EVALUATION OF THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY LESSONS IN ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS (THE CASE OF BLACK SEA REGION)

Abstract

Aim: This study was aimed to determine whether occupational health and safety lessons and Labor Law lessons were included in departments of Vocational High Schools (VHS) and Health Vocational High Schools (HVHS) in Black Sea region and to develop recommendations on occupational health and safety (OHS) consciousness among students. Method: The cross-sectional, descriptive study involves 111 programs in HVHS and 1067 programs in VHS in the Black Sea region. In context, it has been investigated whether the lessons of OHS and Labor Law were taken into the curriculum with the information obtained from the Bologna Information System and the lesson programs of universities in Black Sea region and these lessons were elective or compulsory in curriculum. Results: 18% of programs in HVHS in Black Sea region had compulsory OHS lessons and 40% of them had elective OHS lessons and 2% of them had compulsory Labor Law lessons and 5% of them had elective Labor Law lessons. 36% of programs didn’t include these lessons in the curriculum. 15% of programs in VHS had compulsory occupational health and safety lessons and 24% of them had elective OHS lessons and 15% of them had compulsory Labor Law lessons and 7% of them had elective Labor Law lessons. 39% of programs didn’t include these lessons in the curriculum. Conclusion: It has been determined that majority of programs in Black Sea did not have OHS lessons or had elective lessons. It is imperative OHS training be included in training curriculum to create OHS awareness among the students.