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  2. Occupational Hygiene Sampling and Study Design [OHS6176]

School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Occupational Hygiene Sampling and Study Design

  • Unit Code

    OHS6176

  • Year

    2021

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    2

  • Credit Points

    20

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    Online

  • Unit Coordinator

    A/Prof Sue REED

Description

Modern workplaces are often very complex with a variety of exposures to chemical, physical and biological agents. In developing best practice occupational monitoring protocols it is thus important that sampling will be conducted in an unbiased and scientifically rigorous way. This unit covers advanced aspects of occupational hygiene sampling strategies and statistical aspects associated with environmental sampling and study design.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded HST5176

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Argue the importance of establishing similar exposure groups (SEGs) in occupational hygiene sampling programs in the workplace.
  2. Assess the advantages and disadvantages of the various statistical exposure data modelling packages available for the analysis of occupational hygiene data.
  3. Design exposure monitoring strategies applicable to hazards which have a potentially health impact.
  4. Design strategies to quantify and assess workers exposures to multiple hazards.
  5. Develop a hazard management and control program for implementation in the workplace.
  6. Differentiate between various occupational exposure assessment strategies.
  7. Propose triggers to be used to initiate the reassessment of SEGs.
  8. Summarise the principles of occupational hygiene exposure assessment program.

Unit Content

  1. Designing an Exposure Monitoring Program.
  2. Exposure Assessment.
  3. Exposure Monitoring Strategies.
  4. Exposure to Multiple Contaminants.
  5. Health Hazard Control.
  6. Reassessment of Exposures.
  7. Similar Exposure Groups.
  8. Statistical Tools to Analysis Exposure Data.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Online delivery supported by discussion groups, study modules and prescribed texts.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentDevelopment of a Sampling Strategy 40%
PresentationData Analysis and Sampling Strategy Presentation 50%
Reflective PracticeReflection Paper on the Data Analysis and Sampling Strategy Presentation10%

Core Reading(s)

  • Jahn, S. D., Bullock, W. H., Ignacio, J. S., & Association., A. I. H. (2015). A strategy for assessing and managing occupational exposures (4th ed., pp. xiii, 569). AIHA. Retrieved from https://ecu.on.worldcat.org/oclc/918871382?databaseList=638
  • Ogden, T., Kromhout, H., Hirst, A., Hommes, K., Ingle, J., Van Rooij, J., … Tielemans, E. (2011). Testing compliance with occupational exposure limits for airborne substances. Derby, UK: BOHS & NVvA. Retrieved from https://www.arbeidshygiene.nl/-uploads/files/insite/2011-12-bohs-nvva-sampling-strategy-guidance.pdf

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

OHS6176|2|1

School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Occupational Hygiene Sampling and Study Design

  • Unit Code

    OHS6176

  • Year

    2021

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    3

  • Credit Points

    20

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    Online

  • Unit Coordinator

    A/Prof Sue REED

Description

Workers may be exposed to a variety of chemical, physical and biological hazards. A risk-based approach to the prevention of harm, requires a series of workplace exposure assessments to be conducted by an occupational hygienist. This unit covers advanced study design of occupational hygiene sampling strategies in particular the development of strategies to evaluate mixed hazard exposures across a variety of workplaces, statistical grouping and analysis of survey results. Students will learn about the development of best practice occupational hygiene monitoring protocols and developing unbiased surveys in a scientifically rigorous way.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded HST5176.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Design a sampling strategy to determine exposure to a range of workplace occupational health hazards.
  2. Use standard occupational hygiene modelling packages to statistically analyse and appropriately interpret exposure data.
  3. Present sampling strategy, data analysis, findings and outcomes to professional workplace audiences.
  4. Recommend appropriate improvements to occupational health hazard sampling strategies.
  5. Use self-reflective practices to evaluate personal and professional knowledge and behaviours.

Unit Content

  1. Introduction to Exposure Assessment
  2. Exposure Assessment
  3. Similar Exposure Groups
  4. Exposure Monitoring Strategies
  5. Designing an Exposure Monitoring Program
  6. Statistical Analysis and Interpretation of Results
  7. Exposure to Multiple Contaminants
  8. Health Hazard Control
  9. Reassessment of Exposures

Learning Experience

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECUs LMS as well as additional ECU l

Additional Learning Experience Information

Online delivery is supported by online discussion groups, learning modules and prescribed texts. Students will present live, on-line, to other students in the class.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentDevelopment of a Sampling Strategy 40%
PresentationData Analysis and Sampling Strategy Presentation 50%
Reflective PracticeReflection Paper on the Data Analysis and Sampling Strategy Presentation10%

Core Reading(s)

  • Jahn, S. D., Bullock, W. H., Ignacio, J. S., & Association., A. I. H. (2015). A strategy for assessing and managing occupational exposures (4th ed., pp. xiii, 569). AIHA. Retrieved from https://ecu.on.worldcat.org/oclc/918871382?databaseList=638
  • Ogden, T., Kromhout, H., Hirst, A., Hommes, K., Ingle, J., Van Rooij, J., … Tielemans, E. (2011). Testing compliance with occupational exposure limits for airborne substances. Derby, UK: BOHS & NVvA. Retrieved from https://www.arbeidshygiene.nl/-uploads/files/insite/2011-12-bohs-nvva-sampling-strategy-guidance.pdf

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

OHS6176|3|2