Occupational Health and Safety

(GCPR 44022)

W.D. Chanaka Udayanga

Faculty of computing and technology
University of Kelaniya
 Course Outline
Pre-requisites
• ETEC 12051 Engineering Workshop
• GTEC 12081 Physics for Technology – Laboratory II
• ETEC 12071 Chemistry for Technology Laboratory
Lectures
• 2 hours per week (online)
Grading criteria
• Mid-term examination 10% (TBC)
• Take home assignment/presentation 20%
• Final examination 70%
Recommended text books
st
• Occupational Health and Safety for The 21 Century, Friis, R.H.; Publisher, Jones & Bartlett
st
Learning, 2015, 1 Edition
• Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, Goetsch, D.L.;
th
Pearson, 2014, 8 Edition
• Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health, Friend, M.A.; Kohn, J.P.; Bernan Press, 2014,
6th Edition
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 Course Outline
Intended learning outcomes
• Describe the legislation related to occupational health and safety.
• Examine the history of occupational safety and health standards.
• Evaluate physical hazards in the workplace.
• Evaluate hazards from chemicals and toxic metals in the workplace.
• Evaluate biological and microbial hazards in the workplace.
• Describe the types of occupational diseases, and methods and controls to
prevent specific occupational injuries and diseases.
• Describe the basic principles of occupational ergonomics.
• Identify the purpose of first aid in the workplace.

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 Course Outline
Course syllabus summary
• Introduction to Occupational Health and Safety
• Physical Hazards in the Workplace
• Chemical Hazards in the Workplace
• Biological and Microbial Hazards in the Workplace
• Prevention and Control of Occupational Hazards
• Psychological Aspects of Work and Stress Management
• Occupational Ergonomics
• Occupational Diseases
• Occupational Injuries and Fatalities
• First aid in the workplace and its practices

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Introduction
• What is health?
• Tell your answer: www.menti.com
• Enter code: 3219 9762

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Introduction
• What is health?

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Introduction
• What is health?

Robbin Williams Sushant Singh Rajput Chester Bennington

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Introduction
• What is health?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCWImsohKT0&ab_channel=LinkinParkEvolution Chester Bennington

Depression does not discriminate
https://www.who.int/teams/mental-health-and-substance-use/suicide-data 8
 Introduction
• What is health?
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO)

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Introduction
What is safety?
 Introduction
What is safety?
“Safety is the condition of being protected from harm or other non-
desirable outcomes. Or control of recognized hazards in order to
achieve an acceptable level of risk” (Wikipedia)

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 Introduction
What is Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)?

“Concerned with preserving and protecting human and facility resources

in the workplace”
(Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health, Friend, M.A.; Kohn, J.P.; Bernan
Press, 2014, 6th Edition)

“Concerned with the safety, health and welfare of people at work”

(Wikipedia)

When include the protection of environment: Environment, Health and

Safety (EHS/ EH & S)
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Definition
Occupational health should aim at: the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical,
mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the prevention amongst workers of
departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their
employment from risk resulting from factors adverse to health; the placing and maintenance of
workers in an environment adapted to their physiological and psychological capabilities; and, to
summarize, the adaptation of work to workers and of each worker to his or her job.
The main focus in occupational health is on three different objectives: (i) the maintenance and
promotion of workers’ health and working capacity; (ii) the improvement of working environment and
work to become conducive to safety and health; and (iii) development of work organizations and
working cultures in a direction which supports health and safety at work and, in doing so, also
promotes a positive social climate and smooth operation, and may enhance the productivity of the
enterprises. The concept of working culture is intended in this context to mean reflection of the
essential value systems adopted by the enterprise concerned. Such culture is reflected in practice in
the managerial systems, personnel policy, principles for participation, training policies and quality
management of the enterprise
-ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health-

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Importance of OSH

Images: pinterest.com 14
 Importance of OSH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ekZiLX5FVg&ab_channel=VIDEOHOLICVIDEOHOLIC
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Importance of OSH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNH4eE3RYUM&ab_channel=BilalOz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=993wlZ6XFSs&ab_channel=BBCNews

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 Importance of OSH – fatal incidents
Year Incident Location Fatalities
2013 Rana Plaza, a building containing several factories, Savar, Bangladesh more than 1,100
collapses
1984 42 tons of lethal methyl isocyanate Bhopal, India 2,259 (immediately)
leak from the Union Carbide pesticide plant An estimated 25,000 are believed to have
died since the exposure

1942 A coal dust and gas explosion in a mine Liaoning, China 1,549
1986 Explosion during an unauthorized test at the Chernobyl Prypiat, Ukraine 50 due to radiation
nuclear power plant 3,940 due to radiation induced cancer and
leukaemia
1947 Fire nearly 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate on S.S. Texas, USA 581
Grandcamp vessel causes explosion
1984 Explosions at a Liquid Petroleum Gas tank farm San Juanico, Mexico 500
1906 Coal dust explosion Courrieres, France 1,099
1976 ICMESA, a chemical manufacturing plant, releases Seveso, Italy 3,300 farm animals
dioxins 80,000 animals are later slaughtered
1989 Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker, spills 260,000 to 750,000 Alaska, USA 100,000 to 250,000 seabirds
barrels of crude oil into the sea
2000 Explosion at a fireworks storage depot Enschede, 23
Netherlands
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https://www.infoplease.com/world/disasters/man-made/worst-industrial-accidents-in-history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_industrial_disasters
Importance of OSH
Chernobyl nuclear power plant
1986 Explosion during an unauthorized test at the Prypiat, Ukraine 50 due to radiation
Chernobyl nuclear power plant 3,940 due to radiation induced cancer
and leukemia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5ptI6Pi3GA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00hzL9oZjEE

Bhopal disaster
1984 42 tons of lethal methyl isocyanate Bhopal, India 2,259 (immediately)
leak from the Union Carbide pesticide plant An estimated 25,000 are believed to
have died since from the exposure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwPSDMUtNmk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCOugTgCKmg&ab_channel=ITNArchive

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Importance of OSH

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 Importance of OSH

https://www.adaderana.lk/
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