Engelska Studiehandboken kurser

Dept. of Human Work Science

ARG001 Work Environment 6.0 ECTS credits

DENNA SIDA FINNS OCKSÅ PÅ SVENSKA

General information about studying at Luleå university

TIMEPERIOD:

LANGUAGE: Swedish

EXAMINER
Stig Karlsson Univ adj

PREREQUISITES
General eligibility for admission.

COURSE AIM
The aim of the course is to provide the students with; - insight into the effects of technological and organisational design on working conditions. - knowledge of human needs and conditions with respect to gender, age, disabilities, etc. - basic qualifications to apply technical knowledge in a way that promotes good working conditions - exercises in analysing work situations, identify, quantify, and theoretically solve certain work environmental problems - skills in research methodology and written presentation

CONTENTS
Introduction (2%). The course disposition. The effects of technology on working conditions. Laws, agreements, internal environmental work 5%. Introduction to the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Supervision and regulations. Effects of other regulations. Agreements related to industrial ergonomics. Internal control. The individual and the social environment (12%). Psychosocial environment - the importance of the work environment to the individual, the good work. Work groups - different types of groups, group processes. Leadership and other roles. Conflicts between humans - the development of conflicts, how to handle conflicts. The individual - perception, the human memory, learning, reasoning, problem-solving, human - computer interaction. Work environment and economy (6%). Productivity - quality and work environment. Costs connected to unfavorable working conditions - consequences on human, companies and society. Production and work organisation (9%). Work organisational theory. Methods for assessment of organisational design of work situations and production systems. Trends in production technology. Hazard analysis (3%). General introduction to some major methods for hazard analysis. Work physiology, workplace design and change (19%). Physical work loads, totally and locally distributed workload. Methods for assessing workloads and work postures. Methods for improvements of work stations with respect to workloads and work postures. Physical environment (28%). Thermal environment. Human temperature regulation. Hot and cold environment. Effects of thermal climate. Visual ergonomics and radiation. Methods for assessing lighting conditions, visual performance and visual load. The human eye. Introduction to adverse health effects of ionised and non-ionised radiation. Noise, acoustics, vibrations. The human hearing. Physiological and psychological effects of noise. Measurement techniques and the control of noise and vibrations. Legislation and agreements. Chemical elimination techniques (16%). Simplified methodology for chemical analysis and assessment of hazards. Uptake and effects on human. Elimination techniques, mainly ventilation.

TEACHING
The course consists of both theoretical matters and laboratory work with the focus on methods to describe, evaluate and understand how the working environment is affected by technical, economic and organisational conditions. Theoretical discussions are followed by laboratory work. The laboratory work is performed in groups of 2-4 students. Compulsory laboratory work.

EXAMINATION
Written examination, submission of laboratory reports. Laboratory work has to be approved. Correction of examination according to alternative B in ÒRegler för tentamenÓ.
COURSE GRADE SCALE: Fail, 3, 4, 5

ITEMS/CREDITS


Written exam                                                	4.5ECTS
Laboratory work                                             	1.5ECTS

COURSE LITTERATURE
Bohgard, Ericsson, Karlsson, Lövsund, Odenrick: Arbete - Människa - Teknik, ASN 1994

REMARKS

Last modified : 97-12-02

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