Overview
This unit provides an overview of occupational health and safety as a discipline. Students will trace the history and development of the discipline and develop an appreciation of the impact of the occupational environment on the health and safety of individuals. Students will examine the costs and benefits of strategies to prevent occupational injury and illness and be introduced to the different specialities within the OHS discipline.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2023
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE feedback.
This unit was a pleasure to undertake and was very informative.
Only one comment was received from a student this term, which was very positive, and it is therefore recommended to keep the teaching and assessment format of this unit for future deliveries.
Feedback from Unit Coordinator
Update the Assessment 1 Quiz which is worth 40% with a view to making it related to the first 4 weeks teaching content.
It is recommended to review and update the Quiz for assessment 1 looking at new questions related to OHS Body of Knowledge first 4 weeks readings rather than OHS history focussed.
- Trace the history and development of occupational health and safety.
- Identify the essential elements of occupational health and safety.
- Describe the impact of occupational injury and disease on individuals, organisations and society.
- Source risk management and prevention guidance material.
- Construct a reflective mind map related to occupational health and safety topics.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
k.perry@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Lecture/Tutorial: Introduction to the Unit
Chapter
All Chapters are from the OHS Body of Knowledge (BoK):
Chapter 3 - The Generalist OHS Professional
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture/Tutorial: The Extent of the OHS Problem
Chapter
Chapter 4 - Global Concepts - Work
Chapter 5 - Global Concepts - Safety
Chapter 6 - Global Concepts - Health
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture/Tutorial: Humans
Chapter
Chapter 7.1 - The Human: As a biological system
Chapter 8.1 - The Human: Basic psychological principles
Chapter 8.2 - The Human: Basic principles of social interaction
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded Lecture: Organisations
Chapter
Chapter 10.1 - The Organisation
Chapter 10.2.1 - Organisational Culture
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded Lecture: Socio-political Context
Chapter
Chapter 9.1 - Socio-political context in Australia
Chapter 9.2 - Work Health and Safety Law in Australia
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial
Module/Topic
Pre-recorded Lecture: Hazards and Risks
Chapter
Chapter 15 - Hazard as a Concept
Chapter 31.1. - Risk
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial
Online Quiz Due: Week 6 Friday (22 Dec 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture/Tutorial: Control: Prevention and Intervention
Chapter
Chapter 34.1 - Control: Prevention and Intervention
Chapter 34.2 - User-Centric Safe Design Approach to Control
Chapter 34.3 - Health and Safety in Design
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture/Tutorial: - Systems
Chapter
Chapter 12.1 - Systems
Chapter 12.2 - OHS Management Systems
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture/Tutorial: Models of Causation - Safety
Chapter
Chapter 32 - Models of Causation - Safety
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture/Tutorial: Models of Causation - Health Determinants
Chapter
Chapter 33 - Models of Causation - Health Determinates
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture/Tutorial: Introduction to OHS Practice
Chapter
Chapter 37 - Introduction to 'practice' as a concept
Chapter 39.1 - The OHS professional as a 'critical consumer' of research
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Lecture: Introduction to OHS - Unit Summary
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Online Quiz(zes)
In this assessment you will complete (one) online quiz via the Moodle site which covers your understanding of some of the essential elements of OHS which you have learnt about during the first 5 weeks of lectures for this unit including:-
(1) the early foundational History of OHS in the United Kingdom (England);
(2) the extent of the OHS problem in Australia;
(3) Humans;
(4) Organisations; and
(5) OHS Law.
Students will be required to complete a quiz which is made up of 40 questions, each worth one mark. Whilst students will only be allowed one final submission for the whole quiz, students will be able to access the quiz and complete their answers at any time before their final submission by the assessment 1 due date. If students fail to formally submit their quiz by the due date, the quiz will be graded on any answers allocated to questions which the student completed before the due date.
Questions are made up of multiple choice or true/false responses.
1
Other
Week 6 Friday (22 Dec 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Automatic Grading will be completed for the quiz after the Assessment 1 due date
Minimum mark or grade: To pass this unit students must obtain a minimum grade of 50% for all assessment tasks.
The quiz will be automatically graded based on the student's answers after the submission due date for Assessment 1.
- Trace the history and development of occupational health and safety.
- Identify the essential elements of occupational health and safety.
- Describe the impact of occupational injury and disease on individuals, organisations and society.
- Source risk management and prevention guidance material.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
As an OHS professional your role is to reduce the occurrence and impact of occupational injuries and diseases. Therefore, for this this assessment you will display via a Mind Map your understanding of what the impacts of occupational injury and disease are on individuals, organisations and society.
Using the term 'occupational injury and disease' as the center of your Mind Map you should show three branches (each with their own sub-branches) which display in detail your understanding of: -
1.The key impacts on individuals of occupational injury and disease,
2. The key impacts on organsiations of occupational injury and disease, and
3. The key impacts on society as a whole of occupational injury and disease.
Presentation Format:
You are required to prepare a ONE-page Mind Map of your understanding of the impacts of occupational injury and disease under each of the 3 key branches referred to above.
Examples of Mind Maps will be given in Moodle, however, please feel free to research Mind Maps and think about how you would like to present your work.
Week 8 Monday (8 Jan 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Within 2 weeks of due date
Minimum mark or grade: To pass this unit students must obtain a minimum grade of 50% for all assessment tasks.
When grading this submission specific attention will concentrate on the following:-
1. Displaying an understanding of the impact of occupational injury and disease on individuals (30%);
2. Displaying an understanding of the impact of occupational injury and disease on organisations (30%);
3. Displaying an understanding of the impact of occupational injury and disease on society (30%); and
4. Creativity and display of the Mind Map (10%).
A detailed marking matrix will be provided via the Moodle site.
- Trace the history and development of occupational health and safety.
- Identify the essential elements of occupational health and safety.
- Describe the impact of occupational injury and disease on individuals, organisations and society.
- Source risk management and prevention guidance material.
- Construct a reflective mind map related to occupational health and safety topics.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Written Assessment
OHS professionals work in complex systems of work in what has been termed the Fifth Age of Safety or the Adaptive Age. As an early career OHS professional you are required to prepare a written paper that demonstrates your understanding of the key notions linked to OHS modern day work. You are therefore required to: -
1. Discuss your understanding of the Fifth Age of Safety / The Adaptive Age;
2. Discuss the notions of Safety-I and Safety-II including how safety is now thought to be achieved by adaptations to changing circumstances through variability in human performance; and
3. Discuss why an understanding of complex socio-technical systems is important for modern day OHS professionals.
You will need to refer to the paper by Borys, Else and Leggett (2009) titled 'The Fifth Age of Safety: The Adaptive Age' and further support your writing with a total of at least 10 references.
Submission should be in Word format only - Not PDF. Length - 1500 words.
Week 12 Friday (9 Feb 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Two weeks after due date
Minimum mark or grade: To pass this unit students must obtain a minimum grade of 50% for all assessment tasks.
Assessment Criteria:
Ability to discuss an understanding of the 5th Age of Safety - the Adaptive Age - 30%
Ability to discuss the notions of Safety-I and Safety-II including an understanding of human performance variability which is now acknowledged as necessary for OHS - 30%
Ability to discuss the importance of a complex socio-technical systems view of OHS - 30%
Correct Use of Harvard Style Referencing - 10%
A detailed marking matrix will be available to you via the Moodle site.
- Trace the history and development of occupational health and safety.
- Identify the essential elements of occupational health and safety.
- Describe the impact of occupational injury and disease on individuals, organisations and society.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
