Occupational Health is a branch of Health Sciences that includes the processes of prediction, identification, evaluation and control of harmful factors in various work environments in the community, along with a series of complementary health care measures with the aim of improving work environments, and providing, maintaining and safeguarding the health of workforce as the driving force of the society. As professional health requires the presence of experts in the field in workplaces and entails the need for awareness of the human health issues, it is considered as a combination of medical and engineering sciences. Professional health can be briefly described in the science and art of providing health in the workplace. A professional health engineer is responsible for predicting, identifying, evaluating, and eliminating or controlling occupational risk factors. Physical

Program philosophy

Achieving "health" is one of the basic rights of the community, including those employed in various occupations. So this field attempts to provide this basic right and help us get a step closer to social justice and preserve human dignity by addressing the needs of the working people in the community.

The belief behind this program is that health can be achieved by taking into account national priorities and research results, using the latest information and appropriate technologies, identifying damaging occupational factors and factors threatening safety in the workplace, creating a work environment compatible with employees’ physical and psychological ability, and adapting "work" with humans.

Continuing Education

The students can then continue their education in this specialty at the master's and Ph.D. levels at the universities of medical sciences centralized master's degree examination and centralized and semi-centralized Ph.D. degree examination.

Goals of the program

Maintaining and enhancing the physical, psychological and social health of workers in various occupations will only be possible through preventing workers' health threats, and studying inappropriate workplace conditions and their adverse effects on the staff health. Occupational health experts working in this field use his/her understanding of the work environment, industrial and work processes, the hazards and the harmful factors of the work environment, as well as the effects that these factors have on employees’ health to improve the working environment by reviewing, evaluating, measuring and controlling these harmful factors. In case of identifying occupational diseases among employees, the occupational health engineer makes a referral for definitive diagnosis as well as treatment by a medical professional. Occupational hazards whose identification and control is one of the main responsibilities of occupational health professionals are as follows:

• Physical hazards in the work environment: Sound and vibration, heat and humidity, cold, pressure (shortage and increased pressure), brightness (poor or excessive lighting), non-ionizing waves, ionizing non-ionizing radiation and electromagnetic waves.
• Chemical hazards in the work environment: Gases, vapors, smoke and fog, dusts, acids and bases, metals, etc.
• Ergonomic hazards in the work environment: These include musculoskeletal disorders, lifting, improper body posture during work, lifting and carrying excessive loads, checking the work surfaces including desks, chairs, and tools used, identifying inappropriately designed equipment etc.
• Safety at work environment: Identification of hazards of working at heights, fire and explosion safety, crane safety, electrical safety, etc.
• Biological hazards in the workplace: Viruses, fungi, parasites, bacteria, etc.
• Mental and psychological hazards in the workplace: relationships between employees and employers, colleagues, and subordinates; rewards and promotions, job satisfaction, etc.

Mission

The mission of this program is to train and educate professionals who are able to predict, identify and control the risk factors of the work environment and provide and protect the physical, psychological and social health of the workforce to the highest possible level. They should be familiar and dedicated to the concepts, foundations and strategies of combating diseases and those of provision, preservation and promotion of the health of the community.

The role of graduates

The role of the graduates of this program includes the following aspects: educational, research, management and supervision, service and consulting services.

The length of the program and the form of the educational system

Based on the Standards of Baccalaureate approved by the Supreme Council for the Planning of Medical Sciences Curriculum, the total number of undergraduate course credits in the Occupational Health Engineering Program is as follows.

• General courses: 22 credits.
• Basic and main courses: 32 credits.
• Mandatory specialty courses: 60 credits.
• Training in the field: 16 credits.
• Total: 130 credits.