Home
Software
AR/Apps
VR/Meta
VR SOP
AI
CGI
Partners
Industries
About
Blog
Contact
Using VR and AR to Improve Pressure System Safety Training
Relevant case studies
Author: Spark Team
Using VR and AR to Improve Pressure System Safety Training
Pressure vessels, pipework, compressors, steam systems and associated equipment are fundamental to chemical and petrochemical manufacturing. They also contain stored energy that must be understood and controlled before intrusive work begins.
For operators and maintenance personnel, recognising pressure-system hazards is therefore not simply an engineering exercise. It is a core element of safe plant operation.
VR can recreate pressure-related scenarios that would be difficult or inappropriate to reproduce physically, while AR can provide contextual information around live equipment.
Why Pressure Systems Demand Strong Procedural Competence
The HSE states that the purpose of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 is to prevent serious injury arising from stored energy following failure of a pressure system.
Safe isolation guidance similarly addresses reducing the risk of releasing hazardous substances when intrusive activities are carried out on plant and equipment.
This places considerable importance on understanding:
Equipment boundaries
Pressure indicators
Isolation points
Stored pressure
Drain and vent arrangements
Depressurisation sequences
Verification before opening equipment
Simulating Stored Energy in VR
In a bespoke virtual scenario, an engineer might be asked to prepare a section of process equipment for maintenance.
They would need to follow the client's approved procedure and identify all relevant energy sources before confirming that work can begin.
The scenario can deliberately include mistakes such as an overlooked branch connection or apparently isolated line that remains pressurised.
A real incident recorded by OSHA involved maintenance personnel working on ammonia lines where a worker began disconnecting the wrong line while it remained under pressure, illustrating how identification and verification can remain critical even when isolation activities have been undertaken.
Immersive training cannot guarantee that incidents will never occur, but it can allow workers to practise recognising exactly this category of failure without exposing them to the hazard.
Practising the Full Isolation Sequence
Depending on the organisation's procedures, a VR module could require trainees to:
Identify the equipment to be worked on.
Trace associated pipework.
Select isolation points.
Shut down associated equipment.
Apply required isolation controls.
Depressurise and drain.
Confirm indications.
Verify the required state.
Complete the relevant authorisation process.
Incorrect decisions can be logged and discussed during debriefing.
AR for Live Pressure-System Information
AR could complement the training by allowing technicians to access approved plant information in context.
Pointing a device towards a vessel or line could display:
Equipment identification
Design or operating information where appropriate
Isolation references
Relevant P&ID detail
Inspection points
Maintenance instructions
Warnings associated with the task
The exact information presented would depend on the customer's safety, cybersecurity and operational requirements.
Teaching Operators When to Stop
One of the most useful behaviours VR can teach is not an action but a refusal to act.
If the plant state does not match the procedure, the correct response may be to pause the task and escalate.
A good training simulation can therefore reward trainees for identifying ambiguity rather than pushing them towards completing the scenario regardless of circumstances.
Supporting Competence Before Turnarounds
Pressure-system interventions often increase during maintenance shutdowns and turnarounds.
Rehearsing selected tasks virtually beforehand can give employees and contractors familiarity with the equipment and required sequence before the maintenance window begins.
This can reduce time spent learning the environment during an already compressed schedule.
Measurable Assessment
VR provides an opportunity to record more than course attendance.
A client may choose to measure:
Incorrect isolation choices
Missed verification stages
Unsafe opening attempts
Time to identify abnormal conditions
Final assessment score
That creates evidence about where procedural understanding is strong and where retraining is required.
Conclusion
Pressure-system safety relies heavily on correct identification, isolation, depressurisation and verification. These are procedural skills that can be rehearsed effectively in a realistic virtual environment.
VR provides the safe rehearsal space. AR provides contextual guidance when personnel reach the physical asset.
Spark creates bespoke VR and AR applications based around real customer equipment and SOPs rather than generic training packages. To discuss a pressure-system training application, contact Spark.
© 2026 All Rights Reserved | Company Reg No. 05327622 | Spark Emerging Technologies Limited
