Serious games for workplace safety training: what they are and how to use them

In short: a serious game for workplace safety is a video game or simulation in which workers spot hazards, choose the right behaviour and immediately see the consequences, without any real danger. It does not replace mandatory health and safety training, but it makes it more effective: it helps turn rules into behaviours, refresh them over time and see where people go wrong most often.

Why safety training needs practice

Safety is one of the areas where the gap between “knowing” and “doing” matters most. People often know the rule but, under pressure, out of habit or in a hurry, they don’t apply it. And the most important situations to practise, such as a small fire, an evacuation or a machine that jams, are exactly the ones that can’t be rehearsed live every day.

The numbers show how real the issue is: in Italy alone, according to INAIL’s annual report, around 600,000 workplace accident reports were filed in 2025, up 1.2% on the previous year.

How it fits with mandatory training

Most countries require employers to provide adequate health and safety training, with rules on content, duration and refreshers. In Italy, for example, the obligation comes from Legislative Decree 81/2008, and course requirements are set by the State-Regions Agreement of 17 April 2025, in force since 24 May 2025. The law also distinguishes between information, training and hands-on instruction in the correct use of equipment, protective devices and procedures.

That is why a serious game should be built into the training plan together with your health and safety manager and, where needed, your accredited training provider, deciding how it complements mandatory courses.

Where a serious game really helps

1. Hazard spotting. A “find the risk” simulation in an environment that reproduces the department, site or warehouse: workers must identify what is wrong.
2. Emergency procedures. Evacuation, small fires, first aid: practise the right choices, in the right order, safely.
3. Correct use of PPE. Which equipment to wear, when and how, depending on the task.
4. Operating procedures. Sequences to follow with machines and plants, such as safe shutdown before maintenance.
5. Near-miss reporting. Building the habit of reporting dangerous situations before they become accidents.
6. New hires. Introducing site-specific risks from day one, as part of onboarding.
7. Multilingual workforces. A simulation in several languages, with clear images and symbols, overcomes many barriers of a traditional classroom.

How to design a safety serious game

• Start from your risk assessment. Scenarios must reproduce the company’s real risks, not generic examples.
• Involve safety managers and supervisors. They know where people really make mistakes.
• Instant feedback. Every choice shows its consequence and explains why, without blaming.
• Short sessions. A few minutes per scenario, on phone or tablet, so people can refresh often.
• Progressive difficulty. Basic situations first, then more complex or rare ones.
• Plain language and several languages if the workforce is international.

One example of this approach is Grand Hotel Simulator, the serious game for hospitality schools by our creative director, where students practise six jobs with real procedures, including hygiene and allergens in the kitchen.

What to measure

A serious game produces useful data for safety teams:

• Recurring mistakes, by scenario and department, showing where to act.
• Reaction times in emergency procedures.
• Completion and repetition of scenarios over time.
• Trends in reported near misses after the simulation is introduced.

Data should be collected in aggregate form, with workers informed and in line with GDPR: it is there to improve prevention, not to sanction people.

The limits, stated clearly

• A serious game does not replace mandatory courses or hands-on instruction on real equipment and machines.
• Not every part of training suits a simulation: some requires a trainer in the room.
• It only works if it is built on the company’s real risks and updated when processes and equipment change.

Frequently asked questions

Does a serious game count as mandatory safety training?

Not on its own: mandatory training follows national rules (in Italy, Legislative Decree 81/2008 and the 2025 State-Regions Agreement). A serious game can complement and reinforce it, and support hands-on instruction and refreshers over time. How to include it in the training plan should be decided with your safety manager and, if needed, your training provider.

Which sectors benefit most?

Any setting with specific risks and procedures to follow: manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, construction, food service and hospitality, healthcare, retail.

Does it work for workers who don’t play video games?

Yes, if it is designed for them: simple controls, clear instructions and short scenarios. No gaming experience is needed.

How long does it take to build?

It depends on the number of scenarios and languages. With an AI-accelerated development method, a first prototype covering one scenario can be ready quickly, to test with one department before rolling it out.

Sources

• Italian State-Regions Agreement of 17 April 2025 on health and safety training, summary by ANCE.
• INAIL annual report 2025, summary by PuntoSicuro.

Want to turn your company’s risks and procedures into scenarios people can practise? See our serious games or write to [email protected].