The general objective of the Bachelor's degree program in Occupational Safety Engineering is to provide an advanced educational program and qualification for Safety Engineers, in accordance with the parameters defined by the regulations governing Occupational Safety and Health activities and Professional Certification in this area, as defined by the professional statute for Occupational Safety activities (Decree-Law No. 110/2000 of 06/30, amended by the recent Law No. 42/2012 of 08/28).

Thus, the provision of this bachelor's degree fits within the legal requirement to promote safety and health at work in organizations, namely through the specific objectives of the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC of June 12, which mandates that employers, regardless of the branch of activity, organize activities for the prevention of occupational risks.

The international and national legal framework defines that safety and health activities in workplaces, whether carried out by internal or external resources, must necessarily be directed by duly qualified professionals. This professional qualification and the corresponding certification mechanisms are set forth in Law No. 42/2012 of 08/28, as previously mentioned, and the Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety Engineering grants access to this qualification as a Senior Occupational Safety Technician.

This certification is a requirement for professional practice in the area, as well as one of the determining factors to ensure effective implementation of occupational safety and health principles and practices at the company, establishment, or service level, thus supporting the comprehensive approach advocated by the aforementioned Framework Directive.

Candidates who apply through the institutional access competition and have taken the following set of tests can apply for this cycle of studies:

• 07 Physics and Chemistry
• 16 Mathematics

The Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Safety Engineering is intended for candidates who meet the admission requirements and seek to obtain solid training in the field of occupational safety and health, consistent with the performance of functions related to the profile of Occupational Safety Engineer or Senior Occupational Safety Technician, as defined by the legal framework and professional orders and associations.

The Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety Engineering aims to enhance the training and qualification of Occupational Safety Engineers to ensure the implementation and development of prevention and protection services against occupational risks in workplaces, guaranteeing compliance with the legal and regulatory framework as well as meeting the expectations of the various social agents.

The training of an Occupational Safety Engineer should be characterized by a solid foundational education in mathematics, statistics, physics, and chemistry, as well as applied knowledge specific to the engineering specialty involved, in this case, Occupational Safety. Accordingly, the program seeks to provide knowledge for the practice of Occupational Safety Engineering tasks, which are based on the ability to design solutions, manage, plan, execute, and supervise actions promoting safety and preventing occupational risks, as well as to coordinate with other specialties and professionals arising from the role of coordinating occupational safety and health and preparing integrated occupational safety and health projects.

Upon successful completion of the Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Safety Engineering, graduates will be qualified to work as Occupational Safety Engineers or Senior Occupational Safety Technicians, being capable of:

• Collaborating in defining the company's general risk prevention policy;
• Promoting the integration of prevention into the overall organizational system;
• Planning and implementing an occupational health and safety management system;
• Investigating and assessing professional risks present in work environments to develop control processes;
• Designing and executing prevention and protection measures;
• Coordinating Occupational Health and Safety activities, ensuring guidance and supervision of professionals in this field;
• Participating in work organization, motivating and encouraging the organization towards practices that foster a good work environment;
• Managing and supervising the use of external resources in prevention and protection activities;
• Auditing the organization's safety management system;
• Ensuring the implementation, organization, and maintenance of the legal and regulatory documentation necessary for prevention management in the organization;
• Promoting information and training for workers and other stakeholders at workplaces, communicating solutions and instructions to all stakeholders involved in the organization's or project's safety processes;
• Mobilizing and involving workers in the organization's prevention system;
• Developing and maintaining the organization's relationships with prevention network bodies.

Completion of the Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Safety Engineering allows access to professional practice as:

• Occupational Safety Engineer;
• Senior Occupational Safety Technician;
• Occupational Safety Coordinator in Construction;
• Occupational Safety Trainer.

Successful completion of the academic program in the Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Safety Engineering enables graduates to pursue postgraduate or master's level studies at any national or international educational institution.

Specifically at ISLA, graduates have direct and privileged access to the Master's Degree in Safety and Health Management at Work and/or the Postgraduate Program in Integrated Management Systems (Quality, Environment, and Safety), benefiting from a specific financial discount plan and an equivalency scheme.

The qualification enables the performance of functions related to the profile of Occupational Safety Engineer as defined by professional orders and associations. This is because the Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Safety Engineering is recognized by the Ordem dos Engenheiros (OE) and the Ordem de Engenheiros Técnicos (OET), therefore, graduates may register with one of these professional orders if they wish.

The bachelor's degree program also holds the following accreditations:

• Accredited by ACT - Authority for Working Conditions, granting graduates the Professional Title of Senior Occupational Safety Technician;
• Accredited by IEFP - Institute of Employment and Vocational Training, granting graduates the CCP - Certificate of Pedagogical Competences, a professional title required to practice as a certified Trainer.