UXO Awareness Training for Federal Construction Sites

A federal government agency manages construction projects on Department of National Defence (DND) sites across Canada—properties with historical military activities that left unexploded ordnance (UXO) buried in the ground. When construction workers encounter suspicious objects during excavation, trenching, or demolition, their immediate response determines whether lives are saved or lost.

The project, titled "Stop Work. Secure the Area. Report." aimed to equip 500-1000 construction workers, equipment operators, and site supervisors with a life-saving 4-step protocol for UXO encounters.

This wasn't simply a knowledge recall challenge—it was a behavior change challenge in a safety-critical context. The training had to transform compliance-driven workers into confident protocol executors who would stop work immediately in high-stress situations, even when uncertain.

Performance Gap Analysis:

Current State:

• Workers delayed stop-work responses, continuing to dig "to see what it is"
• Personnel touched, moved, or photographed suspicious objects at close range
• Inconsistent reporting through chain of command (skipping steps, calling wrong contacts)
• Documentation gaps increased risk exposure and project delays

Desired State:

• 100% immediate stop-work compliance upon encountering suspicious objects
• Zero incidents of workers handling or approaching potential UXO
• Consistent, accurate reporting through established chain
• Complete incident documentation

Audience Challenges:

• Demographics: Ages 18-65+, wide experience range, high school to technical certifications
• Context: Field environment with distractions, weather, limited training time
• Devices: Primarily smartphones and tablets (80%+ mobile)
• Attitude: "Just want to work" mindset—low intrinsic motivation for compliance training
• Constraints: 15-20 minute maximum duration, must work offline, need to function with work gloves

I applied the ADDIE framework integrated with Merrill's First Principles, Gagné's Nine Events of Instruction, and Mayer's Multimedia Learning principles to ensure systematic, rigorous design.

I designed a 5-module microlearning course (15-20 minutes total) that bridged training to real-world field application:

Module 1: Why This Matters (5 min)

• Opened with real incident: "In 2019, a worker followed protocol—stopped work, secured the area, reported. Bomb disposal confirmed live ordnance. Zero injuries. The protocol saved lives."
• Positive framing (success story, not fear-based) established relevance immediately

Module 2: Recognize Suspicious Objects (3 min)

• Interactive flashcard stack with 6 red flags
• Image sorting practice: 3 suspicious vs. 3 normal objects

Module 3: The Protocol (7 min)

• 4-step process: Stop → Secure (25m exclusion zone) → Report (chain of command) → Wait (expert clearance only)
• Color-coded system: Red (stop), Yellow (secure), Blue (report), Green (wait)
• 90-second demonstration video with narration and captions
• Role-specific tabs for workers, supervisors, and site authorities

Module 4: Practice Scenarios (3 min)

• 3 branching scenarios with consequence-based feedback
• Scenario 1 (Excavation): Worker chooses "continue digging" → explosion animation: "NEVER continue digging. Vibration could detonate." → Retry
• Safe failure environment allowed learners to make mistakes and see outcomes without real-world consequences

Module 5: Assessment & Resources (2 min)

• 10-question quiz: 80% pass threshold, but 100% accuracy required on critical safety items
• Downloadable job aid (PDF + mobile PNG)
• Certificate generation and safety commitment acknowledgment

Three key design decisions shaped the effectiveness of this training:

Success was measured using the Kirkpatrick model to track reaction, learning, behavior, and business results:

Level 1: Reaction (Learner Satisfaction)

• Target: ≥4.0/5.0 satisfaction ("This training was clear, practical, and valuable")
• Pre/post confidence: +1.5 point increase ("I feel confident applying the protocol")

Level 2: Learning (Knowledge & Skill Acquisition)

• Target: ≥85% average assessment score
• 100% accuracy required on critical safety items: stop work immediately, 25m exclusion zone, correct reporting chain, wait for expert clearance
• Unlimited attempts with targeted remediation (mastery-based learning)

Level 3: Behavior (On-the-Job Application)

• Target: 100% protocol adherence in real UXO incidents
• Target: 80%+ sites have job aid accessible (posted at site office or with crews)
• Follow-up survey at 30-90 days post-training: Job aid usage, protocol confidence

Level 4: Results (Business Impact)

• Target: 50% reduction in protocol deviations year-over-year
• Target: 30% reduction in discovery-to-notification time
• Target: Zero injuries or fatalities from improper UXO handling
• Target: Reduced project delays due to improper incident management

This project reinforced that effective compliance training requires understanding the true performance context. The audience wasn't sitting at desks—they were in field environments with distractions, weather, and time pressure. Designing for that reality (mobile-first, offline-capable, job aid at point of need) was the difference between a course people complete and a system that changes behavior.

The assessment-first approach was critical. By designing the 10-question assessment before developing content, I ensured learning objectives drove instruction. The decision to require 100% accuracy on critical safety items (instead of just 80% overall) reinforced that safety-critical behaviors demand mastery, not partial competence.

If I were to iterate, I'd pilot the job aid earlier in development to gather field usability data before finalizing the laminated version. Testing outdoor readability, glove manipulation, and protocol lookup speed with real workers would have provided valuable insights for refinement.