Safety criteria

Subject description

The main framework of the course is the concepts of safety and health assurance at work and of environmental protection. Influential parameters will be presented and described. The concepts of built-in and add-on safety will be introduced. The concept of risk will be defined and its elements will be described in detail. Typical hazards that can be present during work with machinery will be described. Safety analysis for determining the levels of risk will be treated. Safety devices and systems, including basic safety circuits used for safety assurance will be introduced to the students. The importance of the correct positioning of machines in the workshop will also be introduced, together with the particularities of mobile machines. The influence of environmental conditions (light, noise, temperature, humidity, dust, airflow speed, etc.) on the safety of work with machinery will also be taken into account. Safety measures concerning work with hand-held machines will also be introduced, as will be stationary and movable machines with an emphasis on agricultural, forestry, wood-working, and food-processing machines. The following topics will also be included: methods for testing and inspecting machinery, the impact of work arrangements on safety at work, the influence of new technologies on safety assurance, risk management. The relevant regulations and standards will be introduced, together with practical examples. Research work will also be included.

The subject is taught in programs

Objectives and competences

The aim of the course is to give students the appropriate knowledge required for understanding the concept of ensuring technical safety. The students must learn how to recognize hazards and potential injury and to assess the risk which these hazards represent to workers and the environment. The students must be able to assess existing safety conditions and to determine adequate safety measures, if required. The stress is placed on the safety of biotechnical systems.

After successful conclusion of the course, the student is familiar with relevant safety criteria and he/she is capable of autonomous use of these criteria. He/she is familiar with the elements of risk and with methods of risk reduction. He/she is qualified for practical application of this knowledge for ensuring the safety of a machine during all phases of its “life”, including participation in the construction phase, in writing the instructions for use, and in the development of procedures for safe work. The student is aware of the need for meeting safety requirements in the most effective but also reasonable way, also bearing in mind the economic point of view. He/she is aware of the importance of safety and health assurance at work, as well as protection of the environment.

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures (classroom), seminars (individual work), consultations (individual work) and research (individual work).

Expected study results

Knowledge and understanding:

Basic sources and literature

Ridly J, Pearce D. Safety with Machinery. Oxford [etc.]: Butterworth-Heinemann,2005;
Macdonald DM. Practical machinery safety. Oxford: Newnes: Burlington, 2004;
Roger LB. Safety and Health for Engineers. New Jersy: John Wiley & Sons, 2006;
Jerry RD, Robert HW, Mark AP, Dennis JM. Agricultural Safety & Health for Engineers. Asae Publication: 1994;
revijalni članki s področja/journal articles;
tekoča periodika/current periodics;
druga učna gradiva/other teaching readings.