ABOUT THE SEVENTH DOH BLOCK ON SOCIOLOGY OF WORK, INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND LAW

Course/Block Coordinator and Overall Programme Convenor
Professor Jonny Myers
Tel (021) 4066898
Fax: (021) 4066163
Email: myers@cormack.uct.ac.za

Programme Administrator
Mrs Dot Manley
Tel (021) 406 6495
Fax: (021) 4066163
Email: dotm@cormack.uct.ac.za

Ms Fouzia Mohamed
Tel (021) 4066719
Fax: (021) 4066163
Email: fouziam@cormack.uct.ac.za

Other Lecturers can be contacted through the above-mentioned

BLOCK 7: OVERVIEW OF MODULE
Occupational health, as opposed to most other disciplines in clinical medicine or in public health generally, is located within the arena of contesting parties, all with different needs. These often divergent approaches to the provision (or lack thereof) of services, the allocation of resources or the setting up of policy and legal frameworks, have direct impact on the health and safety of workers. The ability to manage these divergent views in order to promote the healthy and safe working environments requires an understanding of why these different views exist, the conditions that maintain divergence and conditions that encourage a convergence. This module examines the sociological influences on occupational health and safety, the role particularly of workers and their organisations, the impact of globalisation and international trends on occupational health as well as key issues such as workplace stress. Part of these sociological phenomena in occupational health is the differential and discriminatory practices meted out to women, and the problems faced in some parts of the world with child labour.

BLOCK 7: LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Overall Module Aim
nderstand basic concepts of industrial sociology and psychology including industrial relations and related legislative processes, psychosociology as they relate to health in the industrial and environmental setting, as well as develop an understanding of key issues relating to specific working and at risk subpopulations, such as children, women and certain industrial sectors.

Specific Module Objectives

1. Know the impact of globalisation on occupational health and safety, particularly in the setting of standards both internationally and nationally
2. Understand the process of standard setting
3. Have an understanding of Industrial Relations, and be able to apply the basic principles of industrial relations within the relevant institutional and workplace framework and contribute constructively and ethically to resolution of industrial relations conflicts involving health matters.Understand and appreciate the role of trade unions in workplace dynamics, and in occupational health issues specifically at workplace, industry and national level.
4. Understand the worker-employer relationships which impact on occupational health
5. Understand the sociology of work and of health and safety in industry
6. Know the psycho-social effects of aspects of work organisation such as shift-work, stress etc.
7. Have an understanding of the issues related with the health of women employees and child labour.
8. Have a good understanding of occupational health and safety law, and be able to advise others on and apply the main laws in occupational health and safety, and other laws of relevance to occupational health and be able to work with lawyers on matters of civil law pertaining to occupational health.

Overall Block structure and content

A timetable is provided for the block. The times allocated in this timetable are those that are required to master the materials provided on the CD ROM. It is anticipated that for each hour allocated to self-directed learning you will spend another 2 hours fully mastering the contents of the block.

Structure and content of each Section in the Core Contents Menu

Each session deals with a specific topic and is organised and presented with the following headings:

General and Specific Objectives

These appear at the top of the first screen for each section.

Objectives include the knowledge or competencies that it is intended you achieve after you have completed each session. At the end of each section you should ask yourself whether you feel you have mastered the material and whether you have been able to complete the self test questions on the last page of each section (not every session has one) in such a way that you really understand what is going on, and are happy that in your case the objectives at the beginning of the session have been met. Only then is it recommended that you go on to the next section. At all times you can contact your designated tutor by email or by phone to ask questions. You should not wait and struggle but rather ask questions as soon as you have difficulties.

Section Activities

For each sections a list of activities is suggested to assist you in reaching the objectives. These include a range of resources and materials from hardcopy texts to web-based and other electronic resources (on CDROM or videotape), worked examples and exercises. These resource materials are supplied at different levels - introductory and more detailed and specific and in-depth. You are encouraged to direct your own learning by going further into topics and into the scientific literature and reference texts. There is therefore no limit to these activities other than your interest and time availability. However, you do need to complete all of the basic informational activities. Hyperlinks to relevant websites will be inserted where appropriate, when the source material does not appear on the CD..

Section exercises and quizzes

In order to help you evaluate your performance, self-test exercises appear at the end of some of the sections. Try to answer these questions by yourself. It is a way of checking that you have reached the objectives. Answers to the exercises are built in. You can repeat these exercises again and again until you feel that you have mastered the content of the sessions. There are also more substantial sets of exercises built around case studies or particular problems.

As homework in the interblock period you will receive tasks that will be marked and constitute part of your year's mark record.

Session Reference materials:

There are both hardcopy and web references. You must try your best to access all the reference materials. We have tried to keep them short in order not to overload you with too much material. However, there is much more to read than just these required readings. You are also strongly encouraged to look further afield for relevant references - this is the essence of self-directed learning.