Course Title: Workplace Health and Safety

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Workplace Health and Safety

Credit Points: 12.00


Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

PUBH1340

City Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2010

Course Coordinator: Leo Ruschena

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 1982

Course Coordinator Email: leo.ruschena@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: City 13.D.18

Course Coordinator Availability: ad hoc


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

There are no prerequisites, and this course would suit business, engineering, science, health science or nursing programs.


Course Description

This subject provides students with an understanding of the legal requirements of occupational health & safety facing managers in industrial or office workplaces, and practical issues related to common hazard identification, and assessment and control of risks associated with those hazards.
Managers have legislated requirements, and failure to understand this can result in legal liability leading to prosecution and/or common law suit, and workplace damage and /or injury, including death.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Identify and describe relevant statute and common law, sources of information, standards and best practice relevant to OHS
Apply risk management framework.
Apply control hierarchy.
Identify hazards and controls related to common workplace situations
Describe and give examples of human error, accident theory, and continuous improvement process
Describe issues resolution processes, consultation requirements and apply these through specific hazard / risk assessments
Explain instruction requirements of Non English Speaking Background employees.
Develop report writing skills


On successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
• Access and understand relevant law – specifically OHS Act, Dangerous Goods Act, Accident Compensation Act.
• Access and understand relevant Regulations (and associated Guides) covering Bullying, Hazardous Substances, Noise, Manual Handling, Plant, Dangerous Goods, Confined Spaces, Resolution of Issues.
• Identify ergonomics and person / machine / environment interface, and implication for mismatches leading to errors and accidents.
• Implement consultation requirements in relation to organisational change, and specific hazard risk management.
• Explain and apply hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control to workplaces using tools such as Job Safety Analysis
• Identify sources of information including relevant Australian and overseas Standards.


Overview of Learning Activities

Course content will be made up of theory and case studies that would be applicable in a majority of workplaces.
Lectures will be one (3 hours) per week. At these lectures, demonstrations of appropriate instrumentation and measurements will also be provided, where applicable. At these demonstrations, students will have the opportunity to operate the measurement equipment. There may be an optional works visit to demonstrate specific safety situations, and students would apply inspection skills learnt as part of the theory.
Use is made of video material.
Students will be provided with source information, but would also have access the web to download a range of information including legislation, Codes of Practice, Australian Standards. This is an essential learning activity.
Assignments will be designed to assess understanding of theory of risk management and legal requirements, and may involve real work situations (depending on individual circumstances), for example, the student may undertake a risk assessment at their place of work. Alternate situations will be provided for those not employed.


Overview of Learning Resources

Reference text:
Stewart M, Heys F "Occupational Health & Safety" 2004, McGraw Hill
Useful reading/reference material will be forwarded by Lecturer in class and will be made available on the DLS.
Students will be required to utilize library facilities, particularly to access Australian Standards and legislation


Overview of Assessment

While not mandatory to attend lectures, it is expected that those not doing so will find it difficult to complete the requirements of the course.