The 21st International Conference “Man and Working Environment”
SAFETY ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT SCIENCE, INDUSTRY, EDUCATION (SEMSIE 2025)   
PROCEEDINGS OF PAPERS 
25-26 September 2025, SOKOBANJA, SERBIA  

Carla Cardoso , Joana Duarte , Oktay Şahbaz ,
Enes Zengin , Zeynep Hiçdurmaz , João Santos Baptista 

ORIGINAL SCIENTIFIC PAPER

ENHANCING OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY IN MINING: INSIGHTS FROM THE STRIM PROJECT

DOI: 10.46793/SEMSIE25.049C
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Abstract:

The project ‘Safety Training with Real Immersivity for Mining’ (STRIM) aims to enhance occupational health and safety training in the mining industry by integrating virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) tools. Given the high-risk nature of mining operations, effective training is essential to reduce workplace accidents and improve workers’ preparedness. To identify key challenges and training needs, 26 semi-structured interviews were carried out with occupational health and safety professionals in Angola and Mozambique. These interviews explored their roles in occupational health and safety issues in their organisations and existing gaps in training. The findings revealed three priorities: 1) The need to create in-depth and well-founded training programmes across all levels of the industry, from mine workers to company managers and higher education institutions; 2) The need to strengthen the legislative framework on occupational health and safety regulations to be implemented in the extractive industry, and 3) The need to promote a more effective safety culture and to learn how to adequately perform risk analysis. The study concludes that adopting immersive technologies can significantly enhance learning experiences, strengthen regulatory compliance, and improve overall safety in the mining sector. Achieving these goals requires a collaborative effort involving industry professionals, policymakers, and educational institutions.

Keywords:

Virtual reality, augmented reality, occupational health and safety, professional training

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

We acknowledge the EU Erasmus+ CBHE (Capacity Building for Higher Education) project entitled STRIM (Safety Training with Real Immersivity for Mining), number 101083272

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