UB - University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

Graduate Training in Occupational Safety and Health

A training program funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Departmental Coordinators:

Joan Dorn, Ph.D.
Social and Preventive Medicine
jdorn@buffalo.edu

Paul Kostyniak, Ph.D.
Pharmacology and Toxicology
pjkost@buffalo.edu

James Lenker, Ph.D.
Rehabilitation Science
lenker@buffalo.edu

Victor Paquet, Sc.D.
Industrial and Systems Engineering
vpaquet@eng.buffalo.edu

Program Description

The University at Buffalo offers a 1-year inter-disciplinary graduate training curriculum in occupational safety and health (OS&H).

The program is designed to increase the overall safety and health of the WNY workforce by increasing the pool of qualified, entry-level OS&H professionals.

Students will be exposed to an enriched learning environment that includes: a multidisciplinary faculty, project experiences at local industrial worksites, networking with OS&H professionals, and continuing education courses at the Atlantic OSHA Training Center, which is located at UB.

The training curriculum is open to graduate students from four departments: Industrial & Systems Engineering; Pharmacology & Toxicology; Rehabilitation Science; and Social & Preventive Medicine.

Curriculum Requirements

1. IE 541: Occ Safety and Health (3 cr.)
2. SPM 501: Principles of Epidemiology (4 cr.)
3. MT 600: Industrial Hygiene (4 cr.)
4. OSHA 511: OS & H Standards for General Industry (4 days)
5. OSHA 7500/7505/7845: Introduction to Safety Management, Accident Investigation, & Record Keeping (2 days)
6. Completion of a related project or thesis

Additionally, trainees will participate in a journal club and seminars featuring practicing safety professionals from WNY.

Trainees who complete the curriculum will obtain advanced specialization in OS&H while earning a graduate degree from their respective home departments.

Program Benefits

1. Trainees will gain core competencies in injury prevention, epidemiology and industrial hygiene.
2. Students will have a uniquely varied educational experience featuring academic courses, OSHA/OTI approved continuing education training, journal club, and interaction with OS&H professionals.
3. The interdisciplinary nature of the program will allow trainees to collaborate with students from disciplines outside their own.
4. Students will acquire OS&H field experiences through partnerships with industry and professional safety organizations.
5. Trainees will be prepared to work towards a career as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE).

Trainee Fellowships are Available
Stipends and tuition scholarships are available to qualified full-time M.S. students.

Contact Victor Paquet, Industrial and Systems Engineering Coordinator, for more information (vpaquet@eng.buffalo.edu)

Course Descriptions

Academic Courses

IE 541: Occupational Safety and Health
This course reviews theories of accident causation, systems safety approaches for hazard assessment (e.g., hazard analysis, what if, failure modes effects analysis, and fault trees), prevention of common safety hazards, warnings, and training. The course is taught using a variety of case studies about accidents, product failures, and employer behavior. Students complete exercises individually and in groups in class, and complete a series of team-oriented field projects for homework. (3 cr.)

SPM 501: Introduction to Epidemiology
This course provides students with a broad understanding of epidemiologic methods that includes study designs, exposure assessment techniques, medical surveillance and biostatistics. (4 cr.)

MT 600: Industrial Hygiene
This is a new course that provides an introduction to industrial hygiene principles including the identification, evaluation and control of chemical, biological and physical hazards in the workplace. Environmental monitoring techniques, worker exposure measurement and application of control measures are covered. Toxicological principles, dose response relationships and toxicokinetics are also covered. (4 cr.)

OSHA Certificate Courses

OSHA 511: Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry
This is a 4-day certificate course for private sector personnel focusing on OSHA standards for general industry. Key general industry subparts are discussed in detail. Trainees participate in a hazard violation workshop to develop their ability to locate regulations that pertain to a variety of potentially dangerous situations. Trainees who successfully complete this course are able locate and apply OSHA Safety and Health standards, policies and procedures, utilize OSHA standards and regulations to supplement an on-going safety and health program, identify common violations of OSHA standards and propose appropriate abatement procedures for selected safety and health hazards.

OSHA 7500/7505/7845: Introduction to Safety and Health Management, Accident Investigation, and Record Keeping
This is a two-day OSHA certificate course designed to provide professionals with the tools necessary to effectively manage OS&H within an organization. The first course module (7500) provides a workshop for the effective implementation of a company’s safety and health management system featuring management leadership and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training. The second module (7505) provides an introduction to basic accident investigation procedures and accident analysis techniques. The third module (7845) covers requirements for posting certain records, maintaining records of illnesses and injuries and reporting specific cases to OSHA (e.g., forms 300, 300A and 301).

MS Thesis or Field Project

To fulfill their normal degree requirements, trainees complete a Master’s thesis or field project that integrates materials from their departmental courses and the OS&H courses. The thesis involves research intended to provide knowledge that can be generalized across occupational settings, while the project is designed to address an OS&H challenge at one or more specific work sites.

Other Activities

OS&H Seminar & Journal Club

Trainees attend scheduled seminars and group discussions about current occupational safety and health issues related to research and practice.

Professional OS&H Meetings

Trainees also learn about real life experiences and challenges faced by OS&H by professionals by interacting with experienced OS&H practitioners during regional meetings and national conferences.

How to Apply for a Fellowship

Those interested in applying for a Trainee Fellowship must first be successfully admitted into one of the participating departments and then should contact the appropriate departmental coordinator for specific information about the application process.