Environmental Quality and Health

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Objectives

This discipline consists of three modules. Module 1 (M1) “Ergonomics" is dedicated to the acquisition of generic knowledge about ergonomics, enabling technical professionals to identify needs for ergonomic intervention in its mission to promote health, safety and hygiene at work. Module 2 (M2) "Environmental Quality and Health" defines Environment, Health and Environmental Quality, discusses environmental factors on health determinants, and the relationship between water, soil and air pollution on health, as well as between climate change and health. Module 3 (M3) "Organization and Action of Occupational Medicine” aims to recognize the policies and strategies of Occupational Health and the acquisition of knowledge to implement Occupational Health services in enterprises.

Program

M1: Ergonomics: concept and history, and current contributions; intervention methodologies. Anthropometry: concept and evolution, individual differences, categories and anthropometric measures. Manual Handling of Loads. View screens.

M2: Environment, environmental quality and health: concepts. Environmental determinants of health, historical and current. Pollution of water, air and soil: origin of pollutants, characterization, movement and uptake. Effects on public health. Climate Change and Health

M3: Occupational Health: historical and legal framework. Occupational Health in restricted and broad sense. OSH definition. Prevention. Repair. Accidents. Occupational disease. OSH - Strategic Domains. OSH policy. Organization of Services. Planning and Implementation. Monitoring and Measurement. Evaluation of OSH management systems. Audits. Information.

Teaching Methodologies

M1 classes introduce gradually the necessary theoretical concepts, seeking afterwords to illustrate their applicability through theoretical and practical exercises.

M2 classes are expository but also interactive, since it is intended to encourage students to read and criticize scientific papers. The classes are geared to understanding the relationship between environmental quality and public health. The evaluation for this module is performed by a test consulting the papers previously discussed.

M3 classes are also expository, providing appropriate learning theoretical and practical contents, which are by assessed through a written test.

The frequency classification results from the weighting of the classification of each module according to the respective number of hours, which corresponds to: 34% * M1 + 26% * M2 + 40% * M3.

The exam assessment can only be carried out in modules where the student has not been approved. In this case, the final classification corresponds to the ponderation of the classification obtained in the exam, in the modules (s) evaluated in the exam, and the classification obtained in frequency in the remaining module (s).

Bibliography

Cazamian, P. (1987). Traité D´Ergonomie, Ed. Octares.

Frumkin, H. (Ed.), 2005. Environmental Health: From Global to Local, J-B Public Health/Health Services Text.

Guérin, F., Laville, A., Douraffoure, J. & Kerguelen, A., 1991. Comprendre le Travail pour le transformer, ANACT.

Hill, M. K., 2010. Understanding environmental pollution. 3rd. ed., Cambridge University Press.

Jorgensen, E. (Ed. ), 2010. Ecotoxicology. Elsevier.

Krome, K.H.E., Grandjean, E., 2005. Manual de Ergonomia. Adaptando o trabalho ao Homem, 5º Ed. Bookman.

Kumar, S.,1999. Biomechanics in Ergomnomics, Taylor and Francis, London. Norma OHSAS 18001:2007

Pepper, I. L., C. P. Gerba & M. L. Brusseau (Eds.), 2006. Environmental and Pollution Science. 2nd. ed., Academic Press.

Pheasant, S., 1988. Anthropometry, Ergonomics and Design, Taylor and Francis, London.

Verlag Dashofer, 2008. Higiene, Segurança, Saúde e Prevenção de acidentes de Trabalho – Um Guia Prático para a sua actividade. Verlag Dashofer.

Code

0200852

ECTS Credits

5

Classes

  • Teóricas - 35 hours