Description

What this module is

This is the hand safety module in Humulo’s OSHA library. A trainee works through industrial tasks in a standalone headset and has to spot the pinch points, unguarded moving parts, sharp edges and heat sources before putting a hand anywhere near them. It then covers glove selection against the specific hazard, inspecting and donning PPE, tool control, and where lockout/tagout and machine guarding fit in. Hand and finger injuries are the kind that end careers quietly, and the mechanism is almost always a hand placed somewhere it did not need to be.

Module specifications

What a trainee actually does

The trainee identifies hand hazards in a work area before starting a task, not after. Glove selection is a decision they have to make rather than read about: cut-resistant, chemical-resistant or insulated, matched to what is actually in front of them. They don, doff and inspect the PPE, including finding defects and wear. Tool sections cover knives, cutters and powered tools, keeping control of a tool, and storage. Machinery scenarios focus on hand placement, and they run both ways so the trainee sees what the unsafe version produces. Lockout/tagout and guarding appear here because most serious hand injuries on machinery are a guarding or energy-isolation failure first and a hand-placement failure second. Incident response and prompt reporting close it out. The quiz and the scenario tests are both graded.

How this maps to OSHA 1910.138, 1910.132(f) and 1910.212, and where it stops

29 CFR 1910.138(a) requires employers to select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection where hands are exposed to hazards such as skin absorption of harmful substances, severe cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, punctures, chemical burns, thermal burns and harmful temperature extremes. 1910.138(b) requires that selection be based on an evaluation of the performance characteristics of the hand protection against the task, the conditions, the duration of use and the hazards identified. Worth knowing: 1910.138 itself contains no training requirement. The trainable duty for gloves lives in the PPE standard, 1910.132(f)(1), which requires training on when PPE is necessary, what PPE is necessary, how to don, doff, adjust and wear it, its limitations, and its care, maintenance, useful life and disposal. 1910.132(f)(2) requires the employee to demonstrate an understanding of that training and the ability to use the PPE before doing work that requires it, and 1910.132(f)(3)(i) through (iii) set the retraining triggers. Machine guarding is 1910.212(a)(1) and the point-of-operation requirement in 1910.212(a)(3)(ii), and energy isolation is 1910.147. This module carries that content and records completion per trainee.

Where it stops: a guard is an engineering control the employer has to install, and 1910.212 obliges you to install it whether or not anyone has been trained. No module substitutes for a missing guard, and if you are training around an unguarded point of operation you have the wrong fix. Glove fit is also a physical matter. VR can teach someone which glove class the job calls for and how to inspect one, but the fit check happens on the actual glove on the actual hand. OSHA does not certify training products from any vendor, and neither does Humulo claim it does.

Licensing and price

This module is not sold on its own. It ships with every Humulo headset as part of the whole library, and every trainee gets their own seat at no extra charge. Most VR training vendors will not give you a number without a sales call. Humulo’s are published, and they are the same numbers quoted to a two-person shop and to a Fortune 100 plant.

No multi-year contract, and year-two renewal is optional. Full detail sits on the VR training pricing page, and the per-employee math against classroom and e-learning delivery is worked out in safety training cost per employee.

Frequently asked questions

Does OSHA require hand safety training?

Indirectly, and this trips people up. 29 CFR 1910.138 requires employers to select and require appropriate hand protection but contains no training requirement of its own. The training duty for gloves is in the PPE standard at 1910.132(f), which requires training on when and what PPE is necessary, how to don, doff, adjust and wear it, its limitations and its care, and requires the employee to demonstrate understanding before doing the work.

How do you choose the right glove under 1910.138?

29 CFR 1910.138(b) requires the choice be based on an evaluation of the hand protection’s performance characteristics relative to the task to be performed, the conditions present, the duration of use and the hazards and potential hazards identified. In practice that means matching glove class to mechanism: cut-resistant for sharp edges, chemical-resistant for absorption and chemical burns, insulated for thermal extremes. One general-purpose glove for the whole plant does not meet the standard.

Does this module cover machine guarding and lockout/tagout?

It covers both as they relate to hand safety: identifying and maintaining effective guards under 29 CFR 1910.212, and applying lockout/tagout under 1910.147 before putting hands into a machine. It is not a substitute for a full LOTO authorized-employee course; Humulo ships a separate lockout/tagout module for that.

What does it cost?

Pricing is per headset, not per trainee. Every trainee gets their own seat with the full Humulo library at no extra cost. Headsets are $2,349 in year one and $750 per headset for service after that. A one-headset 30-day pilot is $3,499 and is fully refundable.

Which headsets does it run on?

Meta Quest and PICO 4 Ultra Enterprise. It runs offline once loaded, so it works on secured or air-gapped sites where a cloud-dependent platform will not.

Related

The PPE requirement behind this module is broken down in OSHA PPE training requirements and VR PPE training, with every standard indexed on OSHA training requirements. Closely related modules: VR lockout/tagout training, slips, trips and falls, HAZWOPER/HAZCOM. The whole catalog is on the VR training module catalog, and the program-level overview is enterprise VR safety training.

Original course outline

VR Training Scenario: Hand Safety in Industrial Environments

Average Experience Length:

Variable, depending on interaction with scenario-driven hazard simulations and practical safety exercises.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify primary hand injury risks in industrial and manufacturing settings.

• Understand best practices for protecting hands through proper tool use, equipment handling, and PPE selection.

• Apply correct techniques to avoid hand-related injuries, including cuts, crushes, punctures, and amputations.

• Foster proactive safety habits and personal accountability for hand protection.

Enabling Objectives:

• Recognize potential hand hazards in various work tasks.

• Demonstrate correct use of protective gloves and other hand-specific PPE.

• Practice safe hand positioning techniques during machinery operation and maintenance.

Student Materials:

• PICO Neo Virtual Reality Headset

• Hand Safety VR Training Software

Overview:

Introduction to Hand Safety:

• Overview of common types and causes of hand injuries (cuts, fractures, burns, crush injuries).

• Importance of hand safety in preserving long-term functionality and quality of life.

• Industry-specific statistics and real-world impact of hand injuries.

Hand Hazard Identification:

• Interactive, immersive scenarios to identify common hand hazards such as pinch points, moving machinery parts, sharp tools, and heat sources.

• Trainees practice identifying hazards proactively before engaging in tasks.

Proper PPE Use:

• Detailed guidance on selecting appropriate gloves for specific tasks (cut-resistant, chemical-resistant, insulated).

• Interactive practice with donning, doffing, and inspecting PPE for defects or wear.

Safe Tool Handling:

• Instructions and interactive demonstrations on the correct use of hand tools (knives, cutters, powered tools).

• Techniques for safely maintaining control over tools, maintaining sharpness, and proper storage.

Machinery Operation Safety:

• Realistic VR scenarios emphasizing safe hand placement and operation of industrial machinery.

• Interactive simulations demonstrating the severe outcomes of unsafe practices versus proper techniques.

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) and Guarding:

• Application of LOTO procedures and understanding the critical role in hand safety.

• Training in the identification and maintenance of effective machinery guards.

Incident Response and First Aid:

• Basic instruction on immediate response actions following a hand injury.

• Guidelines on reporting incidents promptly and seeking medical assistance.

Evaluation and Feedback:

• Real-time guidance and corrections during scenario interactions.

• Scenario-based assessments focused on hazard identification accuracy and safety behavior reinforcement.

• Final quiz and scenario tests to evaluate retention of key safety practices.

Evaluation:

Trainees are assessed through practical interactions in VR scenarios, demonstrating the ability to identify hazards, select and use appropriate PPE, handle tools safely, and follow LOTO procedures effectively. Passing criteria include successful completion of scenario-based tasks, correct hazard identification, and achieving satisfactory results on safety quizzes and practical assessments.