Book Chapters

Background — In Angola and Mozambique, the expansion of the mining sector is taking place against a backdrop in which Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is hampered by skills shortages, institutional weaknesses, and difficulties in implementing regulations, leading to inconsistent preventive practices. Objectives — To conduct a comparative analysis of OSH conditions and practices in the mining sector in Angola and Mozambique, based on four dimensions: professional training, OSH routines, risk assessment and perceptions of legislation. Methodology — A qualitative study comprising 22 semi-structured interviews with professionals. A thematic content analysis was conducted. Results — There was a lack of standardised training/certification pathways and a heavy reliance on 'on-the-job' learning. Routines tend to focus on PPE and immediate compliance, constrained by safety culture, literacy/language barriers and limited technical support. Risk assessment is often unsystematic in Angola, and in Mozambique, despite greater formalisation, there is a significant gap between documentation and practice. Conclusions — It is recommended to define competency profiles and essential curriculum content, standardise risk assessment and control using simple and traceable tools, and strengthen technical guidance and inspection capacity.

Background — In Angola and Mozambique, there are still gaps in structured and continuous training in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), particularly in high-risk sectors such as the extractive industry. To address these needs, an initial OSH course was developed in an e-learning format and integrated into the STRIM project. Objectives — To present and describe the course curriculum design and discuss its effects on the participants' learning process, based on the pre-test and post-test developed. Methodology — Application of a diagnostic questionnaire before and after training, covering sociodemographic variables, knowledge of each module, and perceptions about the course topics. Results — An overall improvement in post-test results compared to pre-test results was observed, indicating consistent learning gains. Conclusions — The initial STRIM course, supported by an e-learning platform and organised into modules, is a valid and scalable training response for strengthening basic OSH skills in Angola and Mozambique.

Background — Occupational safety and health (OSH) systems are only effective when they combine a coherent legal framework with real enforcement capacity. Objectives — To develop and apply a compliance matrix based on the Portuguese regulatory model to assess the legal alignment of Angola and Mozambique with European Union/International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles and identify priority gaps. Methodology — A critical and comparative review of legal instruments (laws, regulations, standards, ILO conventions) organised by thematic areas, then a matrix with Aligned / Partially aligned / Not aligned / Not applicable coding, complemented by semi-structured interviews. Results — Portugal presents a mature, hierarchical model aligned with the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC. Angola shows partial alignment, with limitations in enforcement, qualification and reporting. Mozambique reveals more pronounced gaps, especially in OSH services and inspection/monitoring. Conclusions — Harmonisation should focus on an operational core: strengthening inspection/enforcement, clarifying OSH services, professionalisation/training and improving reporting/statistics.

The rise of Mining 4.0 (automation, sensorisation, and data analytics) and decarbonisation pressures are increasing expectations for productivity and sustainability, while the mining industry remains a high-hazard sector. Conventional training is constrained by real exposure to hazards, limited repeatability of rare events, and difficulties in objective assessment, supporting the case for immersive virtual reality (VR) training. Objectives — To present and systematise a VR-supported training approach for occupational safety and operational competencies in the extractive industry, using integrated underground and surface scenarios. Methodology — Design-based/co-design development in three phases: scenario definition by domain specialists; pedagogical review; and VR implementation with interaction design and basic action tracking. Twelve scenarios with standardised structure cover hazard recognition, surface mining geometry and sequencing, equipment identification, procedural execution (e.g., blasting), and a processing case study. The scenarios demonstrate the feasibility of VR as a strategic OSH tool for safer, repeatable, and scalable training in Mining 4.0.

Mining training requires repeatable and measurable practice, but real-world training and field visits are limited by cost, access, and safety. This work demonstrates the applicability and scalability of a framework for developing VR serious games for mining engineering education by implementing a portfolio of thirteen scenarios across five core domains, each defined by explicit learning outcomes and performance-based task validation. Methodologically, it follows a design-and-development approach with modular production of assets/prefabs and integration by scenario, supported by iterative playtesting and a WebGL export strategy. The framework is instantiated in 13 scenarios across five domains (geology, open-pit mining, underground mining, mineral processing, and safety), organised into two phases: familiarisation and exercise. Conclusions — The approach provides a basis for scalable VR training, although the effectiveness of learning and transfer requires further empirical studies.

Background — In Angola and Mozambique, the growth of the geological mining sector reinforces OSH training requirements in remote and high-risk operations. Objectives — To describe the design of the Occupational Safety and Health Training Program (OSHTP) and the trainee-centred methodology. Methodology — The program comprises 180 hours and 6 ECTS credits, with five modules designed using a constructive alignment approach (linking skills to outcomes, activities, and assessment evidence), including technical visits. Each class follows a structured cycle: a 45-minute presentation, a 15-minute reflection period, 90 minutes of group problem-solving, and a 30-minute individual assessment in e-learning format. Results — OSHTP combines occupational hygiene, safety and health at work, risk assessment and control, technical safety, and fieldwork. Conclusions — The design reinforces applied skills (hazard identification, control selection, emergency preparedness) and aligns assessment with diagnosis, feedback, and a digital portfolio.

A natureza de elevado risco da mineração exige formação eficaz em segurança. Com base em 26 entrevistas a profissionais de Segurança e Saúde Ocupacionais (SSO) em Angola e Moçambique, este estudo identificou três prioridades principais: (1) a necessidade de programas de formação abrangentes em todos os níveis, desde os trabalhadores até ao ensino superior; (2) o reforço da legislação de SSO específica para o setor extrativo; e (3) a promoção de uma cultura de segurança mais sólida e de melhores competências de análise de risco. O estudo destaca o potencial das tecnologias imersivas (VR/AR) para melhorar a qualidade da formação, a conformidade regulamentar e a prevenção de acidentes.

According to the International Labour Organisation, approximately three million people die annually due to occupational accidents or diseases, with construction, mining, and manufacturing being the most affected sectors. Literature suggests that immersive technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), effectively enhance occupational safety training by allowing workers to experience hazardous scenarios in a controlled environment. DigiRescueMe and STRIM European projects were designed with this principle in mind: DigiRescueMe focuses on miners' rescue training for professionals, while STRIM develops mining curricula with a special emphasis on occupational safety and health for students and professionals. Realistic virtual scenarios were developed using Unity 3D, incorporating 3D-scanned objects via Peel3D technology; these scenarios are being tested by students and professionals, with feedback collected for further improvement.

The effectiveness of occupational health and safety practices in the mining industry largely depends on the quality and relevance of the training programs designed for this purpose. Although certain countries provide essential, needs-based OSH training, there are still major deficiencies — especially across many African countries. This study, produced as part of the STRIM Project, aims to identify gaps and needs in OSH training curricula in the mining sector in Angola and Mozambique and to develop recommendations. Four exploratory talks were conducted with the project's Mozambican and Angolan partners, and four semi-structured interviews with university educators. The analysis highlighted four themes: (1) the inadequacy of courses in technical and undergraduate programs, (2) the lack of standardization across institutions, (3) the underrepresentation of applied and technical components, and (4) recommendations for curriculum development.

A segurança dos trabalhadores depende não apenas da existência de regulamentos de segurança no local de trabalho, mas também das decisões informadas de segurança que trabalhadores e gestores tomam diariamente. Uma das ferramentas mais importantes para melhorar a segurança numa organização é a avaliação e gestão do risco. Este capítulo apresenta informação de base sobre o conceito de risco, a sua avaliação e gestão no contexto dos riscos ocupacionais. É ainda apresentado um novo método qualitativo de análise do risco ocupacional, baseado numa matriz indicativa. A utilização de coeficientes adicionais no Método da Matriz Multifatorial, em combinação com estimadores convencionais do nível de risco, permite obter resultados mais fiáveis.

Capítulo introdutório que enquadra realidade virtual, realidade aumentada e gamificação no contexto mineiro e formativo, alinhando-se com a vertente tecnológica do STRIM.

Capítulo técnico sobre aplicações com Hololens 2 e MRTK em Unity, relevante para o ecossistema de ferramentas imersivas e para futuras aplicações pedagógicas do projeto.

Capítulo centrado no motor AR Foundation, contribuindo para a base técnico-científica de aplicações de realidade aumentada associadas ao ensino e à formação em mineração.

Capítulo dedicado ao SDK Meta XR e a exemplos Unity, reforçando a linha editorial do STRIM ligada a ambientes imersivos, XR e recursos digitais avançados.