Type of course

Admission requirements

Admission requirements are generell studiekompetanse + Matematikk R1 (or Matematikk S1 og S2) and R2 and Fysikk 1.

Application code 9391

Course content

This course is centred around the concept of quality, health, safety, and environment (QHSE) in industry. This includes occupational health and safety, protection of the natural environment, and protection against major accident risks. It addresses the assessment and management of the risk of loss in the different areas due to long-term exposure to hazards, and due to acute exposure to hazards in connection with accidents.

The assessment and management of risks from long-term exposure to hazards include:

• Effects of discharges of pollutants to the natural environment from normal industrial activities
• Health risks to the general population due to exposure to pollutants
• Occupational health risks due to long-term exposures to physical and chemical factors in the working environment (chemicals, noise, etc.)

The course will address the assessment and management of accident risks in the fields of occupational accidents, major industrial accidents, and accidental pollution of the natural environment. A theoretical section of this part of the course deals with accident theories and models, barrier theory, and feedback control and learning principles applied to accidents. The course presents and evaluates methods and tools in the assessment and prevention of accidents, including risk analysis, accident and near accident investigations, hazard identification and workplace inspections, safety performance monitoring, and emergency preparedness.

Themes that are common to the management of acute and long-term exposure to hazards are addressed in separate sections of the course. These include HSE legislation, general principles in occupational health and safety and environmental management, and auditing techniques.

Recommended prerequisites

Objectives of the course

Knowledge:

On completion of the course, the student has knowledge and understanding of:

• The scope and consequences to people and the natural environment from long-term and acute exposure to hazards
• The basic theoretical framework for the management of HSE including the basic principles of experience feedback and learning
• Theories and models applied to the analysis of accident risks
• The basic principles behind emergency response planning and auditing

Skills:

On completion of the course, the student is able to:

• Choose appropriate methods and tools for the identification, assessment, and management of HSE risks in industrial organizations considering their potentials and limitations
• Perform environmental health risk assessments on real cases
• Analyze the health and safety risks at the workplace due to long-term exposure
• Assess and manage the risk from accidental events, including environmental events and occupational accidents
• Apply relevant methods and tools in accident and near accident investigations
• Use the management principles and models to implement and maintain HSE management systems

General competence:

On completion of the course, the student is able to:

• Recognize general principles behind the Norwegian and European HSE legislation
• Solve practical tasks in operational HSE management

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods