Training Course on Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene

Module 1 – Introduction to Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene
Subtopics:
Principles and scope of occupational health and hygiene.
Historical evolution and importance of workplace safety.
Types of workplace hazards: physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial.
Role of occupational health in productivity and worker wellbeing.
Overview of global and national occupational health standards (ILO, OSHA, WHO).
Practical Activities:
Group Discussion: Linking workplace health and productivity.
Case Study: Major historical occupational health disasters and lessons learned.

Module 2 – Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment
Subtopics:
Methods for hazard recognition in industrial and office environments.
Risk assessment frameworks and methodologies.
Prioritizing risks using risk matrices.
Vulnerable worker groups (pregnant workers, youth, older adults).
Principles of accident causation and prevention.
Practical Activities:
Workshop: Conducting a workplace hazard walk-through inspection.
Exercise: Developing a risk assessment matrix for a sample workplace scenario.

Module 3 – Exposure Monitoring and Control Strategies
Subtopics:
Environmental and biological monitoring techniques.
Air quality, noise, vibration, heat, and radiation measurement.
Chemical exposure monitoring (dust, gases, solvents).
Hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, PPE.
Role of occupational health surveillance and medical monitoring.
Practical Activities:
Demonstration: Use of common exposure monitoring tools (e.g., noise meter, air sampler).
Simulation: Designing a control strategy for noise and chemical hazards in a factory.

Module 4 – Occupational Health Programs, Policies, and Legislation
Subtopics:
National and international occupational health laws and standards.
Employer and employee responsibilities in occupational health.
Workplace health promotion and wellness programs.
Emergency preparedness and response (chemical spills, fire safety).
Worker participation, rights, and labor union roles.
Practical Activities:
Case Review: Analysis of compliance failures and their consequences.
Exercise: Drafting an occupational health policy for an industrial plant.

Module 5 – Emerging Issues and Future Directions in Occupational Health
Subtopics:
Occupational health challenges in the informal sector and small enterprises.
New risks: nanotechnology, robotics, automation, remote work ergonomics.
Climate change, occupational heat stress, and environmental sustainability.
Integrating occupational health into corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Future trends: digital monitoring, AI-driven safety, and predictive analytics.
Practical Activities:
Capstone Project: Participants develop a workplace health and safety program tailored to their own context (factory, office, or field site).
Panel Discussion: Balancing productivity, compliance, and worker well-being.
Course outcomes:
By the end of the course, participants will:
Gain a solid understanding of occupational health and industrial hygiene.
Be skilled in identifying, assessing, and controlling workplace hazards.
Apply exposure monitoring techniques in workplace settings.
Interpret and implement occupational health policies and legal standards.
Develop organizational occupational health and safety programs.
Produce a workplace safety plan as a capstone project.
Receive a certificate of completion