Safety Training Impact on Reducing Workplace Accidents in High-Risk Industries

Workplace safety is a major concern, especially in high-risk industries such as construction, manufacturing, and healthcare, where accidents cause severe injuries, financial losses, and operational disruptions. Globally, occupational injuries result in approximately 2.3 million deaths and 340 million non-fatal workplace accidents annually. Identifying effective safety training approaches is essential for reducing incidents and ensuring compliance with safety protocols. This study is a systematic review of the literature on safety training methods, including traditional classroom instruction, behavioral safety training, and technology-enhanced techniques including virtual reality (VR) and gamification. The review synthesizes empirical studies from databases such as Academic Search Ultimate, Google Scholar, and DOAJ. Findings included the key themes of risk-based training, safety culture, behavioral safety training, and technology-enhanced learning, all of which influence accident prevention and compliance. These findings can contribute to occupational health and safety by guiding organizations toward best training practices. Future research can include quantitative studies comparing safety incidents before and after VR-based training and qualitative case studies on leadership’s role in training effectiveness to provide further insights in support of safer workplaces through evidence-based training strategies.