Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Natural 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

    Environmental and Health Risk Assessment
  • Unit Code

    SCI5133
  • Year

    2015
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    20
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    Online

Description

In this unit, the theory and practice of conducting environmental and health risk assessment, communication and management are examined. The processes and information requirements in theassessment, communication and management of environmental and health risks are described and the fundamental principles of risk communication are applied to environmental and healthissues.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Acquire and use the information required to undertake environmental and health risk assessment
  2. Effectively communicate risk.
  3. Evaluate and applythe principles of risk management.
  4. Investigate an environmental exposure problem and undertake an environmental or health risk assessment and report on the findings.

Unit Content

  1. Computer packages, standards and guidelines used to undertake environmental and health risk assessment
  2. Information requirements for the conduct of health and environmental risk assessments.
  3. Legal, administrative and decision making frameworks for the application of risk assessment to environmental (including health) problem solving.
  4. Principles and practice of risk communication.
  5. Principles and practice of risk management.
  6. Quantitative and qualitative methods of risk assessment.
  7. The theory and practice of environmental and health risk assessment.

Additional Learning Experience Information

For this unit, learning material is provided in an on-line environment. Students work on a case study developing risk communications skills, an understanding of the risk assessment process and presentation of a risk management options.

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 Board of Examiners.

ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyRisk Communication Assessment and Planning30%
ProjectRisk Assessment Report 50%
PresentationRisk Management Presentation20%

Text References

  • NEPC (1999) Contaminated sites guidelines National Environment Protection Council (NEPC). National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) 1999
  • Al Damkhi AM (2007) Risk communication: Around the world. Risk Management behind Kuwait's Firefighting Emergency Plan. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 13: 449-456.
  • Kookana R, Correll R, Barnes M (2006). Ecological risk assessment for terrestrial ecosystems: The summary of discussions and recommendations from the Adelaide workshop (2004). Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 12: 130-138
  • enHealth (2002). Environmental health risk assessment: Guidelines for assessing human health risks from environmental hazards. Canberra: Department of Health and Ageing and enHealth Council.
  • USEPA (2007) Risk communication in action: The risk communication workbook. National risk management research laboratory. http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/625r06012/625r06012.pdf

Journal References

  • Journal of Risk Analysis

Website References


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.

SCI5133|1|1

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Natural 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

    Environmental and Health Risk Assessment
  • Unit Code

    SCI5133
  • Year

    2015
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    20
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    Online

Description

In this unit, the theory and practice of conducting environmental and health risk assessment, communication and management are examined. The processes and information requirements in theassessment, communication and management of environmental and health risks are described and the fundamental principles of risk communication are applied to environmental and healthissues.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Acquire and use the information required to undertake environmental and health risk assessment
  2. Effectively communicate risk.
  3. Evaluate and applythe principles of risk management.
  4. Investigate an environmental exposure problem and undertake an environmental or health risk assessment and report on the findings.

Unit Content

  1. Computer packages, standards and guidelines used to undertake environmental and health risk assessment
  2. Information requirements for the conduct of health and environmental risk assessments.
  3. Legal, administrative and decision making frameworks for the application of risk assessment to environmental (including health) problem solving.
  4. Principles and practice of risk communication.
  5. Principles and practice of risk management.
  6. Quantitative and qualitative methods of risk assessment.
  7. The theory and practice of environmental and health risk assessment.

Additional Learning Experience Information

For this unit, learning material is provided in an on-line environment. Students work on a case study developing risk communications skills, an understanding of the risk assessment process and presentation of a risk management options.

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 Board of Examiners.

ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyRisk Communication Assessment and Planning30%
ProjectRisk Assessment Report 50%
PresentationRisk Management Presentation20%

Text References

  • NEPC (1999) Contaminated sites guidelines National Environment Protection Council (NEPC). National Environment Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) 1999
  • Al Damkhi AM (2007) Risk communication: Around the world. Risk Management behind Kuwait's Firefighting Emergency Plan. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 13: 449-456.
  • Kookana R, Correll R, Barnes M (2006). Ecological risk assessment for terrestrial ecosystems: The summary of discussions and recommendations from the Adelaide workshop (2004). Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 12: 130-138
  • enHealth (2002). Environmental health risk assessment: Guidelines for assessing human health risks from environmental hazards. Canberra: Department of Health and Ageing and enHealth Council.
  • USEPA (2007) Risk communication in action: The risk communication workbook. National risk management research laboratory. http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/625r06012/625r06012.pdf

Journal References

  • Journal of Risk Analysis

Website References


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.

SCI5133|1|2