OHS Researchers and Educators January 21, 2015
Dear OHS Educators and Researchers
In addition to our e-newsletter the Australian OHS Education Accreditation Board puts out a quick update when there are news items that may be of interest to you. This Quick Update includes information on the work to define the value of the OHS professional, information on OHS research, new publications, a word of warning you may wish to pass onto students and practicing professionals and new accreditations. If you do not wish to receive these updates then email the registrar@ohseducationaccreditation.org.au.
The value proposition for the OHS Professional
Have you ever been asked what value does the OHS Professional bring? What is the research to support this. Commissioned by INSHPO (International Network of Safety and Health Practitioner Organizations) David Borys has undertaken a literature review on this topic. David has presented the analysis of 58 articles using a purpose-designed hierarchy of evidence and also identified areas for further research. If you are looking for the answer to the question on what is the evidence for the value of the OHS professional or area for further investigation a summary article is available at https://www.ohseducationaccreditation.org.au/2015/01/the-value-proposition-for-the-ohs-professional/ and the full report is posted at http://www.inshpo.org/work.php
OHS research
HSE
The latest update on HSE Research reports was issues on the 16th December, 2014. See http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKHSE/bulletins/e36dd6
NIVA programs on OHS research
NIVA is the Nordic Institute for Advanced Training in Occupational Health (NIVA) and is a training institute under the Nordic Council of Ministers, the forum for Nordic governmental co-operation and delivers raining in occupational health and safety for researchers, practitioners, experts and specialists in the field. For those who might like to travel they have two interesting programs coming up.
How to use research information to improve occupational health and safety, 10-year Cochrane Systematic Review experience, 25 – 27 February 2015, Copenhagen . See http://www.niva.org/start/view-54553-3323
Implementing and evaluating OHS interventions, 27-29th April, Copenhagen. See http://www.niva.org/start/view-54553-3325
Three new books
Nightmare pipeline failures: fantasy planning, black swans and integrity management
Jan Hayes and Andrew Hopkins
$85
Available in both hard copy and ebook.
This book examines the causes of two pipeline ruptures in suburban USA which caused death and injury and the cleanup cost was more than a billion dollars. The risk of similar events haunts many cities around the world. The book argues that, although the events were profoundly surprising to the companies concerned, from a broader perspective they were no surprise at all, stemming as they did from well-known human, organisational and regulatory failures. The book contrasts two equally flawed approaches to prevention of rare but catastrophic events: ‘fantasy planning’ and ‘black swans’. These two concepts shed new light on why integrity management is so difficult to get right and also how it can be improved. The authors hope that those in positions of responsibility in companies that have responsibility for hazardous facilities will feel the need to scrutinise their own integrity management systems with these absurdities in mind. The major failings they have identified provide valuable lessons for all organisations that use risk assessments to manage and prioritise routine activities.
Reflective learning: An essential tool for the self-development of health and safety practitioners
Teresa Budworth and Waddah S. Ghanem Al Hashemi
$65
Reflective Learning targets both new and experienced health and safety professionals wanting to develop their professional skills and practice. Reflective Learning provides step by step guidance through the principles to help OHS professionals to learn and improve their ability to reflect on past experiences. The book has clear explanations, diagrams and practical tools throughout help you OHS professionals improve their understanding and advance their professional development. The only book on reflective learning to focus on health and safety
A number of distributors but one is http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Reflective-Learning-Teresa-Budworth-Waddah-Shihab-Ghanem-Al-Hashemi/9780415715515
Occupational Risk Control – Predicting and Preventing the Unwanted
Derek Viner
£70
In Occupational Risk Control, Derek Viner presents a detailed, consistent and practical theory of both accidents and risk, showing at each step the implications of the theory for real world practice in risk control and management applicable to either research, industry, commerce or the various levels of Government. The book is a distillation of 35 years of experience in consulting and teaching and will be of value to the engineer, scientist, academic, student, specialist risk or safety practitioner and manager of industrial or commercial undertakings.
The theoretical base rests on the few necessary (and scientifically credible) principles that enable processes resulting in damage and loss to be understood and these are developed into the simplest possible useful form. All applications of the theory are developed from these easily memorable first principles and they are used also to enable the reader to understand the overall relationship to these principles of various past and current theories, including accident theory. An historical perspective is also offered, to facilitate this understanding. In a world in which there is a plethora of commercial and semi-academic practical tools offered to the manager, risk management practitioner and law maker, this text provides a foundation from which to critically evaluate the meaning, scope and practical value of these tools and their associated concepts as well as to develop useful applications for specific requirements.
A warning: UK OHS professional jailed
Site manager and safety consultant jailed after labourer’s death
A company co-owner and a health and safety advisor have been jailed following the death of a labourer in Fulham, UK in December 2010. The court heard that the site manager was aware of the dangerous state of the excavations but took no steps to ensure it was safe. It was also heard that Mr Richard Golding, a qualified health and safety advisor employed by AllDay Safety Services Ltd, was also aware of the risks as he was responsible for drafting the method of work statement. This document was found to be inadequate and was not followed, despite him having the authority to stop dangerous works, which he failed to do. On sentencing the Judge said that Mr Golding’s defence (in relation to seeing no excavations on site) was “ludicrous” and that his failure to do anything when on site showed a level of disregard to the workforce that was “staggering”.
Detective Chief Inspector Tim Duffield, Homicide and Major Crime Command, who worked closely with HSE, headed the investigation. DCI Duffield said: “There was overwhelming evidence that Sidebottom (the manager) and Golding’s failure to carry out their respective roles directly resulted in the death of the worker. In this case the danger of collapse was not only foreseeable, it had been specifically identified by Golding in his risk assessments.”
For more information see http://www.shponline.co.uk/director-safety-consultant-jailed-labourers-death/
Accreditations
In accreditation assessments conducted in the second half of 2014 resulted in RMIT University renewing their accreditation for their Graduate Diploma in OHS and extending the accreditation to include their Master of OHS. Federation University also gained accreditation for their Graduate Diploma in Occupational Hazard Management. See media releases.
There are now 8 universities with a total of 15 accredited programs (2 UG, 7 PG and 6 masters) with a further 3 applications currently being considered.
The ‘implementation period’ for accreditation has been extended to 30th April for those universities seeking their 1st accreditation. After this date the outcomes of the review of the implementation will be put into effect which are likely to include changes to the criteria, process and fee.
If you would like to include information in the next Update contact Pam Pryor. Information may include: position vacancies, research updates, key references, invitations for collaboration, or anything you think may be interesting to your OHS educator and researcher colleagues.
Pam Pryor, Registrar
Note: This post is also available as a PDF document.