The following Environmental Certificate Programs are available
Required courses:
Environmental Auditing:Legal and Regulatory Framework
Explore the laws and regulations that govern the field of environmental auditing. Topics include major regulatory programs and the legislative process, managing environmental risk, the history of auditing regulations, the forces that drive environmental regulations, occupational health and safety regulations, consultant liability, and how to research legal and regulatory materials. You also learn the structures, roles and responsibilities of state and federal regulatory agencies and how they interface on auditing issues. The
required text, Practical Guide to Environmental Management by Frank B. Friedman (approximately $40), is sold on the first day of class only. Required for Certificate Program in Environmental Management and Auditing.
Principles of Environmental Management
Master the basic principles of hazardous materials management and examine the key elements of an effective environmental compliance and management program in this course. The course features an overview of key state and federal laws and reulations, as well as the development processes that create them. You have opportunities to exchange ideas and experiences and benchmark your organization's program and practices. A portion of the course focuses on environmental management systems and the foundation of ISO 14001. Topics include effective ways to achieve management commitment; the value of environmental management systems; how to deal with regulatory agencies; the significance of environmental policies; the role of environmental auditing in an environmental management program; the differences between compliance and management systems audits; how hazardous materials are classified and regulated; the issues of certification and their possible effects on U.S. regulatory programs and international competition; transportation and storage requirements for hazardous materials and waste; shipper, transporter and generator requirements; business plans; the federal RMP and California RMPP; and SPCC plans and safe hazardous material storage practices. Required text:"Practical Guide to Environmental Management."
Required for: Certificate programs in Hazardous Materials Management
Process Safety Management and Auditing, 3 Units
A process safety program may eliminate or minimize loss of life, damage to company assets, lawsuits, fines and violations. Gain the expertise necessary for establishing and auditing an effective program. You learn the chemical process safety requirement promulgated by OSHA (29 CFR 1910.119) and mandated by the Clean Air Act. This regulation is designed to prevent or minimize the catastrophic release of materials injurious to life, the environment or property. Other topics include an overview of process
safety management, the elements and benefits of an effective process safety management program, relevant federal and California regulations, program implementation, process hazard analysis preparation and auditing program effectiveness. Case studies and a field visit to an industrial facility provides
opportunities to see how process safety management applies to actual situations.
Recommended prerequisite: knowledge of auditing techniques. Elective for the certificate programs in Environmental Management and Auditing and Workplace Health and Safety.
Note: This course was formerly titled Process Safety and Industrial Auditing, which replaced the Process Safety (X431.6) and Industrial Process Auditing (X486.15) courses.
Total Quality Environmental Management, 1.5 Units
Total Quality Environmental Management
Managers in many kinds of organizations of large companies with environmental divisions, small to mid-sized companies struggling to comply with environmental regulations, government agencies involved in resolving complex environmental problems and environmental consulting firms are all learning the value of total quality environmental management. TQEM combines the principles of cost-efficient operations with environmentally sound practices and increased performance standards. This course provides practical strategies for successfully applying TQM in the environmental field, focusing on the managerial behaviors critical to an effective quality program. You examine how TQM can be used to minimize hazardous waste production, reduce disposal and treatment costs, identify ways to recycle/reuse materials, achieve regulatory compliance and reduce the possibility of excessive fines, develop inexpensive cleanup alternatives, and improve public awareness and marketing strategies.
Elective for the certificate programs in Hazardous Materials Management and Environmental Management and Auditing.
Understanding and Implementing ISO 14000, 1.5 Units
To compete in global markets, companies may have to be ISO 14000 certified. In addition, a program that meets the requirements of ISO 14000 helps companies avoid catastrophic losses and comply with environmental, health and safety regulations. This course provides the information and tools it takes to gain the competitive edge and become an industry leader in this arena. If you are responsible for designing, implementing, maintaining or auditing an environmental management program for compliance with ISO 14000 requirements, this course can help. You learn up-to-date information on ISO 14000, requirements of ISO 14001, and how to meet the requirements related to environmental management systems, environmental auditing, environmental labeling, life cycle assessment and product standards.
This course is an elective in the Certificate Program in Environmental Management and Auditing.
Management Systems Auditing and Root Cause Analysis, 1.5 Units
It is essential to identify and correct environmental, health and safety compliance deficiencies. But even more critical is identifying the changes you need to make to prevent recurrence. Effective management systems audits and root cause analysis can help environmental managers accomplish this objective and reduce future costs, liabilities and risk. It gives you the tools to perform an environmental, health and safety management systems audit and identify the root cause of problems, as well as implement corrective action. Through lectures, case studies and class exercises, you learn about management systems audits and how they differ from compliance audits, and identify key processes relevant
to an EMS. You also learn the specific techniques involved in performing a management systems audit and root cause analysis.
This course is an elective in the Certificate Program in Environmental Management and Auditing.
Fundamentals of Environmental Auditing
Please check class catalog for description of class.
Environmental Auditing Workshop
Please check class catalog for description of class.
Selected electives:
Solid and Hazardous Waste Laws and Audits
Please check class catalog for description of class.
Water Laws and Audits
This course is a practical overview of federal and state laws and the agencies that regulate water quality in California, focusing on the roles and responsibilities of applicants and permitting agencies under the California Water Code and the Clean Water Act. Learn how to effectively work through the regulatory process by analyzing the information you need, which agency to call, the questions you should ask, what laws and regulations apply, reasonable compliznce time schedules and dealing with potential roadblocks. Other topics include negotiating site cleanups; enforcement options, penalties and the petition process; Chapter 15 requirements regulating discharges to land; stormwater permits; permits for discharges to surface waters; and interaction with CEQA. Case studies are featured. A tour of the UC Davis Waste Water Treatment Plant is included in the course.
Elective for: Certificate Program in Environmental Management and Auditing
Required Courses:
Principles of Environmental Management
Please see above under Certificate Program of Environmental Management and Auditing for a description of this class.
Regulatory Framework for Toxic and Hazardous Substances
This class examines federal, state, and local regulations and
requirements for hazardous materials and wastes. Topics include
industry's role in and perspective on regulatory development and
its impact, and an intensive study of air, water and land-use
issues. Discussions cover permitting, plant and site closure practices,
Superfund and other issues necessary for a complete understanding
of the regulatory framework. Required for Certificate Program
in Hazardous Materials Management and elective in Certificate
Program in Environmental Management and Auditing.
Regulatory Framework for Toxic and Hazardous Substances
Please check class catalog for description of class.
Technologies for Storage,Treatment and Disposal of Hazardous Materials and Wastes
State-of-the-art technologies and future trends for storage, treatment
and disposal of hazardous wastes are covered in this class. Topics
include appropriate technologies for the handling and management
of hazardous materials, hazardous waste minimization, environmental
monitoring and other fundamental hazardous waste management practices,
carbon adsorption, oxidation, chemical precipitation and stabilization,
phase separation, recycling, landfill, surface impoundments and
waste exchanges. Case studies are featured. Guest speakers from
appropriate regulatory agencies, industry and consulting contribute
their expertise. Required for Certificate Program in Hazardous
Materials Management.
Quantitative Analysis and Practical Laboratory Techniques
This course combines an introduction to practical laboratory techniques
for evaluating hazardous materials and waste with a discussion
about interpreting data from analytical processes. The emphasis
is on the advantages, disadvantages and capabilities of various
techniques and when they should be requested. Topics include pesticide
scans, volatile organics analysis, extraction techniques, WET
and EPTOX, precision and accuracy, quality assurances, sampling
techniques, GC versus GC/MS, and metals by AA and ICP.
Prerequisite: academic or working knowledge of chemistry.
Required for: Certificate Program in Hazardous Materials Management.
Health Effects of Hazardous Materials
Proper management of hazardous materials is vital to minimizing
potential health risks. This course provides a framework for understanding
these underlying health and environmental impacts. Topics include
toxic effects of materials (toxicology), diseases in populations
(epidemiology), the fate of chemicals in the environment, exposure
and risk to individuals and communities from hazardous materials,
and risk communication. Case studies demonstrate how these sciences
apply in actual situations.
Prerequisite: academic or working knowledge of chemistry.
Required for: certificate programs in Hazardous Materials Management and Air Quality Management.
Selected electives:
Biological and Chemical Lab Safety Practices In this course, workers and researchers handling biological and chemical substances learn about hazard identification issues. Appropriate and safe practices for handling, ordering, storing and disposing of these materials are also discussed. Risk management and pollution prevention through source reduction and product substitution are included, with emphasis on reducing both employee risk and hazardous waste generation. The instructor also addresses pre-planning for spills, explosions, fires, earthquakes and other disasters - along with the roles of local emergency responders - in the context of a lab emergency. In addition, participants learn to identify laboratory hazards, evaluate their usage of lab materials and plan for emergencies. Elective for certificate programs in Workplace Health & Safety and Hazardous Materials Management.
Fate of Toxic Substances in the Environment, 1.5 Units
This course provides an understanding of the movement and transformation of chemical pollutants within and between the four environmental compartments: air, soil, water and living organisms. Principal topics include major sources of environmental pollution, particularly in the western U.S.; distribution mechanisms between and within each environmental compartment; effects of the chemical and physical properties of a pollutant on its movement through the environment, such as oxidation, photo-oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis and conjugation; and the major factors that influence these reactions.
Prerequisite: college-level inorganic and organic chemistry or equivalent working knowledge.
Elective for Certificate Program in Hazardous Materials Management.
Sampling Techniques Part I: Soil and Groundwater
This course, part of the Environmental Sampling Series, introduces
basic theories, concepts and methods for hazardous material and
environmental sampling of soil and groundwater. Field exercises
and practice with a complete range of common sampling devices
and equipment are included. You learn the roles of data acquisition
and analysis in environmental projects, sample management, evidentiary
and documentation requirements, sampling equipment and supplies,
safety considerations, analytical methods and laboratory liaisons,
and field techniques.
Prerequisite:Design and Analysis of Sampling Plans or similar knowledge and work experience.
Electivefor Certificate Program in Hazardous Materials Management and
Site Assessment and remediation.
Environmental Management and Auditing
This course is designed to provide environmental professionals with the knowledge, skills and tools to conduct or direct an environmental audit
program. Topics to be addressed include: audit planning; checklist development; proper auditing techniques; audit report writing; and an overview of the benefits and costs of various types of audit programs.
This is an elective course in the Certificate Program in Hazardous Materials Management and can be utilized as a 1.5 unit required course in the Certificate Program in Environmental Management and Auditing in place of Fundamentals ofEnvironmental Auditing.
Design and Analysis of Sampling Plans
This is an elective course in the Certificate Program in Hazardous Materials Management.
Science of Environmental Contamination
Risk Assessment,1.5 Units
This is an elective course in the Certificate Program in Hazardous Materials Management.
Groundwater Hydrology: Monitoring, Protection and Cleanup
Industrial Hygiene: An Overview
This is an elective course in the Certificate Program in Hazardous Materials Management.
Courses offered
Health and Safety Training For Hazardous Waste Workers
Health and Safety Refresher for Hazardous Waste Workers -8 hours
Health and Safety Training for Supervisors of Hazardous Waste Workers
Non-credit.
Hazardous Materials Incidents at Ports
Non-credit.
Required Courses:
Health and Safety for Workers: Laws and Regulations
This is a required course for the Certificate Program in Workplace
Health and Safety, the Intensive Certificate Program in Health and Safety, and the Health and Safety Trainer Professional Sequence Award. It is an elective in the Certificate Program in Environmental Management and Auditing.
Industrial Safety Hazard Control
This is a required course for the Certificate Program in Workplace Health and Safety, the Intensive Certificate Program in Health and Safety, and the Health and Safety Trainer Professional Sequence Award.
Health and Safety Management and Program Development
This is a required course for the Certificate Program in Workplace Health and Safety, the Intensive Certificate Program in Health and Safety, and the Health and Safety Trainer Professional Sequence Award.
Industrial Hygiene
This is a required course for the Certificate Program in Workplace Health and Safety, the Intensive Certificate Program in Health and Safety, and the Health and Safety Trainer Professional Sequence Award. This is an elective course in the Certificate Program in Hazardous Materials Management.
Designing & Delivering Effective Health & Safety Training
Required course for the Health and Safety Trainer Professional Sequence Award.
Health and Safety Monitoring Instruments
Elective for the Certificate Program in Workplace Health and Safety and required for the Intensive Certificate Program in Health and Safety.
Personal Protective Equipment
Elective course in Certificate Program in Workplace Health and Safety and required course in Intensive Certificate Program in Health and Safety.
Confined Space Operations
This is an elective course in the Certificate Program in Workplace Health and Safety and a required course in the Intensive Certificate Program in Health and Safety.
Noise and Hearing Conservation: An Overview
This is an elective course in the Certificate Program in Workplace
Health and Safety and a required course in the Intensive Certificate Program in Health and Safety.
Fire and Life Safety Awareness
This is an elective course in the Workplace Health and Safety
Certificate Program and a required course in the Intensive Certificate Program for Health and Safety.
This is an elective course in the Certificate Program in Workplace Health and
Safety and a required course in the Intensive Certificate Program in Health and Safety.
Emergency Management Techniques
This is an elective course in the Certificate Program in Workplace Health and Safety and a required course in the Intensive Certificate Program in Health and Safety.
California Workers' Compensation System: An Overview
This is an elective course in the Workplace Health and Safety certificate program.
Overview of the California Workers' Compensation System
Basic Workers' Compensation Law of California
Managing Disability and Return to Work
Qualified Medical Evaluation and Rating Permanent Disability
Workers' Compensation Program Management and Administration
Internship/Independent Study in Workers' Compensation
Ergonomics in the Workplace
Non-credit.
For more information, please consult the on-line catalog at UC Davis University Extension.
Link to UC Davis University Extension home page
A well-defined sampling plan is the foundation for a cost-effective, scientifically sound investigation. Learn the components of a sampling plan,
including developing a conceptual model, considering regulatory requirements and data quality objectives, laboratory analyses and quality assurance/quality control, health and safety considerations, sampling methods and sampling schemes. This course is invaluable to anyone involved in environmental investigations. A general background in environmental science is recommended.
Instructor: Patricia Y. De La O is senior geologist in environmental services for Brown and Caldwell consultants in Sacramento. She has managed
numerous projects, including landfill investigations and closures, underground storage tank investigations, environmental property assessments and leaking underground pipeline investigations.
This course provides a fundamental overview of environmental science
as it applies to site assessment and remediation processes. The
basic principles of geology, hydrogeology, toxicology and contaminant
behavior in the environment are considered as they relate to the
investigation, evaluation, and remediation and management of contaminated
properties. Course topics include chemical and physical factors
affecting the sampling, analysis and interpretation of environmental
data; common data evaluation methods; contaminant transport mechanisms;
contaminant reactions as related to site remediation; and the
use of environmental data in risk assessment, risk management
and environmental litigation. Prerequisites: College-level courses
in or working knowledge of chemistry and algebra. Required for
Certificate Program in Site Assessment and Remediation and elective
for Certificate Program in Hazardous Materials Management.
This course is organized into three parts. The first part introduces health risk assessment, including what it is, its historical origin, how it is used in
environmental decision making, different types of risk assessments (human health, ecological, baseline, probabilistic, RBCA), regulatory mandates for risk assessment and basic terminology. The second part covers the four foundational steps of risk assessment: hazard identification (toxic effects caused by chemicals), dose-response assessment (relationship between dose and adverse effect), exposure assessment (exposure levels experienced or anticipated under specific conditions) and risk characterization (estimated incidence of adverse effect in an individual or population). The purposes, current practices, problem areas and new approaches associated with each step are discussed. The third part reviews federal and state regulatory guidance, and uses case studies to learn about the varied applications of risk assessment.
Please check class catalog for description of class.
Acquire a basic understanding of industrial hygiene through this overview of occupational health hazards, including how they can be recognized,
evaluated and controlled. Topics include how industries are regulated, how occupational health standards are promulgated, current control
technologies, and industrial hygiene principles and how they can be applied in the workplace. (This course may not be used for credit in the
Certificate Program in Workplace Health and Safety).
Instructor: Jeff Hicks, MPH, CIH, is principal scientist with Geomatrix Consultants. His areas of interest and expertise include source and ambient
air quality measurement projects, industrial hygiene studies, occupational health and safety and indoor air quality. He has provided consultation in
these areas to diverse industries, including manufacturing, electronics, petroleum, mining, electric utilities and transportation.
Certificate Program in Health and Safety - NIEHS
These courses are offered through a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to the California-Arizona Consortium, a coalition of nonprofit organizations with expertise in conductiong worker health and safety training programs.
:
This five-day training is for workers involved in investigation
and cleanup of hazardous waste sites. It is designed to satisfy
a portion of OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.120 (in California T8 CCR
5192), which specifies training requirements for hazardous waste
workers. Material is presented through lectures and hands-on exercises
with field instruments and personal protective equipment. Topics
and special projects include hazard awareness, hazardous waste
regulations and exposure, medical monitoring, health and safety
planning, respiratory protection, personal protective equipment,
monitoring and sampling equipment, site characterization and control,
decontamination, operational hazards, field investigative exercise,
health and safety laws and rights, and an emergency response overview.
Because of the physical stress respiratory protection devices
and impermeable protective clothing can cause, it is important
that trainees have current medical exams (within one year) with
clearance for respirator use.
This course is designed to provide refresher training in health
and safety issues for hazardous waste workers. It meets requirements
established by OSHA for training under the Hazardous Waste Operations
and Emergency Response Standard 29 CFR 1910.120(e)(8) and the
equivalent California Standard T8 CCR 5192(e)(8). Participants
should first complete the 40-hour Health and Safety Training
for Hazardous Waste Workers course.
This training is designed to satisfy a specific portion of the requirements in hazardous waste operations of the OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.120(e)(4)
and the equivalent California Standard T8 CCR 5192(e)(4) in hazardous waste operations, which specifies training requirements for individuals with
supervisory responsibilities at hazardous waste sites, such as Superfund (CERCLA) sites or sites designated for clean-up by state or local agencies. The course covers regulatory requirements surrounding hazardous waste site work and instructions on how to develop an effective health and safety
program, including site-specific safety planning and worker training. Participants should first complete the 40-hour Health and Safety Training for
Hazardous Waste Workers.
An incident involving hazardous materials at a port entails a multi-jurisdictional response. The wide range of agency personnel responding to such an incident must understand how to work together under the incident command system, critical safety considerations, unique environmental characteristics, and challenging situations encountered during port and vessel emergencies. This course trains facility personnel and emergency responders (both command and command support staff) in the safety considerations and planning needs of a hazardous materials incident in a port environment. In
addition, the Department of Transportation final rules requiring response plans - referenced under 33 CFR part 154, Subpart F - specifically request that applicable facilities document the training and levels of response available at their plants. This training helps these facilities meet the incident command portion of the federal requirement, and the curriculum introduces students to the Incident Command Field Course components of the California Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS).
Certificate Program in Workplace Health and Safety
This series of courses is designed to expand and improve the practical knowledge and capabilities of those responsible for employee health and safety. The courses examine the critical safety and health issues confronting private business, industry and government, and provide the training necessary for managing a proactive health and safety program. The certificate is awarded upon successful completion ("C" or better) of nine required units and 12 elective units.
Administering health and safety programs requires up-to-the-minute, working knowledge of laws and regulations. This course examines the relevant laws and regulations pertaining to occupational health and safety, including Cal/OSHA and federal OSHA; criminal considerations, including supervisors' and managers' responsibilities; workers' compensation: jurisdiction, claims and benefits; the claims process and program administration; and legal liability. The course features case studies and examples to illustrate both simple and complex issues. This course is designed for individuals who have interests in or responsibilities for
administering occupational health and safety programs.
Gain a working knowledge of issues relevant to industrial safety hazard control through this revised course. This course emphasizes the identification and assessment of hazards in the workplace; and focuses on determining priority hazards, with the ultimate goal directed toward strategies for abating these hazards. Regulations will be applied as tools in the identification and control of hazards and case studies provide you with opportunities to learn from the field and brainstorm your own potential
solutions to identified problems.
Instructor: Don Cunningham, PE, is a safety consultant with Cal/OSHA Consultation Service, where he provides advice on occupational safety and health issues to employers throughout northern California. He is a registered safety engineer and certified safety professional with more than 25 years of experience.
Administering a proactive health and safety program requires a framework and practical guidance. This course presents various approaches in safety and health management, such as obtaining top management support, behavior modification practices, rewards and recognition programs, and supervisor/team leader responsibilities. Guidelines for complying with the Injury Illness
and Prevention Program standard and other related regulations, including the Hazard Communication and the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response standards are also addressed. Learn to develop a written health and safety plan; identify and evaluate workplace hazards; investigate the causes of accidents, illnesses or exposures; implement safety and health training
programs; comply with safe and healthy work rules and practices. The instructor will emphasize policy and procedure development, employer/employee health and safety committees, and worker training and program compliance. Class exercises and activities review specific program elements and practical applications. A visit to a local manufacturing plant will also be part of the course. During the plant visit, students will be able to see a Total Production Management (TPM) system at work as well
as view health and safety systems such as lockout tagout, hazard communication, machine guarding, fire protection, electrical
safety, and hearing conservation.
Instructor: Laurie Shelby, MS, is industrial hygiene manager at Reynolds Metals in Richmond, Virginia. She has experience in a wide variety of industrial hygiene areas and develops and maintains global health and safety programs such as hazard communication, emergency response, asbestos, lead and respiratory protection.
This course offers an overview of occupational health hazards, including how they can be recognized, evaluated and controlled. Learn the basic principles of industrial hygiene, although the course is not intended to train you as industrial hygiene professional.
Gain a basic understanding of:
You have the health and safety knowledge, but do you have the skills to train others effectively? In this five-day course, learn how to design, develop and deliver workplace health and safety training programs and use a wide range of instructional methods. This course shows you various approaches to instruction, including participatory techniques, tips for engaging your
specific audience of students, facilitated discussions and the small group activity method. Topics include: adult learning principles, assessing audience needs, course development, instructional methods, presentation techniques and evaluation and feedback.
Study the types of monitoring instruments used to evaluate employee exposures in the workplace and confined spaces. Topics include the theory and operation of colorimetric tubes, oxygen meters, combustible gas indicators, photoionizing detectors, sound level meters and dosimeters, and the wet bulb globe thermometer. The use of air sampling media and personal monitoring
pumps are also discussed. Hands-on laboratories accompany lectures, enabling participants to practice calibration and evaluation
of various conditions. A calculator is required.
Students in this course gain working, practical knowledge on the design, selection and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators and chemical protective suits. The details of applicable Cal/OSHA regulations and industry standards are discussed. Lecture materials also summarize the toxicology of air contaminants and chemical skin hazards. A
description of various procedures for respirator fit testing is followed by hands-on demonstrations. Students also learn how to properly decontaminate and maintain PPE. This class is particularly helpful to anyone responsible for selecting and/or maintaining PPE as well as supervisors of persons who must wear PPE.
Confined spaces can be highly dangerous and entry is regulated by both federal and Cal/OSHA law. By their nature, confined spaces concentrate a variety of potential problems: atmospheric hazards, the accumulation of toxic materials or flammable or explosive atmospheres and physical hazards. This course focuses on hazard evaluation and reviews appropriate work practices
under federal and state law.
Instructor: Les Omans is a career officer with the San Jose Fire Department. He has been a training officer, hazmat team member and department foam response coordinator. He co-developed the state "Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Training Program (Fire Control V)" and provides a variety of aviation emergency response consultation and training services.
Learn the problems related to noise in the workplace and Title 8 requirements for a hearing conservation program. Participants study the effects of noise on workers, methods for sound-level measurement, the use of sound level meters and dosimetry, noise exposure limits, audiometry, the advantages and disadvantages of various types of hearing protectors, noise reduction ratings,
fit-testing and elements of an in-house training program.
Learn the types of built-in fire protection features and those fire and life safety hazards common to the education and workplace environment. Topics will include "passive" versus "active" fire protection features, maintenance of exits, knowledge and use of fire extinguishers, impact to and from other occupants, human behavior before and during an emergency, proper storage
techniques and services available through local fire department.
Ergonomics in the Workplace
Are your employees experiencing problems with lifting, repetitive motion or overexertion? Improper work practices may cause serious and even long-term disabilities. A review of basic safe work practices highlighting basic ergonomics may help your organization. This course provides the fundamentals of ergonomics in industrial and office workplaces. Discussions cover medical issues, regulatory strategies, engineering solutions and productivity improvements. Participants develop simple ergonomic problem recognition and identification skills and learn to implement an overall strategy for controlling workplace problems. Problem-solving exercises are featured.
This course covers management techniques common to all emergency situations, including natural disaster, fire, mass medical
and hazardous materials incidents. Discussions cover effective emergency planning, legal responsibilities, administrative
notifications, government response plans and agencies, the incident command system as an emergency management tool, critical
crisis management skills decision making under pressure, effective communication techniques, and media and public relations.
Practical experience solving emergency problems is gained through simulations. Participants form small incident command
groups and solve industrial emergency problems based on actual case histories.
This two-day course provides an overview of the California workers' compensation system with perspectives on legal and
medical aspects and the roles of the injured worker, the employer, claims personnel, doctors, attorneys and rehabilitation
counselors. Topics include historical perspectives, organizational structure, terminology; permanent and temporary disability, medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation, medical management, claims management, litigation, and insurance and insurance companies.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAMS
The following Workers' Compensation certificate programs are available:
Certificate Program in Workers' Compensation
This program provides specialized knowledged and skills in workers' compensation. The program is appropriate for a broad range of professionals, including human resource managers, claims personnel, medical personnel, physicians, attorneys, paralegals, occupational safety and health professionals, rehabilitation and re-employment counselors, and labor union representatives. The certificate is awarded upon successful completion of six required courses (15.5 units) and three elective units.
This course focuses on the organizational and technical aspects of efficient case management. Topics include setting up files; litigated claims management; integrating medical, safety and industrial hygiene programs; and establishing and maintaining reserves. Management's attitude is also discussed in terms of minimizing and controlling claims. 30 hours BRN credit.
This course is designed to provide an understanding of basic workers' compensation law in California. Topics include: historical perspective, interrelations with other benefit programs, WCAB procedures and evidence, injury, benefits, the rating process, penalties and practical applications to factual patterns. Ateam-teaching approach will be used, with attorneys and a judge offering different perspectives on the workers' compensation system. The course culminates in a mock trial, allowing the students to understand the perspectives of all parties.
This course is an overview of the principles and practices involved in returning disabled workers to work. The course includes disability management practices, coordination with medical providers, results of analyzing the pattern of disability, understanding workplace disability, and the laws, regulations and practices for vocational rehabilitation of the injured worker within the California Workers' Compensation program and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This course was formerly titled Vocational Rehabilitation of the Industrially Injured Worker.
This course studies the qualified medical examination/summary rating process and California's method of evaluating permanent disability in workers'
compensation cases. Topics include methods for obtaining summary ratings, history of the California system of disability evaluation, the schedule for rating permanent disabilities, evaluation of objective and subjective factors of the disability, work restrictions and preclusion, occupational groupings,
apportionment and the combination of multiple disabilities. The role of the ratings specialist is also discussed.
This course focuses on the organizational and technical aspects of efficient case management. Topics include setting up files; litigated claims management; integrating medical, safety and industrial hygiene programs; and establishing and maintaining reserves. Management's attitude is also discussed in terms of minimizing and controlling claims.
Internships or independent studies are available only for students enrolled in the entire Accelerated Workers' Compensation Certificate Program or who have finished the Workers' Compensation certificate program. During this summer quarter, students taking an internship will apply knowledge gained in the classroom to the work environment. Students must work 100 hours to earn three units of credit. Students already employed in the field can pursue a related topic of interest by completing an independent study. Three units of course work from a University Extension course may be substituted for this
requirement.
One of the most common problems managers and supervisors face is the loss of time and productivity caused by improper work station set-up. Improper
work practices can cause serious and even long-term disabilities. This workshop reviews the most common causes of repetitive motion disorders and helps you identify problem areas in your organization. Other topics include ergonomics and applying corrective measures to reduce injury; examining body parts most frequently affected by constant repetition and other ergonomic stresses; stress reduction techniques; and exercises to reduce work-related injuries.