we have developed for use in construction contexts to inoculate operators against distraction. Our program targets so-called “cognitive distraction” where thinking about irrelevant information causes operators to miss environmental cues, such as warning lights, that compromise plant safety. In the current study a front-wheel loader simulator was used to assess operator’s distraction avoidance strategies. The goal is to train operators in effective strategies that can be moved from the simulation training environment to the real environment, with minimal costs, and without fear of injury or damage that could arise from training “on-the-job”. Initial data indicates that training in distraction avoidance can successfully improve operator performance.