Canada-based Serious Labs, a maker of virtual reality (VR) training solutions for construction equipment, is offering PAL+ VR training modules in conjunction with the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF).
PAL (Powered Access License) is a certification for operators in the powered access sector, the holders of which are awarded the PAL Card operator licence. Serious Lab’s new PAL+ training modules test existing PAL Card holders at a more advanced level than required for the operator licence. It is also a first in terms of offering trainees the scope to complete their training on a VR simulator in order to renew their PAL Card holder’s licence for another five years.
“Operating access equipment on a work-site requires a high level of training and awareness. When you combine the dangers of the work-site with a lack of operator competency, the risk of incidents begins to rise. Being able to improve and develop operator competency and skill through IPAF’s PAL+ training modules via a VR simulator is simply the future of efficient, safe and proficient operator training,” said Jim Colvin, CEO, Serious Labs.
According to the IPAF, it is conducting controlled trials with Serious Labs’ VR simulators instead of real machines until October with members in Europe and the US, with the launch of the simulators expected in Q4.
