Overview
In Exposures and Health Risk students will use a problem based approach to analyse contemporary issues in occupational health. The unit content will emphasise the role of toxicology, the nature of illness and injury caused by exposure to hazards and the principle of critical assessment of urgency and severity. Students will develop a practical solutions approach to the advanced elimination and risk management of hazards. On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to use a systems oriented approach to extend and apply their knowledge to new issues of health risk as they arise in the workplace.
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 2 - 2017
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 Postgraduate 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 Student feedback
Group work had challenges but generally worked well.
Review the group work project and consider the use of a group contract.
No action has yet been taken as this unit is no longer offered in Term 1. This unit will be offered in Term 2.
- Analyse actual occupational health cases and demonstrate individual initiative and effective teamwork skills in problem solving.
- Apply a systems approach to complex problem solving in diverse occupational health environments.
- Apply the principles of critical assessment of severity and urgency in occupational health.
- Evaluate problems in occupational health, including indoor and outdoor environments.
- Research and evaluate toxicology and the principles of the monitoring of place and person.
- Appraise current knowledge of the nature of illness and injury associated with exposure to certain hazards.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Group Work - 30% | ||||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 70% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||||
| 4 - Research | ||||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||||
| 8 - 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 | |
| 1 - Group Work - 30% | ||||||||
| 2 - Portfolio - 70% | ||||||||
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.
r.kift@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Course
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Occupational toxicology
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Risk Management and Exposure
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chemical hazards 1- Dusts and particulates
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chemical hazards 2- Chemical contaminants and Metals
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Biological Hazards
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Moodle Quiz (Open all week)
Module/Topic
Control of Hazards- Chemical and biological
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Physical hazards 1- noise, vibration and lighting
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Physical hazards 2- radiation and temperature
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Control of Hazards- Physical
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Health monitoring and fitness for work
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Course Summary
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Moodle Quiz (Open all week)
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Group Work
Group Written Assignment 1
Details
For assignment 1 the lecturer will assign you to a group and set a real case study that involves one chemical and one biological hazard.
Working and collaborating with your group, you will be required to
- Identify all potential hazards in this case study.
- Identify the two hazards that the report will focus on including the class of hazard that they are (one must be a chemical hazard and one biological).
- Explain what the routes of exposure are and the states of matter (if relevant) that the hazard occurs as.
- Explain why the hazard presents a risk to workers’ health. This section must be justified using the literature such as legislation, texts and journal articles. You may include information about the toxicology of the chemicals, exposure, acute and chronic health effects as well as the health effects to workers and to industry as a whole.
- Describe the different ways that the hazards would be monitored and analysed. This must be related to the case study given and include information about the standard methodology that is used for both the monitoring techniques and comparison of the findings against a benchmark or standard. You must include information about how the sampling and analysis would actually be carried out for each hazard.
- Describe the relevant Legislation, Codes and Standards which apply to these hazards and the issues involved with meeting these requirements.
- Use the hierarchy of control to outline the ways that the hazards can be controlled.
The report should be written as a Consultant might write to a Client.
Week 7 Friday (1 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 10 Friday (22 Sept 2017)
All assignment returned 21 Days after submission
AAssessment Criteria
Assignment Word count: 3000 words
Assignment 1 accounts for 30% of the course grade
This assessment will be graded with the following criteria:
- Correctly identifies all possible hazards, explains the route of exposure for the two selected hazards (15%)
- Explains exposure and effect, and describes the potential health effects (20%)
- Describes the way that you would carry out monitoring for the hazards (15%)
- Outlines relevant legislative requirements and identifies the issues of compliance (15%)
- Proposes appropriate control measures (15%)
- Report structure and presentation including referencing (20%)
- Analyse actual occupational health cases and demonstrate individual initiative and effective teamwork skills in problem solving.
- Apply a systems approach to complex problem solving in diverse occupational health environments.
- Apply the principles of critical assessment of severity and urgency in occupational health.
- Appraise current knowledge of the nature of illness and injury associated with exposure to certain hazards.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
2 Portfolio
Portfolio Assignment
There are 2 parts to this assignment. (70% of total marks)
Part 1: Details
information booklet development (30% of total marks)
You are required to develop a booklet on one physical hazard. You will be required to design a technical information/educational information booklet with the main emphasis of the assignment on the quality of the content presented:
Your assignment should include (but not be restricted to):
- Introduction to the workplaces where the exposure occurs, important factors and specific concepts related to the working environment and exposure.
- The physics/chemical breakdown of the hazard (what it is) and its relationship to the related health effects, mechanisms of injury and so on (a literature based discussion with references).
- An explanation of the health effects of exposure, its manifestation and progression. Draw on theoretical sources such as journal articles, website, documents etc. (reference and acknowledge all sources).
- The monitoring techniques, equipment, methodologies, benchmarks and standards that should be used in relation to the evaluation of the hazards. This section should be supported by information from a variety of sources.
- Control (using the hierarchy of control) and containment measures that could be introduced to reduce workplace exposure and prevent the occurrence of the adverse health effects or reducing its severity.
Bear in mind that this course has an emphasis on the quantitative evaluation of occupational hazards, utilising standards, accepted methodologies, specialised equipment and benchmarks, so it is expected that your information booklet will focus on developing an accurate, useful, and technically detailed information source that will cover the aspects mentioned previously. You are encouraged to use graphics and other relevant resources in order to develop a visually appealing yet informative resource.
Ensure you reference and acknowledge all sources of information, graphics etc.
Part 2 Details
Moodle Quizzes
In week 6 and in week 12 you will be required to access a Moodle quiz. (40% of total marks, 20% for each quiz)
Each quiz will be based on the information that has been covered in lectures until (and including) that week.
Week 11 Friday (29 Sept 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Due Week 11 Friday 27 May 2016 at 23:45 AEST
Exam Week Friday (20 Oct 2017)
Part A- Assessment criteria
Length- 10 pages max.
This assessment will be graded with the following criteria
- Identifies and explains the background to the hazard to be covered, including the identification of the workplaces were exposure can be an issue. (15%)
- Explains exposure and effect, and describes the potential health effects (25%)
- Describes the way that you would carry out monitoring for the hazards (20%)
- Proposes appropriate control measures (20%)
- Booklet structure and presentation including referencing (20%)
Part B- Assessment criteria
- Marks will be awarded for correct answers
- Apply a systems approach to complex problem solving in diverse occupational health environments.
- Apply the principles of critical assessment of severity and urgency in occupational health.
- Evaluate problems in occupational health, including indoor and outdoor environments.
- Research and evaluate toxicology and the principles of the monitoring of place and person.
- Appraise current knowledge of the nature of illness and injury associated with exposure to certain hazards.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
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?
