Overview
Industrial Relations 308: Occupational Health and Safety is a three-credit, senior-level course that examines issues of worker health and safety (and life and death) within their political and economic contexts and in the workplace. Over the past three decades, the field of occupational health and safety has grown and developed, and an extensive amount of scientific and technical knowledge on the subject has accumulated. Nevertheless, conflicts among practitioners and scholars on even the most basic questions still persist. These disagreements are driven by inherent differences in interest and power between workers and employers (or labour and capital, if you will), which together form the conditions of industrial relations. Scientific arguments often disguise the real debate, which concerns the value attached to preserving the life and health of workers in the workplace. Occupational health and safety cannot be examined without also considering the power dynamics that operate both within and around the job.
Learning outcomes
After completing this course, you should be able to
- explain the legislated obligations of employers and the rights of workers regarding workplace safety and injury compensation,
- identify various forms of workplace hazards and select appropriate strategies to identify and control such hazards,
- plan appropriate interventions to prevent and respond to workplace injuries,
- identify the converging and conflicting interests of employers, workers, and the state in terms of injury prevention and explain how some of these interests affect injury prevention efforts, and
- describe how race, gender, and the nature of work itself have tangible health and safety consequences.
Evaluation
To receive credit for IDRL 308, you must complete a telephone quiz and three written assignments, write a final examination, achieve a minimum grade of D (50%) or better on the final examination, and obtain an overall grade of at least D (50 percent) on the entire course. The weighting of the composite course grade is as follows:
| Activity | Weight |
| Telephone Quiz | 10% |
| Assignment 1: Hazard Assessments | 25% |
| Assignment 2: Hazard Selection and Outline | 5% |
| Assignment 3: Hazard Action Plan | 30% |
| Final Examination | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an 小优视频-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
Materials
This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
Instructional Resources
Foster, J., Barnetson, B., & Cake, S. (2026). Health and safety in Canadian workplaces (2nd ed.). 小优视频 Press. (DRR)
All other materials are also available to students online, including a study guide.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the IDRL 308 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent)on the examination.
Challenge for credit course registration form