This MSc module aims to provide the student/delegate with a good grounding in the requirements of the Health and Safety Act relevant to the maintenance function in industry; understand natural laws and regulations applicable to the design and operation of plant and equipment; understand the need for short-term and long-term planning to minimise damage resulting from a major engineering failure.

Learning Outcomes involve:

- Have an awareness of the importance of Safety as an issue in considering maintenance operations.
- Have an understanding of its implications in a range of applications
- Have a general knowledge of how risk can be assessed and quantified and the basis for acceptability
- Demonstrate a knowledge of the health implications and legal frameworks affecting workplace hazards.
- Apply hazard and operability studies to co-ordinate safety related problems.
- Understand national laws and regulations applicable to the design and operation of plant and equipment.
- Critically examine the potential for damage and the long term financial liability as a result of a major engineering failure.
- Assess the need to plan for mitigation measures resulting from a major engineering failure.

Teaching/Learning Strategy:

This module will be taught by a combination of lectures, seminars and tutorials and will be complemented by a substantial element of student-centred experimental learning techniques including projects and case studies, carried out in groups.

Syllabus:

The teaching syllabus will cover the following areas:

Dangerous Maintenance:
Review of Statistics for maintenance accidents.

Legislation*
The Law, Common law, Civil law, Criminal law and their relevance to their Health and Safety, Factories and Offices, etc. Act, Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, Definition of 'reasonably practicable', the 'Six Pack' and the requirements for risk assessments.

Duties and New Responsibilities
The employer (for employees and others), the employee (for themselves and others), the Inspectorate, Consequence for the Employer and Employee if they fail to meet the duties imposed by the law. Professional Liability.

The Key Elements of Safe Working
Safe systems of work, Permit to work systems, Machinery maintenance, Safe place of work, Control of Contractors, Training, Instruction and Supervision, Personal protective equipment.

Quality Systems and Health and Safety
Reference to national standards and influence of international standards.

Hazard Analysis:
Defect and failure mode analysis. Accident prevention. Definition of accident. Hazard and risk. Accident causation - theory. Practical risk assessment. Use of HAZOP techniques for safety audits.

Major Engineering Failure
Identify major problems and distinguish them from minor or apparent problems. Rank problems in order of importance. Formulate alternative solutions or approaches to the identified problems and to develop advantages, disadvantages of competing solutions in accordance with their value and feasibility. Decide on the 'aftermath' solution and justify decision - bearing in mind financial liability i.e. production losses, market share, legislation, Health & Safety, property and liability losses, etc. (Case Studies).

Contingency Planning
Aims of contingency planning. Need for contingency planning. Learning lessons from previous major industrial and commercial losses in the past. Contingency planning team. Formulation of suitable responses to minimise the consequences.

The syllabus consists of a list of topics normally covered within the module. Each topic may not be dealt with in the same detail.

Indicative Reading:

Relevant topics from the following books:
Safety at Work, J Ridley and J Channing, Butterworth Heineman (2000)
Principles of Health and Safety at Work Allan St John Holt, IOSH 1999
HS(G)65 Successful Health and Safety Management, The Health and Safety Executive.
BS8800 Guide to Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, published by BSI
Understanding System Failure, V Bigwell and S Fortune, Marchant Press (1985)
Fail Safe Control Systems, K Warwick and M T THam, Chapman and Hall (1991)

Transferable Skills:

Knowledge of safety legislation and good working practice in safety management.
Awareness of the wider issues involved with the evolution of risk, its effects and the effect on the environment.

This MSc module: Safety and Environment course is taught over one week and consists of intensive lectures, laboratories, seminars and case studies. A further 2 weeks is left for self study. The assessment consists of a final exam plus coursework, with a 70% and 30% weighting respectively.

The course is held at a Scottish University and is worth 15 credit points. It can be taken on its own merit as CPD (continuous professional development) or towards a PgC or PgD in Maintenance Management or as in most cases a MSc in Maintenance Management.

This MSc module: Safety and Environment course is suitable for students/delegates who possess at least a degree in a engineering discipline. A-1 Technical Training, logis-Tech Associates provide added tuitional support to all attendees in this module for a small fee.

The next in-take to the MSc in Maintenance Management is September 2005 - numbers are limited. For more details on the MSc in Maintenance Management, please complete the request for information form or email hugo@logis-tech.co.uk.