Program: MSc, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
Year in Program: 2
I already have a Bachelor of Science in Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health from the University of the West Indies, so the transition to Occupational and Environmental (Industrial) Hygiene was pretty organic, with added influences from my lectures and professors. I have a specific interest in occupational hygiene as it allows me a hands-on approach in ensuring workers’ health, which should be of the utmost concern for any organization.
For my practicum I will look at ergonomics in the post-mortem room at the BC Animal Health Centre. I will be conducting ergonomic assessments with the aim of identifying work-related activities that pose a risk to employees and that may result in injuries, such as musculoskeletal injuries, and making recommendations to mitigate those risks.
I am most looking forward to wrapping up my studies, but I’m also eager to see how the context of teaching and lectures will change given the current restrictions due to the pandemic.
It has been pretty hard being in a different country with a health crisis of such gravity and not having the support system I’m used to with my family back in Jamaica. But ultimately, I realized that worrying will not change anything and I have to deal with the present. I am also super grateful for my classmates Daniella, Fiona, and Cheryl who constantly checked in and kept in constant communication, which lifted my spirits.
I’m a series junkie, so I have either started and completed various new series or caught up on my regulars. I have also gotten back into baking (not bread, lol).