Aim and Content

Aim:

To provide knowledge on preventive measures for chemical factors in the workplace.

Contents:

• Hazardous substances: use and processes
• Sources of contaminants in the industry
• Hierarchy of control measures
• Control banding strategy in occupational hygiene
• Elimination and substitution of chemicals
• Engineering and administrative controls
• Industrial ventilation principles including natural, dilution and displacement ventilation
• Local exhaust ventilation
• Measurement of air velocity and flow in ventilation systems
• Personal protective equipment
• Methods for selection of aerosol and gas respirators and protective gloves
• Communication and training in control measures in the industry
• Evaluation of interventions in the work environment
• Industry examples
• Scientific articles on the impact of preventive measures at the workplace; Reading and discussions

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Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes:

Knowledge

At the end of the course, the students shall be able to:

• describe the range of approaches to risk reduction embodied in the hierarchy of control and select appropriate strategies for implementation
• describe methods for substitution of chemicals
• recognize and explain different principles of general industrial ventilation, and their strengths and weaknesses
• describe the elements of a local exhaust ventilation system, select appropriate installations and know how to carry out the necessary measurements to assess whether a local exhaust ventilation system is effective and operating to the design specification
• outline the limitations of local exhaust hoods and enclosures and the means to optimise their effectiveness
• describe specific hazards related to work in confined spaces, and how to reduce the health risk in such environments
• explain factors to take into account in order to calculate/determine the necessary protection factor when selecting respiratory protective equipment
• explain factors to consider when selecting chemical protective gloves
• describe how personal protective equipment programmes may be integrated into communication/training of workers in the industry

Skills

At the end of the course, the students shall be able to:

• use control-banding strategy for decisions on type and level of chemical control
• analyse the effect of a substitution based on physical/chemical properties of chemical hazards
• select appropriate personal protective equipment
• analyse statistically the effects of interventions in the working environment

General competence

• promote positive interaction and collaborative relationships between the different actors within occupational health
• a scientific way of thinking and a critical approach to research results
• written and oral communication and dissemination

Course offered (semester)

Spring

Course Unit Level

Master

Pre-requirements

Students admitted to a Masters degree Programme may join this course. A good Bachelor's degree in Medicine, Dentistry, Health Sciences or Natural Sciences. Good knowledge of English.

Teaching Methods

The course lasts four weeks and comprises lectures (24 hours), field work in the industry, group work, individual assignment, student presentations and critical analysis of relevant scientific articles.

The field work carried out in the industry and the individual assignment are essential parts of the course, with work load distributed throughout the course.

The field work include preparatory theoretical and practical work, literature review, industry visit, industrial process description, data collection, data analysis, group assignment and presentation of results and conclusions for discussion in the research group.

The individual assignments comprise relevant case studies from different industries where the focus is on preventive measures to reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals. The final written assignment is accompanied with student presentation and discussion in the research group.

Assessment methods

Written exam (3 hrs) and student presentation

2 internal examiners

Grading Scale

Grading scale A-F