Example occupational health and safety dissertation topic 2:

Reviewing the success of health and safety in the work of arboriculturalists.

Lobbied by health and safety activist, the decision of the government to mandate licences for those operating chainsaws has transformed the working lives of those arboriculturalists who specialise in the pruning and felling of trees. In the first part of this study, the dissertation presents the declining numbers of injuries and deaths within the profession over the last ten years using a variety of graphs. Thereafter, in the second part of the dissertation, practising tree fellers and their clients are interviewed to garner both their present understanding of health and safety protocols and to assess additional safeguards that could be introduced into the field. Finally, having analysed those interviews, the dissertation presents a number of reasoned suggestions for the further enhancement of existing health and safety practices.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Alli, B.O. (2009). Fundamental principles of occupational health and safety. Geneva: International Labour Organization.
• British Standards: BS3998: 2010 Tree work. London: BSI.
• Mayhew, C. (2007). ‘The management of major arboricultural incidents’. Arboricultural Journal, vol. 30(3), pp. 213-222.