Physical Factors in Working Environment

The course will provide an introduction to the physical working environment factors, noise, vibration, ionizing and non-ionizing radiation as well as lighting. For all fields there will lectures on terminology, definitions and incidence of the relevant factor. What health effects can occur and when and where they act. How can you measure and identify this factor and the rules, methods and limits are available. How is risk and what measures are effective and how can they be used to reduce exposure. What legislation exists within the area. Analysis will becomes reviewed and demonstrated in the lab. attempt.

Position and function of the course in the study:
The course build on TIØ4186 Occupational Health and Safety. It will give relevant insight in ocupational hygiene with special attention on "physical factors in working environment". THe course is recommended as advanced course for students on study programs MHMS and MIHMS.

The course will provide knowledge about the following:
- General knowledge of noise, vibration, radiation and field and lighting
- Specific knowledge of health effects related to exposure to noise, full-body-vibration, hand-arm vibration, ionizing radiation, non-ionizing radiation, optical radiation, radio waves, extremely low frequency fields and lighting.
- Specific knowledge of the factors that are crucial for the noise a worker is exposed to, including acoustic power, sound power level, absorption and reverberation,
- Specific knowledge of the factors that are crucial for exposure to vibration whether it is hand-arm vibration or full-body-vibration - Specific knowledge about the factors that are crucial for exposure to radiation and field
- Specific knowledge of the factors that are crucial for the lighting conditions.
- Specific knowledge of surveying and measurement of the above factors - general knowledge of the rules, methods and guidelines that exist for the assessment
- General knowledge of the implementation of risk assessment and the measures that are effective for reducing exposure.

Other important learning outcomes:
General knowledge of the relationship between the construction of buildings and the resulting work as regards the physical work environment factors, noise, vibration, radiation and field and lighting as well as the issues that must be taken into account in particular the construction of buildings that ensure a good working environment.
- Students will, through a larger work, get training in analyzing the level of occupational hygiene in companies, and learn to take written arguments about professional challenges.

Seminars, lectures, laboratory exercises and compulsory term paper. Portfolio assessment is the basis for the grade in the course. The portfolio includes an assignment (40%) and a final written exam (60%). The results for the parts are given in %-scores, while the entire portfolio is assigned a letter grade. If there is a re-sit examination, the examination form may be changed from written to oral.