This course provides the education and training required to ensure the safety, health and welfare of the Irish construction industry workforce. The training is directed at Irish working conditions with particular emphasis on the construction industry. However, the course content is sufficiently broad to allow for new situations in different industries.

The construction industry has a unique set of health, safety and welfare requirements. Locations are many and varied. Projects are finite with working requirements undergoing continuous change as each project progresses. The activities on the site can vary considerably from day to day and health and safety needs differ from more permanent places of work.

Graduates of this course will be competent in dealing effectively with the majority of health and safety problems in the construction workplace.

Year 1 Modules:

• AD1845: Project Management under the guidelines of the Construction Regulations (10 credits)
  Students will learn about cost and risk control as well as developing and applying policies and procedures. Other topics will include subcontractor management, purchasing and project financing. Project start up and close out techniques will be covered.
• AD1856: Risk Management and Safety Technology (5 credits)
  The safety technology component of the module will demonstrate that occupational risks can and need to be managed like any other work activity. It will cover the main elements of safety technology e.g. setting up and use of cranes, woodworking machines, abrasive wheels, hand and power tools pneumatic and electric including battery, risk assessment/machine design, safe place of work and electricity.
• AD1857: Human Factors in Safety, Health & Welfare at Work (5 credits)
  The improvement and motivation of staff in relation to safe working practices, both individually and in groups/teams. Theoretical perspectives; Human and engineering factors in accidents; Human cognition and occurrence of errors; Designing for safety; Campaigning for health and safety within the construction industry.
• EH1804: Occupational Health and Health Promotion (5 credits)
  A broad definition of occupational health is introduced covering the most common occupational diseases and their prevention. Health promotion in the workplace is explored. The organisation of occupational health services, first aid, disability and rehabilitation are other issues which are addressed.
• LW1805: Health and Safety Legislation (Construction) (5 credits)
  The evolution of health and safety legislation over the last 150 years with special reference to the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989 and subsequent new legislation. The Irish legal system; Organisation of the Court System; Common Law; Statute Law; European Union Law; Safety in Industry Acts 1955, 1980, 1989, 2004. Planning & Environmental Laws, Health and Safety Legislation.

Year 2 Modules:

• AD2833: Specific Construction Safety Issues (10 credits)
  Current legislation, risk assessment in construction, accident causation and investigation, working at height, scaffolding, roof work, demolition, structural erection, lifting equipment and other construction plant, road works, excavations, electrical hazards and occupational health in the construction industry.
• AD2842: Occupational Hygiene (5 credits)
  Identification and evaluation of hazards and measures of control. Maintaining strategies, udnerstanding and familiarisation with basic monitoring equipment. Basic occupational hygiene; The measurement of noise and vibration; The effects of ionising radiation/non-ionising radiation; Control of air-borne contaminants; Thermal environment; Lighting.
• AD2843: Emergency Planning (5 credits)
  The Emergency Plan module has been designed to provide the knowledge and skills to enable those new and existing emergency planners to operate effectively within their emergency planning role. The module covers site access and induction, Fire: prevention, fighting and escape, Electrical Safety; reducing the risk of injury and minimising the consequences of dangerous occurrences in the workplace. First aid and medical facilities. Toxic waste disposal, transportation of hazardous goods. The knowledge and skills to design, develop, review and implement a range of generic, site specific and subject related emergency plans. This will include how to design, plan and manage a range of suitable exercises to test emergency plans.
• BC2801: Chemical Safety and Toxicology (5 credits)
  Chemical actions and interactions in the human body and the toxic effects of major classes of toxicants are examined. The principles of chemical hazards and risk assessment are addressed, and appropriate control and preventative strategies for toxic chemicals.
• EH2802: Introduction to Epidemiology & Data Collection (5 credits)
  Descriptive and inferential statistics: basic descriptive measures: means, medians and modes; standard deviation and percentiles: Histograms and bar charts the normal distribution; the estimation of normal ranges.

Written examinations at the end of each module, and continuous assessment including both individual and group projects.