IGIENE AMBIENTALE ED OCCUPAZIONALE APPLICATA CON LABORATORIO
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Basics of environmental and occupational hygiene. Basics of physics, organic and inorganic chemistry, biology, environmental chemistry are also required. Reading and oral comprehension of English is highly recommended.
The final examination will consist in an oral or written exam. Questions will be based on the syllabus and the final score will be based on comprehension, capacity to apply theoretical concepts to real cases, autonomy of judgement, communication skills - correct terminology and learning abilities.
The course is composed by two modules and aims to prepare students to deal with the most topical issues of technologies applied to the environmental protection, with particular attention to some key risk factors that may be of concern to public and occupational health.
The course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the concepts of environmental protection, in terms of health and safety, both at regulatory level and in the prevention and precaution practices and procedures implemented for the protection of human health and the environment.
B module
This module includes topics that will allow students to perform basic environmental and occupational hygiene monitoring and to better solve practical problems in the exposure assessment of chemical and physical risk factors, through the analysis of case studies, laboratory exercises and field measurements.
Module A
- Health and environmental impact: regulatory framework , major impacts on soil, water, air.
- Biological monitoring as a complement of environmental monitoring: exposure biomarkers , effect biomarkers, genetic factors, confounders.
- Law 81/08 and European regulations (REACH , CLP , SDS).
- Process technologies and impact of production cycles on health and safety issues. Discussion of some case studies of inhalation and dermal exposure to key chemical agents.
Agriculture
Mining industry
Ceramic and glass industry
Steel industry
Engineering and electroplating industry
Wood processing industry
Public health sector
Health authorities and hospitals (legionella , chemical agents)
Companies of the tertiary sector
- Ergonomics : basics of physiology, postures , work organization and risk assessment.
- Epidemiology : occupational epidemiology, environmental and molecular epidemiology, statistics and biometry.
- Health Impact Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment
MODULE B
Methodological approaches for the exposure assessment and environmental monitoring (4h);
Monitoring techniques and instrumental setup for the determination of airborne chemical agents (particulate matter and fibres, gases and vapours). Direct-reading instruments (4h);
Measurement techniques of physical agents (6h):
-noise,
- microclimate,
- mechanical vibrations;
Case studies (10 h) on:
- occupational and environmental exposure to nanoparticles,
- exposure to anaesthetic gases,
- strategies for risk assessment according to different measurement techniques,
- waste management and its impacts on human health and the environment,
- man-mad mineral fibres: analytical characterization, hazard and risk assesment;
Laboratory exercises (practical demonstration of the main environmental monitoring methodologies and analytical techniques for the monitoring of chemical and physical risk agents) (16 h):
- asbestos (phase contrast optical microscopy and the dispersion staining method)
- sampling and gravimetric determination of particulate matter
- noise measurements
- microclimate assessment in moderate and severe environments (PMV and WBGT measurements)
- sampling and quantitative analysis of BTEX in air by gas chromatography.
All the lesson slides will be provided to the students, as well as a pdf booklet focused on specific topics (e-learning environment).
Frontal lessons with case study examples.
Laboratory exercises using measurement instrumentation.
Field activities in occupational environments.
The lecturers are available by appointment (to be contacted by e-mail).