Technologies
Overview
About Ironworkers Local 433
Ironworkers Local 433 is the Southern California and Las Vegas chapter of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Ironworkers. Its mission is to organize the unorganized and represent the unrepresented. Local 443 is committed to promoting safe working conditions, ensuring fair compensation for ironworkers, and advocating for the rights and interests of its members.
Services
The idea was to create a VR experience showing your first day on the job. Since our trade has various elements, the experience also has various elements. Each floor has a different scope of work that the user has to complete before continuing on. It was important to us that this experience be as accurate as possible and Saritasa delivered. They knew how important it was to have this system be as accurate as possible, and they did everything they could to make that happen. Overall, we had such a good experience with this company that we would not suggest anything be done differently.
Keith HarkeyBusiness Manager at Ironworkers Local 433
Their Challenge
Ironworkers Local 433 attends a lot of job fairs and high school/college fairs to promote its trade. Few people understand the importance or intricacies of ironworking as a career, and Local 433 wants to change that. Often at job fairs, they compete against many other trades to draw new talent. The ironworkers of Local 433 have pride in what they do and want to find an innovative, engaging way to share it with others and stand out in a sea of similar booths.
Our Solution
Our team worked collaboratively with Ironworkers Local 433 to design an interactive, educational virtual reality experience that walks users through a day in the life of an ironworker. Users are taken through their first day on the job, including selecting proper safety equipment, recognizing the right tools for different tasks, and culminating in a heights-defying walk on a steel beam over the busy streets of Los Angeles. Any chapter of the International Association can use the experience at no cost.
Our Approach
What Saritasa Did
Realistic 3D Environment
Our team customized a variety of pre-fabricated assets to create a high-rise building with floors under various stages of construction centered on a realistic rendering of Los Angeles. The scene includes landmarks like the Hollywood sign and could be localized for other Ironworkers chapters.
OSHA Compliant
We worked closely with the Local 433 team to ensure the experience was true to the realities of being an Ironworker. Our original concept took the user floor to floor via an elevator, but broke the realism of the experience and violated OSHA requirements. So we went back to the drawing board to ensure the result was as accurate as possible and OSHA compliant.
Various Construction Activities
The user travels level by level up the high-rise, with completely different construction tasks on each floor. On one floor, the user helps install windows. On another, they assemble a set of stairs. On yet another, they help install mesh and rebar. Each construction stage is true-to-life, based on videos and images provided by Local 433 from real construction sites.
Hands-On Educational Experience
The user is prompted through many different aspects of an ironworker’s job and must select the correct tools, order of installation, and/or safety equipment before they can proceed to the next stage. A friendly voice narrates the experience, correcting incorrect answers, and directing the next steps. At one point, the user must climb using the controllers to access the next stage.
Beam Walk with Real Plank
When users reach the experience’s top floor, they encounter a steel beam hanging over the side of the high-rise. The user is prompted to walk across the beam where they can see the streets of LA far below. We included the ability to calibrate the experience to include a physical board in the real world, enhancing the realism of the experience. This is meant to show the realities of dealing with extreme heights on the job and the life-threatening danger of a fall.
