MPH2045

Principles of health risk assessment ( 6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL)

Leader: A/Prof M Sim

Offered:
Clayton First semester 2005 (Day)
Clayton First semester 2005 (On-campus)
Clayton Second semester 2005 (Day)
MMS-ALFRED Second semester 2005 (Day)

Synopsis: Environmental hazards, their effects, measurement, evaluation & control. Metals, dusts, gases & vapours, solvents, food additives & contaminants, pesticides, dioxins, environmental illness & chemical sensitivity, chemical sampling, control hierarchy, ventilation & protective equipment.

Objectives: On completion of this unit students should be able to: 1. Nominate the important hazards and risks to health from the environment in Australia. 2. Access available information about these hazards, which are useful in the (Health Risk Assessment) HRA process. 3. Critically appraise published epidemiological articles related to environmental health risks. 4. Evaluate the results of toxicological studies, which are used in HRA. 5. Demonstrate an understanding of the methods used to identify common environmental hazards and to measure the level of human exposure to them. 6. Demonstrate an understanding of the methods used to undertake environmental health risk assessment, including the limitations of these methods. 7. Interpret the results of HRA and their use in setting intervention criteria. 8. Demonstrate an understanding of the policy issues associated with HRA, including the role fo Australian bodies which use HRA in standard setting.

Assessment: Assignments + Examination

Off-campus attendance requirements: 15 contact hours over 3 days