MSc Occupational Health & Safety Leadership

This module provides an overview of occupational health and safety as a professional discipline, with a focus on the key theoretical, research and practice models utilised in occupational health and safety. Modern day challenges to occupational health and safety are examined at multiple levels of the organisation with particular emphasis on the role of the manager in the successful management of safe and healthy work organisations. You will have the opportunity to consider case studies of recent developments in occupational health and safety from a range of disciplines including occupational health psychology, health promotion, ergonomics and safety management.

In recent years, occupational health and safety legislation has taken massive strides, compelling organisations to develop policies that safeguard employees’ safety and health at work. The implementation of legislation and policy however remains a key challenge for many governments and organisations, as does the issue of monitoring and review of policies, practices and procedures. In this module, you will examine the development, implementation, monitoring and review of occupational health and safety legislation at the international level down to the national level, while examining current priorities and challenges in this area. Particular emphasis will be given to activities centered on the translation of laws and policies into practice and legal case analyses of the organisational responsibilities and the role of managers in the active promotion of regulations and policies.

Occupational health and safety has undergone fairly rapid and quite radical change in the past few years and the role of occupational health and safety professionals has expanded from the traditional role of accident prevention and protection of individual employees to include safety management systems, risk assessment, risk reduction and risk control techniques. The management of risk, particularly the risk of injury or harm by workplace activities, has assumed new meaning in light of the emergence of new types of risks. In order to perform their duties effectively, the professional must fully understand the concept of risk, be aware of specific risks, effects on workers and control and preventative strategies. This module will provide an overview of occupational hazards including new forms of risk. It will then consider risk management strategies, including risk identification, assessment and control. These strategies will be considered within a systems thinking framework.

Effective leadership and management is seen as the cornerstone to success in promoting healthy, safe and productive organisations. This module will introduce current thinking on leadership and management models and strategies relevant to health and safety and work. In this module, you will explore topics from organisational development and change, corporate social responsibility, organisational culture and climate to team-working insofar as they relate to the promotion of healthy workers and healthy work organisations.

This module will examine specialist issues in occupational safety and health from multidisciplinary perspectives. Topics may include: chemical and physical hazards, control banding, work-stress, violence at work, musculoskeletal disorders or diversity issues, depending on availability of staff expertise. The aim of this module is to equip you with tools for the successful prevention and management such problems.

At I-WHO, we believe that good practitioners must be good scientists. Research methods allow us to use good science to solve practical problems. This e-learning module allows you to learn about research methods at your own pace. The module will cover the collection of data through survey, interview and focus group methods. It will also introduce applied data analytical methods: correlation and regression analyses, tests of difference and ANOVA, and advanced techniques such as factor analyses and multi-level modelling.

In the final year of your course, you will complete an applied research dissertation, allowing you to specialise in an area of occupational health and safety. The dissertation is a practical, scientific investigation of an important management issue within a real organisation. You can choose to write up your dissertation as a business report or a scientific paper. Either way, your dissertation will allow you to use what you have learned to solve an applied management problem, and help you further develop project management skills. You will work closely with a supervisor to design and complete the project. Students will also have the option of opting to complete one major (40 credit) dissertation and one minor (20 credit) dissertation in occupational health and safety instead of the Applied Research Project.