Machinery Safety in VET

We applied for this project to address critical gaps in machinery safety training within the European Union and Turkey. Despite existing safety regulations, machinery-related accidents continue to...

This project aimed to bridge the gap in comprehensive machinery safety training within Europe, especially in VET. Our goal was to develop an interactive VET curriculum using Virtual Reality (VR) technologies, aligned with the Machinery Safety Directive 2006/42/EC. We focused on: 1-Conduct a situation analysis to assess current practices and training needs in machinery safety within the manufacturing sector. 2-Creating an innovative, digital training curriculum on machinery safety, supported by VR materials. This curriculum is cost-effective, accessible, and provides practical knowledge on hazard identification, risk assessment, and management. 3-Enhancing the technical skills of machine manufacturers, VET teachers, and students in applying ISO 12100 standards for hazard identification, risk analysis, and SIL analysis, reducing machinery-related accidents, and improving productivity. 4-Establishing a robust evaluation system for the digital training content, following ISO 21001 principles, with 300 test and application-based questions to ensure effectiveness.

During the project, we carried out a comprehensive and structured series of activities to ensure the successful completion of our objectives. These activities encompass extensive research, development, and training efforts aimed at enhancing machine safety education through innovative digital tools. 1-Preparation, Kick-off, and Task Distribution: After the project was approved by the National Agency, we informed all partners and selected the project logo through an online voting process. Based on the chosen design, we created a project website. For details, see: https://safety4vet.com/. The project partners requested the kick-off meeting to be held online due to COVID-19 concerns; therefore, we conducted the kick-off meeting online. In this meeting, we distributed tasks, discussed financial matters, and established a quality assurance team to monitor the project’s intellectual outputs. For details, see https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nNv3rJjltC5KQQxnN7udQK5uMoGRtM9t?usp=drive_link. 2-Literature Review and Research Activities: We conducted a comprehensive literature review on machine safety in partner countries and globally and presented the results in a detailed research report. This topic was also studied as a Ph.D. thesis subject by TU Dublin, one of our partner institutions. We developed a research report on Augmented Technologies for Safety and Maintenance in Industry 4.0. We organized focus groups and workshops, using our findings to design survey questions. After obtaining ethics committee approval, we conducted surveys in all partner countries. To examine the results: https://safety4vet.com/ and review the outputs section. Within this work package, one Q2-indexed SCI scientific article was published, and another SCI-indexed article is currently under review. The data from the literature review, focus group studies, workshops, and survey results have been published as a comprehensive report on the website. 3-Implementation of Project Activities: The main activities of the project included the development of Virtual Reality (VR) training content aligned with various EN standards. We developed VR applications and interactive training content for safety measures related to mechanical presses, press brakes, industrial robots, and Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) procedures. In this process, we created 3D models, defined scenarios, and aligned them with audio and visual instructions. We organized three Transnational Project Meetings (TPM) across Europe—at Politecnico di Torino, Cranfield University, and BBW Germany, where we also conducted LTT activities. Due to visa issues encountered during the project, we conducted the meetings and LTT activities planned at the University of Twente in the Netherlands and TU Dublin online. These TPMs and LTTs focused on Turkey and EU legislation, safety equipment design, electrical safety, risk assessment, functional safety, and other critical machine safety topics. On June 14, 2023, the European Commission updated the Machinery Directive and gave all member/candidate countries until 2027 to adjust their regulations. As the project team, we reviewed the new directive and worked to align the content and training documents within the project with the new regulation. To review the work done within this work package: https://safety4vet.com/lms/. Additionally, as Hacettepe University, we introduced a new curriculum and course titled 'Machinery Safety' into the education system. This course began being offered to students starting in the Fall semester of 2024. 4-Progress Monitoring and Reporting: We held regular online progress meetings to assess the project’s advancement. The Project Progress Report was submitted to the National Agency as scheduled. These meetings ensured that the development of intellectual outputs progressed on time and met the required quality standards. 5-Development of Training and Evaluation Tools: In addition to the VR training content, we created a database of 300 questions to assess theoretical knowledge. These questions were designed in multiple-choice, matching, gap-filling, and short-answer formats to evaluate students' higher-order thinking skills. We integrated digital education tools with visual feedback mechanisms to guide students through the training process. 6-Follow-up and Dissemination: We developed and implemented a communication and dissemination plan, starting with the kick-off meeting. Throughout the project, we conducted awareness-raising activities targeting industry stakeholders across Europe. In the final phase, we collected the necessary documentation from all partners and submitted the project’s final report to the National Agency.

Our project aimed to create concrete outputs and results that directly addressed the initial objectives and significantly contributed to improving machinery safety education and practice. 1. Research and Situation Analysis Reports: A comprehensive report, including: -A literature review on machinery safety across partner countries. -A research report informed by surveys, focus groups, and workshops. -A report on Augmented Technologies for Safety and Maintenance in Industry 4.0 and traditional manufacturing sectors. -A conceptual model proposing the integration of maintenance processes into Industry 4.0 architecture. 2. Machinery Safety Training Curriculum: -To develop an interactive and innovative curriculum for vocational education and training (VET), machinery manufacturers, and companies, grounded in our research findings. The curriculum includes a detailed booklet covering: -Legislations of Turkey and the EU. -Safety standards and regulations, including safety guards, electrical safety, risk assessment, and functional safety. 3. Development of Digital Training Content: -To create VR-based training modules focused on critical areas of machinery safety, including: -Hazards and safety measures for mechanical presses (EN 16092-1/2). -Safety measures for press brakes (EN 12622). -Safety requirements for industrial robots’ systems and integrations (EN 10218-2). -Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) procedures. -Designing fixed and movable guards and calculating safety distances (EN 14120 and EN 13855). -AR-based training content for functional safety: ****This content was integrated into mechanical presses, press brakes, industrial robots’ systems, and Lockout-Tagout (LOTO) training materials. 4. Measurement and Evaluation Tools: -To develop measurement and evaluation tools aligned with ISO 21001 standards including as follows: -A question database with 300 questions to assess theoretical and practical knowledge. -Various formats such as open-ended questions, multiple-choice tests, matching exercises, gap-filling, and short-answer questions. -Integrated visual feedback mechanisms within the digital education tools to enhance the learning experience.