The teaching of ethics in occupational risks prevention through the debate on ethical dilemmas

Abstract

[EN] It seems reasonable to think that ethics and occupational risk prevention always go hand in hand. However, very little is known about the International Code of Ethics for Occupational Health Professionals, whose third edition was published in 2014 by the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH). Moreover, some circumstances in occupational risk prevention can lead to controversial issues and ethical dilemmas. Despite this, most occupational risk prevention master¿s studies do not include ethics in professional practice matters. This paper presents the teaching experiences in professional practice ethics workshops in the Master¿s Degree in Occupational Risks Prevention of the Universitat Politècnica de València. In these workshops, ethical issues are included in their curricula, and ethical dilemmas are discussed through academic debates. The results of the experience were positive and encouraging. The students learn to open their minds to a different point of view and understand the problems they will have to face in their professional careers.