In industrial environments where safety is a top priority, effective safety training for contractors and visitors is essential. Traditional safety introductions, however, are often passive, time-consuming and not always effective in transferring knowledge.
Envalior nv therefore thoroughly reviewed and modernised its safety training programme at its Antwerp site. In collaboration with Play it and NineID, an interactive digital solution was developed that supports both safety training and contractor management.
This approach has resulted in a modern safety training programme with a more efficient process, higher participant engagement and improved scalability during peak periods such as maintenance shutdowns.
Initial situation and challenge
The Envalior site in Antwerp is part of an international chemical group and produces, among other things, caprolactam and polyamide based on raw materials such as sulphuric acid, ammonia and cyclohexane.
In addition to its own employees, contractors, visitors and truck drivers are also active on the site every day. For all these target groups, prior safety training is mandatory.
However, the existing approach had several limitations:
- a passive video training course of around 25 minutes
- limited interaction and engagement
- a high administrative burden
- limited scalability during turnarounds
- insufficient accessibility for international profiles
This led to inefficiencies in the onboarding process and increased the risk of errors in access management.
Interactive safety training
To increase the effectiveness of the training, a digital and interactive learning solution based on game-based learning was chosen, developed in collaboration with Play it, a specialist in interactive safety training.
The traditional video was replaced by an interactive training module in which participants take a virtual tour of the site using 360° images. During this training, they are actively engaged by:
- identifying safety risks specifically linked to the site
- actively applying procedures
This approach contributes to higher engagement and better retention of safety instructions in practice.
Target group-oriented approach
The renewed training was rolled out for different target groups:
- contractors and technical staff
- internal employees
- truck drivers
- visitors
Each participant follows a tailored learning path based on their profile.
In addition, the training is:
- available in multiple languages
- accessible via smartphone, tablet and desktop
- available to complete in advance, before arriving on site
This makes it possible to complete a large part of the onboarding process digitally in advance.
Digitalisation of contractor onboarding
In parallel with the training, contractor management was also optimised through the integration of NineID.
Contractor management typically requires extensive checks, including:
- VCA certificates
- identity documents
- social and tax documents
- safety certificates
By digitalising and partly automating these processes, checks can be carried out more efficiently and the risk of errors is reduced.
The integration results in:
- faster verification of contractors
- fewer administrative errors
- more efficient use of existing data
- a lower administrative burden for internal teams
This creates an integrated process from document checks to safety training and access management.
Results
Since implementation, clear improvements have been observed:
- 80% of participants pass the test on the first attempt
- only 1% do not pass after three attempts
- more than 1,700 contractors completed the training within nine months
During maintenance shutdowns, onboarding runs noticeably more efficiently because participants are digitally prepared in advance and waiting times on site are reduced.
Key insights
The implementation provided several important insights:
- Early involvement of stakeholders is essential
- Shorter, targeted training courses increase effectiveness
- Interaction contributes to better knowledge retention
- Digital technology can strengthen safety training
- A phased approach improves project manageability
A future-oriented safety policy
Envalior’s approach shows that safety training in an industrial context can be further optimised by combining digitalisation with interactive learning methods.
By combining game-based learning, 360° visualisations and digital contractor onboarding, a more efficient, scalable and effective safety system is created.
The integration of training and contractor onboarding contributes to a more efficient, scalable and future-oriented safety policy.
Closing quote from Stefaan Verhelst – Prevention Advisor at Envalior nv
“We have also received feedback from external parties, including the authorities. During our ISO certification audit last year, this approach was explicitly mentioned as a positive point.
In addition, we were also audited in the context of Operation Clean Sweep, a European initiative focused on preventing plastic from entering the natural environment, where our approach was also evaluated positively.
Our fire insurer, Marsh, was also impressed by this system during an audit.
Finally, in October, we had an unannounced inspection by the Federal Public Service Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue regarding working with third parties. We explained our approach, which was also positively received there. One point for improvement was raised at the time, and we have since resolved it thanks to the integration with NineID.”
