SBIR-STTR Award

The work proposed aims to develop an immersive videogame-based training program to train HAZMAT workers specifically involved in the emergency response, site characterization, waste removal, and site remediation at the extensively contaminated sites on the National Priorities List. Specific training will be designed to meet the mandates of 29 CFR 1910.120 for HAZWOPER training required for workers accessing Superfund sites and other employees who are exposed to hazardous substances through the clean-up, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste, directly tackling the goals of the NIEHS Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program. The development will provide a first-person immersive training environment for the trainee to learn and practice key operational tasks such as site characterization and analysis, site control, monitoring, and decontamination by allowing the trainee to actively participate in the operation, performing tasks from the first person perspective, with realistic environments, equipment and tools. The trainee will be able to utilize accurately modeled instruments representative of those most commonly found in site emergency response, characterization, and remediation work. By simultaneously simulating both chemical and radiological hazards, the training will have unique capabilities specifically targeted to meet site-specific training requirements of the NIEHS/DOE Nuclear Worker Training Program. The work builds off of Spectral Labs' development of the RAILS (Realistic Adaptive Interactive Learning System) suite of software for training of police, first responders, and security workers to operate radiological, chemical detection equipment. It will retain the current RAILS functionality of ? Immersive realistic operating environments ? Real-time, accurate instrument indications and threat modelling Specific newly-implemented features tailored specifically to those working in environment remediation or emergency response to hazardous sites include: ? New material to cover 1910.120 operations (specifically characterization and analysis, site control, monitoring, and decontamination) ? Develop soil and air sampling, as well as sample collection for vapor samples. ? Implement contaminant plume physics for in-game sampling of soil/liquid samples ? Add specific instrument makes/models based on subject matter expert input

Public Health Relevance Statement:
The knowledge and skills developed through HAZWOPER training is critical to maintaining the safety of all workers at sites on the National Priorities List, as well as other workers performing clean-up, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. This work intends to improve worker safety by developing an immersive first-person computer based simulation to allow trainees to learn and practice key HAZWOPER operational tasks such as site characterization and analysis, site control, monitoring, and decontamination by allowing the trainee to actively participate in the operation. By providing an immersive virtual environment, the project intends to leverage the well-established advantages of immersive training over traditional computer-based training which relies on slide or video presentation of material.

Project Terms:
Acute; Address; air sampling; base; Chemicals; Computer Simulation; Computer software; Decontamination; design; Detection; Development; E-learning; Effectiveness; efficacy study; Emergency response; emergency service/first responder; Employee; Environment; Equipment; Excision; Feedback; Goals; hands-on learning; hazard; Hazardous Substances; Hazardous Waste; Health; improved; instrument; Knowledge; laboratory development; Learning; Liquid substance; Location; meetings; Modeling; Monitor; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Nuclear; operation; Performance; Persons; Physics; Police; Procedures; Process; programs; remediation; Safety; sample collection; Sampling; Security; Site; skills; Slide; Small Business Innovation Research Grant; soil sampling; Students; superfund site; System; Techniques; Testing; Time; tool; Training; Training Programs; United States National Institutes of Health; vapor; virtual reality; wasting; Work

The work proposed aims to develop an immersive videogame-based training program to train HAZMAT workers specifically involved in the emergency response, site characterization, waste removal, and site remediation at the extensively contaminated sites on the National Priorities List. Specific training will be designed to meet the mandates of 29 CFR 1910.120 for HAZWOPER training required for workers accessing Superfund sites and other employees who are exposed to hazardous substances through the clean-up, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste, directly tackling the goals of the NIEHS Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program. The development will provide a first-person immersive training environment for the trainee to learn and practice key operational tasks such as site characterization and analysis, site control, monitoring, and decontamination by allowing the trainee to actively participate in the operation, performing tasks from the first person perspective, with realistic environments, equipment and tools. The trainee will be able to utilize accurately modeled instruments representative of those most commonly found in site emergency response, characterization, and remediation work. By simultaneously simulating both chemical and radiological hazards, the training will have unique capabilities specifically targeted to meet site-specific training requirements of the NIEHS/DOE Nuclear Worker Training Program. Specific Aims of the Phase II program include: • Develop six software modules to cover the topics 1910.120 (q) (6) (ii) (A)-(F), Emergency Response Program to Hazardous Substance Releases at the First-Responder Operations Level. This material has the advantage of having overlap with several other portions of the broader 1910.120 training, covering topics as personal protective equipment, decontamination, and emergency response for a wide range of HAZMAT workers. • Simulation and Modeling of Additional Equipment to allow for training on the appropriate use and limitations of NFPA and OSHA personal protective equipment classes • Environmental Development and Enhancement to provide a virtual training environment for control, containment and confinement training • Software Deployment and Support to integrate feedback from International Association of Firefighters master trainers based on their testing of the software • Software Deployment and Support to integrate feedback from instructors of the Environmental Hazardous Materials Technology courses at Southwestern College, with the goal of developing dual-use training software that meets their students learning requirements. • Produce a DOE-Site-Specific Radiation Training Module

Public Health Relevance Statement:
The knowledge and skills developed through HAZWOPER training is critical to maintaining the safety of all workers at sites on the National Priorities List, as well as other workers performing clean-up, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. This work intends to improve worker safety by developing an immersive first-person computer-based simulation to allow trainees to learn and practice key HAZWOPER operational tasks such as site characterization and analysis, site control, monitoring, and decontamination by allowing the trainee to actively participate in the operation. By providing an immersive virtual environment, the project intends to leverage the well-established advantages of immersive training over traditional computer-based training which relies on slide or video presentation of material.

Project Terms:
Awareness; base; Chemicals; college; Computer Simulation; Computer software; Computers; Containment; Decontamination; design; Development; E-learning; Emergency response; Employee; Environment; Equipment; Excision; Exposure to; Feedback; first responder; Goals; hazard; Hazard Assessment; hazardous materials worker; Hazardous Substances; Hazardous Waste; Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response; Immersion; improved; Industrialization; Industry; Institution; instructor; instrument; instrumentation; International; Knowledge; Learning; lectures; Modeling; models and simulation; Monitor; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Nuclear; operation; Persons; Phase; Privatization; Procedures; programs; Radiation; Radiology Specialty; Reading; remediation; Risk Assessment; Safety; self-directed learning; Site; skills; Slide; Small Business Innovation Research Grant; Students; superfund site; System; Techniques; Technology; Testing; Time; tool; Training; Training Activity; Training Programs; Video Games; virtual; virtual reality environment; wasting; Work