Safety Technology
Josh Goldowitz, Chair
www.rit.edu/~704www/safetytech.shtml
Virtually every organization today depends on safety experts to ensure a safe, smooth, and effective operation. These professionals address their organizations’ immediate safety needs, with work ranging from creating physically safer work places and modifying employee behaviors to implementing voluntary protection programs that go beyond legal standards.
Safety professionals protect resources such as workers, buildings, equipment, intellectual capital, and corporate reputations. They perform their functions in a variety of settings, including manufacturing, construction, engineering, insurance, risk management, consulting, corporate business, government, education, and health care. This program is available to students both on campus and in a distance-learning format.
The safety technology program is academically challenging and prepares graduates with the skills and knowledge to address their organization’s immediate and long-term safety needs, including protection and preservation of workers, buildings, equipment, and corporate reputations. The program prepares graduates to be:
- qualified to practice as safety professionals in industry, government, or other related areas of employment;
- able to progress toward safety management (leadership) positions; and
- able to pursue appropriate advanced education or certification as safety professionals.
The curriculum is grounded in math, science, and the liberal arts, with specialized courses in a wide range of subjects, including occupational safety, fire protection, construction safety, incident investigation, and ergonomics. The safety technology curriculum emphasizes creative problem solving through challenging, application-based courses that provide the opportunity to solve actual safety problems provided by industry.
The program is accredited by the Applied Science Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, telephone (410) 347-7700. It is operated as a cooperative education program.
Transfer admission
The admission of transfer students at the third-year level is open to all students who have received an appropriate associate degree or the equivalent of two years of college. Course work should include:
- technical math (two semesters of college-level math with an introduction to calculus);
- technical physics;
- technical sciences (including chemistry, organic chemistry, and biology);
- computer applications/programming; and
- the liberal arts.
Students may enter the upper-division safety technology BS program from a wide variety of associate degree programs or with the equivalent of two years of college, including appropriate courses in math, science, and the liberal arts. In this program students will build on their foundation of science and math with specialized courses in a wide range of subjects, including occupational safety, fire protection, construction safety, incident investigation, and ergonomics. The safety technology curriculum emphasizes creative problem solving through challenging application-based courses. Students will have the opportunity to solve actual safety problems provided by industry.
The upper-division safety technology BS program is offered in an online format for people wishing to continue their education while working.
Cooperative education
Today’s employers are looking for ambitious graduates who have professional work experience in addition to a quality academic background. Because the safety technology program requires a minimum of four quarters of cooperative education, students will get the chance to apply their skills in real-world situations before they graduate. Hundreds of employers recruit on campus each year because they know RIT graduates have professional abilities, technical skills, and work experience that are current with industry demands. A student’s prior safety-related experience may be counted toward the cooperative education requirement. Students should speak with an adviser for more information.
Certification
The hallmark of professional capability in the field of safety is the certified safety professional (CSP) designation. In order to sit for the two exams leading to the CSP, an individual must have academic preparation in addition to work experience in the safety field. All students completing the BS degree program in safety technology will be eligible to take the associate safety professional examination upon graduation. Eligibility for the CSP examination occurs once the graduate has acquired enough appropriate work experience (usually three additional years for students who have completed a full year of appropriate co-op assignments). RIT has structured the safety technology program to be at the leading edge of this field, providing students with high-quality academic preparation and relevant work experience.
Safety technology, BS degree, typical course sequence |
||
| Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | ||
First Year |
Environmental Health and Safety Seminar 0630-200‡ | 1 |
| General Chemistry, Lab 1011-201, 205‡ | 4 | |
| College Algebra and Trigonometry 1016-204 | 4 | |
| College Physics I, Lab 1017-211, 271‡ | 4 | |
| Principles of Environmental Management 0630-201 | 4 | |
| Calculus for Engineering Technology I 1016-231 | 4 | |
| Occupational Safety 0630-454 | 4 | |
| Introduction to Organic Chemistry, Lab 1011-213, 207‡ | 4 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| First-Year Enrichment 1105-051, 052 | 2 | |
| General Elective | 4 | |
Second Year |
Manufacturing Processes 0617-220‡ | 4 |
| Applied Mechanics I 0610-408 | 4 | |
| Human Biology II, Lab 1004-212, 232‡ | 4 | |
| College Physics II, Lab 1017-212, 272‡ | 4 | |
| Data Analysis I 1016-319 | 4 | |
| Elements of Building Construction 0608-422 | 4 | |
| Construction Safety 0633-505 | 4 | |
| Program Electives | 8 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| Problem Solving and Communication with Computers 0608-225‡ | 2 | |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
Third Year |
Occupational Health, Lab 0630-450, 451 | 5 |
| Fire Protection 0630-401 | 4 | |
| Manmade Hazards 0634-321 | 4 | |
| Occupational Health II 0633-526† | 4 | |
| Instructional Design Principles 0688-362 | 4 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 4 | |
| General Education | 4 | |
| Program Elective | 4 | |
| Cooperative Education Preparation 0606-099 | 0 | |
| Cooperative Education (2 quarters) 0630-499 | Co-op | |
Fourth Year |
Product Stewardship 0630-465 | 4 |
| Project Management 0630-490 | 4 | |
| Ethics Course | 4 | |
| Program Electives | 12 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 8 | |
| Cooperative Education (2 quarters) 0630-499 | Co-op | |
Fifth Year |
Mechanical and Electrical Controls 0633-530 | 4 |
| System Safety/Incident Investigation 0633-540 | 4 | |
| Senior Project Planning 0630-509 | 1 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 4 | |
| Ergonomics 0303-415 | 3 | |
| Safety and Health Program Management 0633-545 | 4 | |
| Senior Project 0630-511 | 3 | |
| Program Electives | 8 | |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 193 | |
*Please see Liberal Arts
General Education Requirements for more information.
†Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
‡Courses either not available
in distance learning format or have an on-campus component.
Safety Technology and Environmental, Health, and Safety Management
Abi Aghayere, Acting Department Chair
Joseph M. Rosenbeck, Graduate Coordinator
Scott B. Wolcott, Undergraduate Coordinator
www.rit.edu/~704www/safetytech.shtml
Qualified safety technology undergraduate students may pursue an accelerated dual degree program. Successful completion of the five-year accelerated program will result in simultaneously earning a BS in safety technology and an MS in environmental, health, and safety management. The BS/MS program requires the completion of 231 total quarter credit hours, including 50 quarter credit hours of graduate course work plus three quarters of cooperative work experience. The BS/MS program is an option for students who are already enrolled in the BS in safety technology degree program, have completed at least four quarters of undergraduate study, and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2.
Below is a model course schedule for completing the BS/MS program. Students interested in the BS/MS program should work with their program advisers and start following this course schedule during their freshman year.
Safety technology and EHS, BS/MS degree, typical course sequence |
||
| Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | ||
First Year |
Environmental Management Seminar 0630-200 |
1 |
Chemistry Principles I, Lab 1011-211, 205 |
4 |
|
College Algebra and Trigonometry 1016-204 |
4 |
|
| First-Year Enrichment 1105-051, 052 | 2 | |
College Physics I, Lab 1017-211, 271 |
4 |
|
Principles of Environmental Management 0630-201 |
4 |
|
Human Biology II, Lab 1004-212, 232 |
4 |
|
Occupational Safety 0630-454 |
4 |
|
Introduction to Organic Chemistry, Lab 1011-207, 213 |
4 |
|
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| General Education | 4 | |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
Second Year |
Manufacturing Processes 0617-220 |
4 |
Data Analysis I 1016-319 |
4 |
|
Applied Mechanics I 0610-408 |
4 |
|
Occupational Health, Lab 0630-450, 451 |
5 |
|
Physics II, Lab 1017-212, 272 |
4 |
|
Calculus for Technology 1016-231 |
4 |
|
Elements of Building Construction 0608-422 |
4 |
|
Liberal Arts* |
8 |
|
Problem Solving and Communications with Computers 0608-225 |
2 |
|
Construction Safety 0633-505 |
4 |
|
| Elective | 8 | |
| Cooperative Education Preparation 0606-099 | 0 | |
| Cooperative Education (1 quarter) | Co-op | |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
Third Year |
Liberal Arts* |
8 |
Program Electives (undergraduate) |
12 |
|
Fire Protection 0633-401 |
4 |
|
General Education Elective |
4 |
|
Occupational Health II 0633-526 |
4 |
|
Manmade Hazards 0634-321 |
4 |
|
Instructional Design Principles 0688-362 |
4 |
|
Effective Technical Communications 0535-403 |
4 |
|
Project Management 0630-490 |
4 |
|
| Cooperative Education (1 quarter) | Co-op | |
Fourth Year |
Product Stewardship 0630-465 |
4 |
Liberal Arts* |
8 |
|
Industrial Wastewater Management 0630-714 |
4 |
|
Ethics 0509-211 |
4 |
|
Mechanical and Electrical Controls 0633-530 |
4 |
|
Air Emissions Management 0630-715 |
4 |
|
Ergonomics 0303-415 |
3 |
|
System Safety, Incident Investigation 0633-540 |
4 |
|
Program Elective (undergraduate) |
4 |
|
Solid and Hazardous Waste Management 0630-713 |
4 |
|
Safety and Health Program Management 0633-545 |
4 |
|
| Cooperative Education (1 quarter) | Co-op | |
Fifth Year |
Environmental Health and Safety Management 0630-720 |
4 |
Integrating Environmental Health and Safety into Business Management 0630-760 |
4 |
|
Graduate Project/Thesis Planning 0630-890 |
2 |
|
Organizational Behavior and Leadership 0102-740 |
4 |
|
Environmental Health and Safety Management System Design 0630-740 |
4 |
|
Professional Elective (graduate) |
4 |
|
Environmental Health and Safety Accounting and Finance 0630-725 |
4 |
|
Environmental Health and Safety Internal Auditing 0630-790 |
4 |
|
Graduate Project/Thesis 0630-891/899 |
4 |
|
Professional Elective (graduate) |
4 |
|
| Cooperative Education (1 quarter) | Co-op | |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours§ | 231 | |
*Please see Liberal Arts General Education Requirements for more information.
†Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
§The total quarter credit hours include 181 quarter credit hours of undergraduate course work and 50 quarter credit hours of graduate course work.
Certificates
Certificate in Disaster and Emergency Management
Heightened public and governmental awareness of the hazards associated with high technology has led to stringent new federal and state laws requiring communities to plan comprehensively for toxic chemical or radiation emergencies. In addition, there has been a need to protect the public during natural emergencies such as floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes.
Emergency management practitioner organizations and the federal government are working to develop national standards for the accreditation of emergency managers. The certificate in disaster and emergency management is intended to upgrade the skills of public safety planners, emergency officials in industry, and existing or aspiring emergency managers in police, fire, and ambulance work. The certificate program also is an excellent capstone program for individuals with associate degrees in fire science, environmental health and safety, or other areas of emergency response.
The six-course sequence is designed to provide students with knowledge of the physical phenomena underlying emergency situations, such as elementary meteorology, earthquake phenomena, toxic chemicals and radiation; the legal aspect of emergency planning and operations; the theory and methodology of emergency planning, including evacuation planning and management; and the theory and practice of operations at a disaster scene. Up to four credits may be awarded to emergency response agency personnel for appropriate training or experience.
Courses are scheduled so that the certificate may be completed in as little as one year. The courses in this upper-level program also may be applied toward professional requirements for the BS degree in applied arts and science and the BS degree in safety technology. Students must achieve a program GPA of at least 2.0 in order to be certified. These courses are offered in the online learning format.
Certificate courses have been developed with the assistance of local and state professionals in emergency management and are taught by these professionals.
| Certificate Courses | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. |
| 0634-311 Earth Science | 4 |
| 0634-321 Manmade Hazards | 4 |
| 0634-401 Emergency Preparedness Laws and Regulations | 4 |
| 0634-471 Emergency Planning and Methodology | 4 |
| 0634-481 Emergency Operations | 4 |
| 0634-475 Counterterrorism for the First Responder | |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 24 |
Certificate in Safety and Health Technology
Designed for accessibility and convenience, this certificate program is offered in both campus-based and online learning formats and consists of the seven 4-credit courses. Transfer credits and course substitutions require the approval of the department chair. Upon approval, these courses may also be applied toward the BS program in safety technology. Prerequisites for this program include general chemistry, biology, college algebra, and trigonometry. Students must achieve a program GPA of at least 2.5 in order to be certified.
| Certificate Courses | Qtr. Cr. Hrs. |
| 0630-450 Occupational Health | 4 |
| 0630-454 Occupational Safety | 4 |
| 0633-401 Fire Protection | 4 |
| 0633-540 System Safety/Incident Investigation* | 4 |
| 0633-545 Safety and Health Program Management** | 4 |
| 0633-505 Construction Safety | 4 |
| Professional Elective† | 4 |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 28 |
*Occupational Health (0630-450) and Occupational Safety (0630-454) are prerequisites.
**Occupational Health (0630-450) is a prerequisite.
†Manmade Hazards and Project Management (0634-321) is a suggested elective.