Occupational Safety & Health Technology

This program prepares individuals to apply basic safety and health principles including physics, engineering principles and technical skills, in support of industry professionals engaged in identifying and mitigating hazardous materials and maintaining safety and health standards. This program includes instruction in industrial and construction safety principles; inspection, monitoring, testing and sampling procedures; biohazard identification, laboratory techniques, instrument calibration and equipment maintenance, safety and protection equipment; applications to specific work environments and report preparation.

Students graduating with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Occupational Safety & Health will be prepared to:

  • Perform basic occupational safety and health functions.
  • Apply a working knowledge of mathematics, sciences and other related disciplines to conduct experiments and to analyze and interpret data to solve occupational safety and health-related issues.
  • Identify, formulate and solve applied science problems, using the techniques, skills and modern tools necessary for professional practice.
  • Apply the principles of industrial hygiene and toxicology, and use fundamental exposure measurement techniques.
  • Evaluate the relevance of contemporary issues in occupational safety and health. Identify principles of professional and ethical responsibility for occupational safety and health professionals.
  • Apply principles of occupational safety and health through mentored supervised learning experiences.

Degrees and Certificates

Courses

OSH 101: Fundamentals of Occupational Safety & Health [RE]

Credits 5

This course covers the fundamental aspects of occupational safety and health practices and how they are related to applicable standards, risk management, performance metrics, hazard recognition/controls, industrial hygiene, environmental management, fire safety, systems safety, ergonomics, hazardous materials, fleet safety, emergency management, and accident investigation. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Prerequisite

A grade of 2.0 or better in MATH 50, 70, or 72, or a grade of 0.7 or better in a higher math class, or appropriate placement.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 101

OSH 124: Industrial and Construction Safety Regulations [RE]

Credits 5

This course is a study of OSHA regulations for construction and general industry, and WISHA standards and regulations. Students will develop an understanding of safety management, project incorporation of safety, and subcontractor management. Topics covered include: excavation, fall protection, scaffolding, equipment operation, steel erection, cranes, and electrical. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 124

OSH 147: Ethics, Documentation, and Records [RE]

Credits 4

Safety and health professionals face potential legal and ethical issues on an almost daily basis. In a landscape of changing responsibilities and new laws, they often make difficult decisions that can result in the creation of legal issues and liabilities for themselves and their companies. This course will explore issues in criminal liability for individuals and corporations under the OSHA Act and state criminal codes. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 147

OSH 151: Accident Prevention, Inspection & Investigations [RE]

Credits 5

This course provides a review of accident investigation methodologies that include accident response, evidence collection, analysis techniques, and developing and communicating recommendations to prevent recurrence. It includes drug/alcohol testing, claims management, return to work/rehabilitation programs, and preparation for lawsuits and deposition. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 151

OSH 152: Internship [RE]

Credits 1 5

Designed to provide students with major-related, supervised, evaluated practical training work experiences which may be paid or voluntary. Students are graded on the basis of documented learning acquired through hands-on new experiences in an actual work setting. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 152

OSH 153: Risk Management [RE]

Credits 5

This course is an examination of risk management principles in the context of safety and health management. Strategies and tactics for reducing workplace hazards are presented through a review of best practices and principles balanced by an organization's use of opportunistic and speculative risks. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 153

OSH 177: Industrial Chemical Safety & Hazards [RE]

Credits 5

A systematic analysis of how hazardous materials escalate an incident or emergency event. This course includes examination of the basic fundamental concepts common to hazardous chemicals with an emphasis on how some key elements, compounds, and mixtures are inherently dangerous. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 177

OSH 230: Industrial Toxicology [RE]

Credits 5

This course is an exploration of the basic principles associated with the toxic effects of chemicals on the living organism while examining the regulatory aspects and applications of toxicology in the workplace. Among the topics covered are the potential adverse effects of drugs, pesticides, food additives, and industrial chemicals. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 230

OSH 231: Biological Hazards [RE]

Credits 5

This course is intended to familiarize students with a range of biological hazards that may be encountered in community and work environments, including commercial, non-industrial, industrial and healthcare settings, with emphasis on the methods occupational hygienists use to recognize, evaluate, and control microbiological hazards. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 231

OSH 233: Fire Protection Systems [RE]

Credits 2

This course is an in-depth study of flammables, combustibles, and their relation to fire prevention. It includes hazard analysis and assessment of establishments relating to the prevention and control of fires, understanding the types of extinguishing systems and the hazards associated with each, and emergency response and evacuation plans. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 233

OSH 235: Physical Hazards [RE]

Credits 5

This course is a study of the physical hazards in industry and the methods of workplace design and redesign to control these hazards. Emphasis is on the regulation codes and standards associated with the control of physical hazards. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 235

OSH 271: Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene [RE]

Credits 4

This course is an introduction to the basics of industrial hygiene that includes the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of workplace environmental stressors (chemical, physical, and biological) that can impact the health, comfort, or productivity of the worker. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 271

OSH 272: Ergonomics [RE]

Credits 4

This course covers the principles and practices of ergonomics as it applies to the industrial and construction environment. It demonstrates how to collect data on users and operators and how to convert the data to good workplace design. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 272

OSH 274: Safety Program Management [RE]

Credits 5

This course includes a study of accident cost analysis, recordkeeping standards, reporting, job safety analysis, fundamentals of safety training, and safety management system requirements, training, and implementation. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 274

OSH 277: Environmental Management [RE]

Credits 5

This course is an overview of the theories, processes, and applications of natural and technological hazards from a geographic perspective. Topics involve investigation beyond the basic physical processes to include mitigation strategies and emergency management considerations. Some of the subjects include earthquakes, volcanoes, wildfires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms, oil spills, chemical releases, and environmental terrorism. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 277

OSH 280: Industrial Instrumentation and Equipment [RE]

Credits 5

This course is an overview of the basic instrumentation used for industrial hygiene readings to include theory of operation, interferences, limitations, proper usage for Direct Reading Instruments (DRIs), Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Meters, noise measuring, light measuring, heat stress instruments, and miscellaneous monitoring equipment as well as the use of sample pumps and media for source, area, and personal data gathering. $5 per credit Industrial Health & Safety fee.

Equivalent Courses
IHST 280