Important Note About Changes to IHS Program
In response to the needs and requests of the many companies that hire our graduates, we are changing and improving the Industrial Health and Safety degree program in the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering.
Our intention is that beginning the Spring 2009 semester, the current Industrial Health and Safety program will become an option within the Environmental Systems Engineering degree program, accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012 - telephone: (410) 347-7700. The option will be called Environmental Health and Safety Engineering. Graduates of this new option/program will be getting extensive safety and health training as well as environmental systems engineering training.
How to Apply
We encourage anyone wishing to enter this new program to apply to the Environmental Systems Engineering program at this time. The first two years of coursework for this new option are nearly identical to the currently accredited Environmental Systems Engineering program, so students can enter the program and begin study with the intention of entering the new Environmental Health and Safety Engineering option as soon as it becomes available.
For more information about proposed course content or about the new option in general, please contact Dr. Joel M. Haight (jmh44@psu.edu).
Overview of IHS
The most precious resource in any organization is its people. People are a company's major investment, and their welfare is essential to good business. The safest workplace is the most productive workplace. Industrial accidents disrupt production and affect people's lives. In today's competitive marketplace, companies cannot afford the losses that are incurred. And, increasingly, employees are sensitive to their environment and are demanding safe and healthful working conditions.
Many industries are heavily regulated by federal and state government agencies to maintain specific health and safety standards and are monitored to assure compliance with these standards. While substantial progress has been made in industrial health and safety, deaths, disabilities, and industrial accidents and disasters continue to occur. The need for well-trained health and safety professionals has never been greater.
The interdisciplinary major in Industrial Health and Safety is designed to provide students with the technical and managerial skills necessary to address the occupational health and safety concerns associated with the mining, manufacturing, construction, and government sectors. Employers in the United States are mandated by federal and state laws to provide workplaces that are free of recognized hazards to personnel. Agencies, such as OSHA and MSHA, have placed increased emphasis on employer responsibilities for the health and safety of their employees. Annually, work-related accidents affect not only workers' compensation but also reduce productivity.
ABET Accreditation
The B.S. program in Industrial Health and Safety is accredited by the Applied Science Accreditation Commission of ABET, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202-4012; telephone: 410-347-7700.