Syllabus
Graduate Programs in Public Health
GPH 724: Introduction to Occupational Health
Credits - 3
Description
Work occupies approximately one-third of our lives, making the prevention of occupational-related diseases a critical component of public health. This course highlights the vital role of occupational health in promoting overall health and well-being, emphasizing its connection to broader public health goals. Students will learn to recognize, evaluate, and address workplace hazards through evidence-based interventions and control strategies. By linking general principles and global processes to local issues and regulatory frameworks, the course uses case studies to illustrate practical applications. Additionally, it examines the challenges faced by specific groups of employees at disproportionate risk and explores innovative solutions to advance health equity in the workplace.
Pre-Requisites
No pre-requisites.
Course Format:
This course will be delivered through a web-based format and is designed for completion online. Within each of the eight modules, there are reading assignments, quizzes, written assignments, and discussion questions. A chosen case study will be used to practice the workplace inspection and reporting process. The weekly modules will be made available by 12:01 AM on Wednesdays.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Course Outcomes
- Describe how the authority and responsibilities of government agencies and non-governmental organizations function together and independently in the United States
- Classify each category of occupational health and safety standards in the workplace
- Develop targeted outreach to both employers and employees to reduce health disparities for groups who may be at disproportional risk for occupational hazards
- Apply a lens of cultural humility to construct strategies and programs to serve the occupational health needs of all workplace populations.
- Design effective interventions to mitigate hazards, using evidence-based controls at the appropriate level of hierarchy
- Communicate clearly the workplace hazards, recommended interventions, and public health rationale to employers and supervisors to improve occupational health
- Determine best practices for protecting occupational health based on reputable sources.
Program Competencies
ADD NEW
PC 3: Analyze the potential impact of public health programs on specific populations based on the interpretation of data analysis results
PC 4: Apply epidemiologic research methods and interpretation of findings to the practice of public health
PC 5: Demonstrate the ability to integrate key components of disease surveillance and screening into public health practice
PC 9: Examine evidence-informed findings related to identified health issues and desired changes
PC 10: Design and deliver culturally appropriate evidence-based and timely information across diverse audiences
PC 17: Synthesize and incorporate evidence-based strategies interprofessionally and across public health disciplines
PC 18: Source credible public health information to inform practice
PC 19: Execute public health research, evaluation, policy, and/or practice using informed data analysis and interpretation
CEPH Foundational Competencies
FC 7: Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health
FC 8: Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design, implementation, or critique of public health policies or programs
FC 19: Communicate audience-appropriate (i.e., non-academic, non-peer audience) public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation
FC 20: Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content
Assignments
Forum Discussions:
Discussion forums are an essential part of the online course experience. Discussion prompts build on readings, lectures, and course content, allowing students to contribute to the learning experience by collaborating with the instructor and peers. Read the prompts carefully and use the rubrics to confirm how discussions will be graded.
Unless otherwise specified in the course, initial discussion posts are due by Sunday at 11:59 PM ET and any response posts are due by Wednesday at 11:59 PM ET.
Final Project: Workplace Inspection Final Report and Presentation
Each week you will be practicing the tasks and skills needed for performing a typical occupational health workplace inspection and creating a final report. Using a chosen case study, you will assess the workplace using information provided: inspecting the facility for hazards, evaluating environmental sampling, identifying gaps, and making clear recommendations.
Weekly assignments of reports sections will be synthesized to create the final report for the employer.
In week 8, the report will be summarized and presented via slides and video narration. Utilize the provided information on how to properly format your presentation. You will submit a YouTube link to the discussion area; PowerPoint files will not be accepted.
Quizzes
- Week 3 – Comparison and classification of ergonomic and physical hazards
- Week 4 – Comparison and classification of safety and workplace hazards
- Week 5 – Categorization of occupational hazards
- Week 6 – Calculating exposure levels and limits; making recommendations
Expectations:
All work is expected to be at a graduate school level in terms of quality. Please access resources provided for additional support if needed, and communicate with your instructor if more clarity is needed on an assessment.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Tasks | Points |
|---|---|
| Week 1 Acknowledgement of Academic Engagement Quiz | 1 |
| Weeks 1-6 Discussion | 1 x 2 points and 5 x 3 points each = 17 points |
| Week 1 Assignment | 5 |
| Week 2 Assignment | 8 |
| Week 3 Assignment: Hazard Analysis | 10 |
| Week 4 Assignment | 5 |
| Week 5 Assignment | 8 |
| Final Project: Hazard Analysis Report | 25 |
| Week 7 Assignment | 5 |
| Week 7 Discussion | 10 |
| Week 8 Assignment | 6 |
| Total | 100 |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
Course Dates
Week 1: Mar 12 – Mar 19
Week 2: Mar 19 – Mar 26
Week 3: Mar 26 – Apr 2
Week 4: Apr 2 – Apr 9
Week 5: Apr 9 – Apr 16
Week 6: Apr 16 – Apr 23
Week 7: Apr 23 – Apr 30
Week 8: Apr 30 – May 4
The assignment/discussion descriptions mentioned below are summaries. Please make sure to review the full assignment prompts in Brightspace.
Week 1: Introduction and History of Occupational Health
Learning Outcomes:
- Analyze a workplace for potential hazards.
Learning Activities:
-
Week 1 Acknowledgement of Academic Engagement Quiz
-
Discussion: Introduce yourself.
- Discussion: Choose site for the Final Project.
- Week 1 Written Assignment
- Analyze the workplace you chose in the discussion for hazards. Make sure to review the final project document, the site video (site video is located in the site write up document), and the provided site write up before completing this assignment. The purpose of this assignment is for you to begin to engage with the final project material. This will prepare you for Week 3, where you will be completing your Hazard Analysis Sheet.
Week 2: Hazards in the Workplace and Interventions
Learning Outcomes:
- Identify potential occupational hazards from a case study.
- Propose interventions based upon identified occupational hazards.
- Critically analyze a study on the effects of pesticides on the worker.
Learning Activities:
- Discussion: Identify hazards presented in a case study and propose an intervention.
- Week 2 Written Assignment
-
This week you were exposed to different types of hazards in the workplace. One particular hazard mentioned was pesticides. Choose one of two articles and complete an article critique. Your critique must include:
- An introduction: Include the title and author of the article, statement of the problem discussed, purpose, and hypothesis.
- Research Methods: What approach or methods were used in this study? Are these appropriate for the purposes of the study?
- Key Results: Clearly and succinctly summarize the key results of the study.
- Statistical Significance: What is the statistical significance of this study? Are the statistical methods appropriate?
- Sources of Bias: Was the author objective in the discussion of the topic? Identify and discuss any sources of bias in the study.
- Engle, L., Checkoway, H., Keifer, M., et al. Parkinsonism and occupational exposure to pesticides.Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2001; 58(9):582-589. doi: 10.1136/oem.58.9.582.
- Calvert, Geoffrey M, Jennifer Karnik, et al. Acute pesticide poisoning among agricultural workers in the United States.American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 2008; 51:883-898.
-
Week 3: Hazard Analysis
Learning Outcomes:
- Utilize a hazard identification form to identify hazards in the workplace.
- Discuss how technology could help identify and fix potential workplace hazards.
Learning Activities:
- Discussion: Discuss the hazards identified from the chosen site. How could Michael Lawrence’s lab be utilized in your hazard analysis?
- Week 3 Written Assignment
- Watch your chosen site video again carefully, review the provided information, and complete the provided hazard analysis sheet. The comments/observations should indicate why certain items may be hazards or other items you noticed in the site video.
Week 4: Occupational Epidemiology
Learning Outcomes:
- Review how the state communicates the results of their data gathering to the public.
- Compare how states gather and distribute data.
Learning Activities:
- Discussion: Review your data on the hazards you have identified and research how findings from that data are being communicated to the public. Describe the different strategies being employed in communicating to the different demographics that may be interested in this information. Explain why it is important to be mindful of the cultures to which healthcare information must be communicated.
- Week 4 Written Assignment
- Before attempting this assignment make sure to review the interview with the Maine Bureau of Labor and Statistics. In this assignment you’ll be discussing the data in the interview and contrast it with your own state (or a different state if you are in Maine).
Week 5: Psychosocial Stress in the Workplace
Learning Outcomes:
- Communicate physical and psychosocial hazards to an employer.
- Identify potential psychosocial strains in the workplace.
- Propose interventions based upon identified occupational hazards.
Learning Activities:
- Discussion: Utilize the JCQ algorithm to create a matrix that shows the relationship between demand and control in the workplace from your chosen work site.
- Week 5 Written Assignment
- Review the following hazard analyses for two different jobs. Succinctly summarize the job strain for each case. Then enter the state database for those jobs and determine their injury and illness incidence. Discuss how some of the illnesses and injuries may be tied to the identified job strain. Discuss the similarities and differences between the job strain in each case.
Week 6: Work Related Injuries, Illness, and Diseases
Learning Outcomes:
- Complete a Hazard Analysis Report to evaluate a workplace for potential hazards.
- Complete a Hazard Analysis Report to propose potential interventions for identified hazards.
Learning Activities:
- Discussion: Discuss how the Haddon Matrix could be used to prevent injuries in the workplace.
- Final Project: Submit your complete Hazard Analysis Report.
Week 7: Occupational Health Policy and Regulation
Learning Outcomes:
- Design and deliver a compelling presentation on potential occupational health hazards to employers or company owners.
- Communicate overview and recommendations to improve a specific work situation to a safety committee or company owner.
- Communicate physical and psychosocial hazards to an employer.
Learning Activities:
- Discussion: Create a five (5) min presentation providing an overview of your chosen work site and your recommendations.
- Week 7 Written Assignment
- What policies are available to help with the identified hazard? What historical developments lead to the creation of these policies? If none, what would you propose? Why would you propose these policies? Consider how workers’ comp insurance plays a role in the development of policies.
Week 8: Ethical Implications of Interventions
Learning Outcomes:
- Evaluate the cultural challenges to employee training.
Learning Activities:
- Week 8 Written Assignment
- Changing behavior is difficult. Do you feel that a training program designed to teach ex-coal miners how to operate remote machinery to do the mining that they used to do by hand will be successful? Why or why not? What cultural elements may influence the success or failure of this venture? How would you structure this effort to address the barriers involved? Here is one take on how this might be done. Think about other industries where dangerous jobs were restructured (eg. the paper industry). What were the strategies used?
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Public Health page
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
- Public Health Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/public-health/
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
UNE Student Academic Success Center
UNE's Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of free online services to support your academic achievement. Writing support, ESOL support, study strategy and learning style consultations, as well as downloadable resources, are available to all matriculating students. The SASC also offers tutoring for GPH 712 Epidemiology, GPH 716 Biostatistics, GPH 717 Applied Epidemiology, GPH 718 Biostatistics II, and GPH 719 Research Methods. To make an appointment for any of these services, go to une.tutortrac.com. For more information and to view and download writing and studying resources, please visit:
Information Technology Services (ITS)
- ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Online Peer Support
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.
ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.
Career Ready Program
The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!
The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.
Policies
Passing Grade Statement
A grade of 80% or higher is required to pass the course. A grade lower than 80% will result in you having to repeat the course. Obtaining two "Fs" in the program will result in dismissal from the program.
AMA Writing Style Statement
The American Medical Association Manual (AMA) of Style, 11th edition is the required writing format for this course. Additional support for academic writing and AMA format is provided throughout the coursework as well as at the UNE Portal for Online Students.
Online resources: AMA Style Guide
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Statement
Learning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) responsibly and ethically is an important skill in today’s society. AI is not a substitute for developing and enhancing skills in creativity, logic, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, theorization, and writing essential to a public health professional. If you choose to use AI tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL-E2, they must be used wisely and intelligently to deepen your understanding of a subject matter and support learning. You are not allowed to use AI tools to generate your work. Content produced using AI tools cannot be used as a substitute for your original work.
Students in the Graduate Programs in Public Health (GPPH) must take ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of AI-generated content used in any work. You are expected to think critically about the results and alignment with the questions or tasks in the assignment and never substitute AI-generated results for professional human judgment and logic. GPPH students are also expected to understand that the information generated is not always accurate and, in some cases, propagates discrimination and bias. You must stay abreast of AI best practices, and the changing risks and benefits, and monitor AI for biases and risks for vulnerable populations and underrepresented groups.
Within GPPH, using AI-generated content in academic work falls under our academic integrity policies. All instructors will continue to use our AI detection software for each assignment submitted so it will be flagged.
Using any AI tool in your work must be acknowledged in-text every time it is used, not in your list of references. You will include a summary of what the AI tool was used to do, followed by the AI tool brand name, version/extension #, manufacturer/owner, and date used in parentheses.
For example,
Themes from participant responses were identified using a chatbot session (ChatGPT, model GPT-4, OpenAI, May 17, 2024).
Failure to acknowledge the inclusion of AI-generated content in any work submitted violates our academic integrity policies and will be considered an infraction with the associated penalties for plagiarism as outlined in the Student Handbook.
The Student Orientation has a module "Artificial Intelligence Literacy for Students", please refer to this module for more information about navigating the use of AI.
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Course Evaluation Policy
Course surveys are one of the most important tools that University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.
Late Policy
Students are responsible for submitting work by the date indicated in Brightspace.
Quizzes and Tests: Quizzes and tests must be completed by the due date. They will not be accepted after the due date.
Assignments: Unless otherwise specified, assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your Enrollment and Retention Counselor if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. Tuition charges may still apply. Students are strongly urged to consult with Student Financial Services, as course withdrawals may affect financial aid or Veterans benefits.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit https://www.une.edu/studentlife/plagiarism.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.