School of Medical and Health Sciences

Researchers at ECU’s Mental Awareness Respect and Safety Centre (MARS) are focussed on workplace safety in future mining, addressing emerging risks and fostering health and safety innovation in new technologies.  The research includes an exploration of the role of mining workers and the impact on their exposure to physical and psychosocial risks

Have a look at the MARS Centre page!

Safer Construction projects

ECU researchers have explored the influence of Critical Control Risk Management on the safety performance within construction projects.  The findings revealed that while CCRM consistently improves hazard reporting and risk management practices, its impact on safety performance measures varies across projects and organisations.

Have a look at these papers which describe Dr Selleck's research in this area:

Determining the Reliability of Critical Controls in Construction Projects

Proposal for and validation of novel risk-based process to reduce the risk of construction site fatalities (Major Accident Prevention (MAP) program)

ECU is a core member of an interational group which aims to coordinate a series of projects concerned with updating the assessment of exposure to workplace aerosols.  There is excellent opportunty for research and collaboration which is having a imoact across the discipline!  Have a look at their ISCG web site or search "ECU dust"

Masterclass series: Critical risk control: This two-day masterclass is ideal for anyone working in the construction, mining and resource industries.  Delivered in partnership with University of Queensland Professor Maureen Hassall, this short course features critical risk control presentations and discussions to build your skills and the application of CRC management.

Short course: Workplace incident investigation skills: Learn essential skills to conduct effective incident investigations, including the Incident Cause Analysis Method, to help prevent future incidents. You’ll be guided through our incident investigators toolbox, the ICAM process and how to communicate your investigation findings.

In this RESP-FIT approved short course, you’ll learn how to undertake quantitative and qualitative respirator fit testing through an online theory component and with practical training and assessments.

For more information, please visit here

Short course: The ECU Safety Journey: A self paced online course to guide you and your team members through the risk based approach.

Occupational health and safety is the discipline concerned with managing the risk of workplace incident and injuries to an acceptable level.

If you are interested in these courses, please have a look at these pages, and if you have any questions, please contact Dr Bobbie Selleck who is the course coordinator for Occupational Health and Safety

We have two graduate certificates in OHS, which are are designed for people who have workplace experience but have not studied at an advanced level:

• Graduate Certificate Occupational Health and Safety
• Leadership in Mining Workplace Safety

The Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety is designed for people with a degree in the discipline.

The Masters in Occupational Health and Safety is designed for people with a degree and some practical experience, who want to study a broad series of topics at an advanced level.

Occupational hygiene, also known as industrial hygiene, is the discipline concerned with protecting worker health through identifying and managing exposure to workplace hazards.

If you are interested in these courses, please have a look at these pages.  If you have any questions, please contact Dr Adelle Liebenberg who is the course coordinator for Occupational Hygiene.

We have the following Occupational Hygiene courses:

• The Graduate Certificate in Occupational Hygiene Practice is designed for people who have workplace experience but how have not studied at an advanced level.  It is equivalent to an Occupational Hygience Technician.
• The Graduate Diploma in Occupational Hygiene is designed for people with a degree in the discipline, for people working towards being an Occupational Hygienist.
• The Masters in Occupational Hygiene is designed for people with a degree and who are working as an Occupational Hygienist, who want to study a broad series of topics at an advanced level, to progress to a COH (i.e. Certified Occupational Hygiene status).

Postgraduate student project opportunities

• Agriculture and fishing industry safety performance improvement
• Psychosocial wellbeing
• Risk Management and Safety Management Systems
• Organisational culture
• Analysis of safety datasets

For more information on research and ECU high degree program check out ECU Higher Degree by Research program.  After reviewing the course pages, please discuss potential PhD projects with A/Professor Marcus Cattani.

Professor Jacques Oosthuizen: Occupational hygiene and environmental health

Associate Professor Marcus Cattani: Occupational hygiene, Health and safety research, Deputy Director of the ECU MARS Centre

Dr Bobbie Selleck: Course Coordinator Occupational health and safety, construction safety research

Dr Adelle Liebenberg: Course Coordinator Occupational Hygiene, noise exposure and management control.

Dr Edmore Masaka: Course Coordinator Environmental Health; food safety and air misting systems