GTPE Announces Recipient of First Specialty Certificate in Occupational Health

ATLANTA - March 19, 2013 - Georgia Tech Professional Education congratulates the recipient of its first specialty certificate. Nick Nixon of Linde Engineering, a leading technology partner for plant engineering and construction worldwide, earned the Selected Topics Certificate in Occupational Health in 2012.

Georgia Tech Professional Education courses and certificates offer knowledge and skills that are immediately applicable, with maximum impact — reducing accidents, receiving job promotions, and helping their companies slash costs.

“The certificates create opportunities to better yourself and better your job performance,” said Nixon, 47, who is based out of Holly Springs, Ga. “The experience that I gained with these classes is helping me move forward in the company.”

Nixon, who has worked for 19 years in the environmental, health and safety field, was promoted to manager of construction site HSE (health, safety and environment) soon after he earned the certificate.

The Selected Topics Certificate in Occupational Health is geared toward EHS managers, safety directors, human resource directors, industrial hygiene technicians, certified safety professionals, hazardous materials supervisors, and safety and health consultants.

The Selected Topics Certificate on Occupational Health debuted in 2011, joining nearly 40 Georgia Tech professional certificates (eight are safety and health certificates). With this first Selected Topics Certificate, professionals can narrow their focus to the industrial hygiene field and gain skills on topics, such as noise evaluation, respiratory protection and ergonomics, to effectively manage an employer’s industrial hygiene program.

Georgia Tech Professional Education plans to add more Selected Topics Certificates to its occupational safety and health program.“We congratulate Nick on receiving the new Selected Topics Certificate. We created this certificate based on interest among professionals to focus on industrial hygiene topics and issues impacting the construction industry,” said Myrtle Turner, PhD, MPH, CET, director of Georgia Tech’s OSHA Training Institute Education Center. “We look forward to seeing more students earning the certificate in 2013, adding an important credential to their resume.”

Georgia Tech’s nationally recognized OSHA Training Institute Education Center was established in 1992 as one of the original four centers across the U.S.

These six courses are required to complete the certificate:

• OSHA Guide to Industrial Hygiene  (OTI 521P)
• Respiratory Protection  (OTI 2225P)
• Introduction to Noise Evaluation and Control  (EST 7008P)
• Air Sampling Fundamentals for the Workplace  (EST 7009P)
• Principles of Ergonomics Applied to Work-Related Musculoskeletal and Nerve Disorders (OTI 2255P)
• Topics in Occupational Health Management  (EST 7012P)

For more than 30 years, Georgia Tech Professional Education has helped keep companies accident free and workers safe and healthy. Researchers and scientists with Georgia Tech Research Institute, the university’s applied research arm, who also work as consultants for companies and the government, teach the courses.

“The Georgia Tech classes have helped me build my knowledge base and improve my ability to do my job,” Nixon said. “You can come back to the plant or facility and use that information.”

For more information or to register for Georgia Tech Professional Education’s Occupational Safety & Health courses and start pursuing the Selected Topics Certificate or other professional certificates, visit: https://pe.gatech.edu/certificates/safety-health-osha-certificates

Download the Occupational Safety and Health course catalog.