In the final year of the programme each student completes a majorProject, which in many instances will be a follow-up to the workplacement. Case Studies dealing with Regulatory issues are considered.Students gain an appreciation of how Health & Safety managementsystems mesh with the overall operation of a business. There are alsocourse units covering relationships between Health and the WorkEnvironment, Health Promotion in the workplace, and the quantification ofrisk arising from Human Behaviour and System Failures.

Professional Experience Programme (PEP)

Students obtain professional experience in third year, through theProfessional Experience Programme (PEP).

This involves a formal work placement, which extends over a five-monthperiod from April to September. Students will work alongside a Health &Safety professional, and in most cases be given real day-to-dayresponsibilities for aspects of the host organisation’s safety-relatedactivities. Employers from all sectors of the economy participate in thisactivity: Local Authorities, Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Companies,Construction Companies, Telecom Service Providers, Health & SafetyConsultants, Transport and Logistics Companies, etc.

Health & Safety has become a major concern for society. Its growingsignificance is highlighted by increasing legislation and regulation at Irish,European and international levels.

Health & Safety is a discipline that is primarily focused on the welfare andwell-being of people at work. It is also concerned with the safety oftechnological systems within the workplace, and with the impact ofworkplace activity on the wider environment.

Health and Safety is viewed as an integral part of an organisation's activity,contributing to the welfare of employees, to public perception of theorganisation and ultimately to the quality and success of the product orservice delivered.

In response to the demand for specialists in this area, NUI Galway hasintroduced a BSc programme in Health and Safety Systems.

Graduates The employment record of graduates is excellent, with almost fullemployment within a short period after graduation. Graduates of theprogramme are being employed as Health & Safety professionals acrossa broad range of organisations including PharmaChem, Health Care,construction companies, consulting firms, local authorities and statutorybodies. A small number have chosen to pursue further education orresearch.

The BSc Health & Safety Systems is a truly multidisciplinary programme.

In 1st year students acquire a strong scientific base by attending coursesin Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. They are alsointroduced to practical issues in Health & Safety, including riskassessment and the legal framework governing the policies and practicesof Health & Safety.

In 2nd year students attend courses in Anatomy and Physiology, in orderto understand the risk of injury arising from various types of work andenvironmental exposure. Aspects of work in different workplace settingsare covered and students are introduced to Health & Safety Practice.Environmental factors are considered in specialised Physics, Chemistryand Microbiology course units. The Legal background to Health & Safetyis further explained.

Year 3 includes course units on Occupational Health, OccupationalHygiene, Epidemiology and Ergonomics. Practical approaches toincorporating Safety in the design of products, services and workplacesare introduced and safety in Construction is also considered. There isfurther development of the legal backdrop to Health & Safety – the role ofcommon, European and international law is explored, as is the issue oflaw enforcement.

Students obtain their workplace experience at the end of Year 3.

Health & Safety Systems (GY313) involvesthe application of engineering and scientificprinciples to ensure the welfare and well-being of people at work

Course Background Course Content