Safety Management - A Guide to Credit for Prior Learning
Typical Learning Experiences of Students Earning Lower-Level Credit:
- Work in supervisory roles in business, government or non-profit environments.
- Attend training sessions in areas such as hazard communications, personal protective equipment, ergonomics, accident investigation procedures, hazard recognition, asbestos awareness, hazardous waste, OSHA, NFPA, industrial hygiene emergency response, motivation, and safety administration and compliance
Typical Learning Experiences of Students Earning Upper-Level Credit:
- Work in supervisory roles in business, government or non-profit environments.
- Attend two or more OSHA-approved training sessions in the areas listed above.
- Play a role in the preparation and delivery of safety management-related training sessions to subordinates.
- Play a role in implementing organizational safety management efforts (e.g. students may have implemented risk management programs, or participated in the implementation of a risk management program).
- Applicants for upper-level credit in this area often seek credit in more narrowly defined areas. Areas in which upper-level credit is often awarded are asbestos abatement supervision; hazardous waste management; industrial hygiene supervision; or training certification for OSHA mandated programs.
Discussion Topics:
If students are familiar with some (but not necessarily all) of the following topics, they may be eligible for lower-level credit in the area of safety management. If students are familiar with advanced questions, they may be eligible for upper-level credit. If knowledge of some of the topics is substantial, the students may consider requesting additional credit in more narrowly defined areas.
Safety Departments in an Organization
Facts, definitions, concepts (lower-level):
- What is a safety department and what is it role in an organization?
- Is safety a line or staff function?
- List and discuss a variety of safety managers’ roles?
- Describe the purpose of safety in an organization.
Relationships, knowledge of discipline, methodologies (upper-level):
- Describe a theory of safety management.
- Describe the process of accident investigation and analysis.
- Describe how to calculated OSHA incident rates.
Evolution of Safety Management
Facts, definitions, concepts lower-level):
- What is the relationship between Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in the workplace and insurance costs?
Relationships, knowledge of discipline, methodologies (upper-level):
- Describe each of the following concepts and its relationship with each safety element:
- relationship of loss control to cost control
- management policy and direction
- supervisory responsibilities
- staff Responsibilities
- relationship of safety director/supervisor and production management
Functions of a Safety Director
Facts, definitions, concepts (lower-level):
- Explain how the responsibilities to management, liaison activities with other supervisory organizations, effective applications of the various risk management tools are incorporated within the safety function of your organization.
- What are the benefits of a safety management program?
- How would the development and motivation of employees impact the safety function?
Relationships, knowledge of discipline, methodologies (upper-level):
- Since the advent of OSHA and other regulations, safety professionals and safety departments have found they have two separate and distinct duties.
- complying with the law(s)
- controlling losses
- How would you contrast the different impacts on an organization?
- In general, if a employer is in compliance with NFPA (National Fire Protection Association), ANSI (American National Standards Institute), ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienist), NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) or any other current national consensus standard the employer might be considered in compliance with OSHA regulations. Explain your views on this statement.
- What is the relationship between safety committees and the organization? What is the situation which requires the establishing of such committees? How should they be organized? What is the function of them and how should they conduct their function?
Safety Management
Facts, definitions, concepts (lower-level):
- Define the following terms or programs:
- Bloodborn Pathogen Program
- Hazardous Communication Program
- Lockout/Tagout
- Job Safety Analysis
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Ergonomics
- Americans with Disability Act
- Noise and Hearing Conservation Program
- Cumulative trauma disorders
- Repetitive motion incidents
- Indoor air quality programs
- Right-to-know
- Fire Brigades
- Asbestos Abatement program
Relationships, knowledge of discipline, methodologies (upper-level):
- Job safety analysis is considered an effective and attractive safety tool which management can use to control accident losses. Explain how you would accomplish a JSA.
- What are the process requirements for doing a plant hazard assessment survey?
- What steps are required to do an industrial hygiene survey of a facility?
- Define and discuss ergonomics and human factors engineering relating to accident prevention, safety management and risk improvement. ( Include in your discussion carpal tunnel, tendonitis and raynaud’s phenomenon)
OSHA Certifications
Facts, definitions, concepts (lower-level):
- List the OSHA Citations that have been applied to your work place i.e. confined space, hazardous communications, asbestos abatement, etc. Define each of these programs and how they impact your work environment.
Relationships, knowledge of discipline, methodologies (upper-level):
- Describe and contrast content from process theories of the OSHA standards listed above.
- Describe the motivational technique used in training and enforcing these regulations.
- Describe the audit process required to ensure compliance.
Communication
Facts, definitions, concepts (lower-level):
- Why is communication important to organization?
- Define upward, downward and horizontal communication.
- Give examples of different communication channels and their messages.
Relationships, knowledge of discipline, methodologies (upper-level):
- Explain the connection between communication practices and safety information dissemination.