Main Content
Syllabus
LER 444: Workplace Safety and Health: Principles and Practices (3): The role of employees, unions, employers, and government in dealing with work-related health issues. Prerequisite: LER 100 or sixth-semester standing.
Overview
Occupational safety and health is an important issue within the modern workplace. Individuals who work may face a wide variety of potential hazards depending on their chosen profession. Employers must properly identify and control these hazards in order to minimize the possibility of workplace injuries and illnesses.
This course will introduce students to the three interrelated fields of occupational safety, occupational health, and environmental protection. Students will be provided with an overview of key issues within these fields and gain an appreciation for their importance within the workplace. Students will also become familiar with the fundamental concepts involved in the management of occupational safety and health hazards.
Course Objectives
After completing this course, you should have a good understanding of the following:
- The importance of occupational safety and health within an organization.
- The role of employers, employees, unions, and government in addressing work-related safety and health issues.
- The scope of occupational safety and health challenges within the United States.
- Key legal requirements relating to occupational safety and health.
- Approaches for effectively managing safety and health in the work setting.
- Methods for identifying, evaluating, and controlling workplace hazards.
- Specific safety and health issues which have broad implications across many workplaces.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
NOTE: The Department of Labor Studies and Employment Relations does not view Wikipedia as a valid source for information cited in academic work. It can be a useful tool for quickly finding general information on subjects or as a starting point for research. However, students should not cite Wikipedia as a source in papers, reports, assignments, etc.
Using the Library
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Software
One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit the Buying Software section of the Course Materials page.
Technical Requirements
For this course we recommend the minimum World Campus technical requirements listed below:
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
One of the benefits of being a registered Penn State student is that you are eligible to receive educational discounts on many software titles. If you are interested in learning more about purchasing software through our affiliate vendor, please visit the Buying Software section of the Course Materials page.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Schedule
All Activities are due by 11:59pm ET on the last date of each time frame unless otherwise noted.
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NOTE: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Grades
Grades in this course are calculated based on the following:
| Description |
Value
|
|---|---|
| Exam 1 |
100 pts. (25%)
|
| Exam 2 |
100 pts. (25%)
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| Course Project |
75 pts. (19%)
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| Quiz 1 |
25 pts. (6%)
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| Quiz 2 |
25 pts. (6%)
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| Class Participation |
75 pts. (19%)
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Total
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400 pts. (100%)
|
Class Participation:
- The class participation grade will be based upon the completion of lesson assignments and participation in discussion forums.
- There are a total of six assignments and four discussion forums over the course of the semester. Specific point values for each of these are noted in the course schedule.
- All assignments are due on the dates noted in the syllabus.
Course Project:
- The course project is to create an online presentation related to occupational safety and health. Guidelines for the course project will be provided following Exam 1.
- The course project will be completed by a team of four to five students.
- An outline for the course project must be submitted during Week 10. The course project must be completed during Week 15.
- Each student’s project grade will be based on scores from the instructor and fellow team members.
- A grading rubric for the course project will be posted.
Quizzes:
- Two quizzes will be held during the semester. These quizzes are each scheduled at approximately the mid-point between exams and will serve to check your progress within the course.
- Quiz 1 will be held during Week 4 and will cover all material through Week 4.
- Quiz 2 will be held during Week 10 and will cover all material from Week 8 through Week 10.
Exams:
- Two exams will be held during the semester.
- Exam 1 will be held during Week 7 and will cover all material through Week 6.
- Exam 2 will be held during Week 16 (December 3 to December 7) and will cover all material from Week 8 through Week 14. (This exam is not cumulative.)
Due Dates and Late Assignments
All assignments are due on the dates noted in the syllabus. Any assignment posted later than the date given will lose 10 percentage points per calendar day and will not be accepted later than 3 calendar days after the due date. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. Consideration for late assignments will only be entertained IN ADVANCE of the due date. Assignments are always accepted earlier than the due date.
For this course, grades will be assigned on the following basis:
| Letter Grade | % Range |
|---|---|
| A | 93-100 |
| A- | 90-92.99 |
| B+ | 87-89.99 |
| B | 83-86.99 |
| B- | 80-82.99 |
| C+ | 77-79.99 |
| C | 70-76.99 |
| D | 60-69.99 |
| F | 59.99 or below |
The World Campus program follows the same grading system as the Penn State resident program. The grades of A, B, C, D, and F indicate the following qualities of academic performance:
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| A | (Excellent) Indicates exceptional achievement |
| B | (Good) Indicates extensive achievement |
| C | (Satisfactory) Indicates acceptable achievement |
| D | (Poor) Indicates only minimal achievement |
| F | (Failure) Indicates inadequate achievement necessitating a repetition of the course in order to receive credit |
Grades are assigned the following grade-point equivalents:
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Grade
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Grade-Point Equivalent
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|---|---|
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A
|
4.00
|
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A-
|
3.67
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B+
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3.33
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B
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3.00
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B-
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2.67
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C+
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2.33
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C
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2.00
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D
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1.00
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F
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0
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Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
University Policies
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.