As part of its mission to eliminate workplace accidents, NextWave Safety Solutions has announced the availability of its first two virtual reality (VR) training modules — “Hazard ID” and “Forklift” — as well as the launch of its custom safety programs that include on-site support to recognize potential hazards before they become life or financial loss.
Insufficient standards and antiquated training and management processes cost more than 337,000 lives and $3 trillion annually. Pen and paper processes ensure little visibility, accountability, and engagement, making it impossible to spot trends in time to prevent injury or enhance efficiency. NextWave is applying proprietary technology to bring unprecedented levels of transparency and preparedness to the safety industry to save lives and money.
“We look at OSHA standards as the bare minimum,” said Lorenzo Gallo, NextWave CEO. “Would you want your child driving around in a car with minimum brake power? For companies wanting to go beyond OSHA, we’re offering not only VR-enhanced training programs but on-site support, both associated with reducing the number of incidents. Our success is recognized with lower insurance premiums for our customers as providers can count on there being fewer workplace accidents.”
Through NextWave Academy, customers have access to a full range of OSHA and IACET-certified programs offered in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, and Polish that can be done on site or at one of NextWave’s state-of-the-art facilities. Currently, the forklift and hazard identification training modules are enhanced with VR components, but the company has eight more planned for 2018 release, including active shooter. VR-based training lets users learn through doing, which studies have shown increase retention rates leading to safer practices and fewer incidents.
NextWave’s approach has helped it become a leading provider of training programs for the New York Fire Department, the New York City Department of Buildings, and emergency responders. The company brings the same level of excellence outside the classroom to its customized site safety plans. Company-wide or site-specific assessments identify the greatest safety risks through real-time, historic, and predictive data and NextWave experts specify mitigating solutions to meet safety goals.
“Infrastructure is an area of huge investment and will continue to grow,” said Gallo. “We want to ensure that the people building our future get home safely. It’s a great bonus that our efforts lead to lower costs on insurance premiums, workers compensation, and work stop through injury. It’s really a win-win for insurers, developers, and workers.”
