Syllabus

Schedule

Course Calendar

• Week 1 Oct 23 – Oct 30
• Week 2 Oct 30 – Nov 6
• Week 3 Nov 6 – Nov 13
• Week 4 Nov 13 – Nov 20
• Week 5 Nov 20 – Nov 27
• Week 6 Nov 27 – Dec 4
• Week 7 Dec 4 – Dec 11
• Week 8 Dec 11 – Dec 15

Weekly Schedule

The assignment/discussion descriptions mentioned below are summaries. Please make sure to review the full assignment prompts in Blackboard.  There may be additional readings/videos that are not mentioned in this weekly summary, make sure to carefully review the modules in Blackboard. 

Week 1: Introduction and History of Occupational Health

Weekly Outcomes: 

• Analyze a workplace for potential hazards.

Readings/Videos:

• Textbook: Introduction and Chapter 1
• Week 1 Lecture
• Final Project Introduction

Assignments:

• 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. Provide your initial thoughts, identify at least one potential hazard from the site video, and provide a reason why it may be a hazard. In addition craft a plan on how to approach the project. Make sure to discuss the next steps you will take to successfully complete this project. If you have any questions about the final project include them in your submission. The purpose of this assignment is for you to begin to engage with the final project material. Make sure to support your ideas with the readings from this week. Even though you do not have a background in Occupational Health, it is important to watch the video in Week One and start formulating some ideas. This will prepare you for Week 3, where you will be completing your Hazard Analysis Sheet.  

Week 2: Hazards in the Workplace and Interventions

Weekly 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. 

Readings/Videos:

• Textbook: Chapters 4 & 5
• Week 2 Lecture
• Interview with Ron Souza

Assignments:

• 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 the articles below and complete an article critique. 
    • 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.

    Your critique should include the following elements: 

  • 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 the 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?
    • For more information on statistical significance please review these resources:
      • Statistical Significance: Definition, Levels, and Critical Regions: http://study.com/academy/lesson/statistical-significance-definition-levels-critical-regions.html
      • Tests of Significance: https://www.learner.org/courses/againstallodds/unitpages/unit25.html
  • Sources of Bias: Was the author objective in the discussion of the topic? Identify and discuss any sources of bias in the study.

Week 3: Hazard Analysis

Weekly Outcomes: 

• Utilize a hazard identification form to identify hazards in the workplace. 
• Discuss how technology could help identify and fix potential workplace hazards. 

Readings/Videos:

• Textbook: Chapter 10
• Week 3 Lecture
• Interview with Michael Lawrence 

Assignments:

• 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 and review the provided information write up for your chosen site. While watching the video complete the hazard analysis sheet (provided below).  Make sure to take notes in the comments/observation section of the form. The comments/observations should point out why certain items may be hazards or other items you noticed in the site video. You may need to watch your site video multiple times to identify the hazards. Once you have completed the hazard analysis sheet submit it here for grading. Your instructor will review the completed form and provide you with feedback. You will want to incorporate the feedback you receive before your final report is due.

Week 4: Occupational Epidemiology

Weekly Outcomes:

• Review how the state communicates the results of their data gathering to the public. 
• Compare how states gather and distribute data.

Readings/Videos:

• Textbook: Chapter 3
• Week 4 Lecture
• Interview with State of Maine Bureau of Labor and Statistics
• Coal Hogs Work Safe

Assignments: 

• Discussion: Analyze the data gathered from the hazard analysis sheet.
• 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). If your home state does not post data similar to that found in Maine choose a state close to your home state to focus on. Discuss the data available for both Maine and your chosen state. How is the available data valuable/relevant to occupational health? What are the similarities from state-to-state? What are the differences? Does each state use descriptive or analytical approaches to gather data? Point to examples to support your claims. Make sure to utilize the websites discussed in the interview.

Week 5: Psychosocial Stress in the Workplace

Weekly Outcomes:

• Communicate physical and psychosocial hazards to an employer.
• Identify potential psychosocial strains in the workplace. 
• Propose interventions based upon identified occupational hazards.

Readings/Videos:

• Textbook: Chapter 9
• JCQ Evaluation Spreadsheet
• The ABCs of Experience Reading
• Week 5 Lecture

Assignments:

• 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. What could be the reasons for both the similarities and the differences? Do you agree with NIOSH’s suggested changes to alleviate job strain? Why or why not? Would you suggest something different? make sure to support your ideas with reputable and relevant resources. 

Week 6: Work Related Injuries, Illness, and Diseases

Weekly 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. 

Readings/Videos:

• Textbook: Chapter 8
• Week 6 Lecture

Assignments: 

• 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

Weekly 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.

Readings/Videos:

• Textbook: Chapter 2
• Lecture 7
• Interview with MEMIC
• Dazzle ‘Em With Style

Assignments:

• 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. Provide at least one example. Support your answers with relevant and reputable sources. 

Week 8: Ethical Implications of Interventions

Weekly Outcomes: 

• Evaluate the cultural challenges to employee training.

Readings/Videos: 

• Textbook: Chapter 7
• Lecture 8
• NPR Report on Coal Miners
• Research Rounds        
• Alice B. Hamilton Awards

Assignments: 

• 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 Blackboard/Brightspace.
• Public Health Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/public-health/
• Library Tutorial: Find an article
• 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:

• UNE Student Academic Success Center

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.

Policies

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

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 Turnitin Student quick start guide.

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.

Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

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:

1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
5. 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.