History of the Department
On 1 September 1950, the Silesian University of Technology established a Department of Mining Organization and Economics at the Faculty of Mining. The Department's organizer, and at the same time its first head, was Prof. Roman DYKACZ, M.Sc. At that time, the Department's staff was small: five people worked there, including one administrative employee.
The head of the Department, Prof. Roman DYKACZ, M.Sc. retired on October 1, 1956 and the position was assumed by dr hab. Eng. Marian KOZDRÓJ.
Since then, the development of the scientific discipline Organization in the Faculty of Mines has taken place. The number of faculty members increased, and cooperation was established with the coal industry in the area of mine organization and design.
In the initial period of the Department's existence, teaching was limited to Organization and Economics of Mining at all specialties conducted by the Silesian University of Technology Faculty of Mining on full-time, evening, extramural and part-time studies.
Since 1969, the Department included the Department of Mine Design headed by Prof. dr hab. Eng. Andrzej LISOWSKI. The Department existed until 1971 when it was transferred to the Institute of Design, Construction of Mines and Surface Protection.
On September 15, 1971, the Silesian University of Technology switched to an institute structure. The Department of Organization and Economics of Mining was transformed into the Institute of Organization and Economics of Mining. Prof. dr hab. Eng. Marian KOZDRÓJ, was appointed Head of the Institute, which he held until 1991. Associate Prof. dr hab. Eng. Włodzimierz SITKO, became the deputy head for science, and the deputy head for teaching and education dr Eng. Czesław POTOCKI.
As a result of the appointment of Associate Professor Włodzimierz SITKO as Rector of the Higher School of Engineering in Lublin on 1st August, 1973, the following persons were appointed Deputy Directors: for Science dr hab. Eng. Czesław POTOCKI, and for Education dr Eng. Antoni CHMIELA.
In 1991, the Institute was renamed the Department of Organization and Economics in Mining. The Chair was headed by dr hab. Eng. Henryk PRZYBYŁA, who had been Professor at the Silesian University of Technology since 1993. In 1994, after merging with the team of dr hab. Eng. Andrzej KARBOWNIK, the Department was renamed the Department of Management and Restructuring in Mining. In 2003, the Department changed its name to the Department of Management and Safety Engineering.
In 1968, the specialization of Organization and Economics of Mining was established at the Faculty of Mines within the specialization of Exploitation of deposits. This specialization was also created at engineering studies at the Silesian University of Technology in Rybnik. In 1997, the specialization of Occupational Health and Safety Technology and Organization was created. For some time, both of the above specialties have been taught at the Faculty of Management and Production Engineering.
The managerial functions in the Department of Management and Restructuring in Mining (since 01.09.2003 in the Department of Management and Safety Engineering, since 1.09.2017 in the Department of Safety Engineering) were performed by:
- dr hab. Eng. Henryk PRZYBYŁA - Professor of Silesian University of Technology, acting as the head since 01.09.1991,
- dr hab. Eng. Stanisław KRZEMIEŃ, Professor of Silesian University of Technology, acting as Deputy Head since September 1, 1993,
- Prof. dr hab. Eng. Jan SZLĄZAK, acting as Head until 30.08.2017,
- dr hab. Eng. Jan DRENDA, Professor of Silesian University of Technology, acting as Deputy Head until 30.08.2017,
- dr hab. Eng. Piotr BAŃKA, Professor of Silesian University of Technology, acting as the head since 1.09.2017,
- dr hab. Eng. Małgorzata WYGANOWSKA, Professor of Silesian University of Technology acting as deputy head since 01.09.2017.
Currently, the Department provides education in the following specialties:
Occupational Health and Safety and Fire Protection,
Security engineering and crisis management,
Public safety.
The Department has modern equipped laboratories:
Computer,
Safety Engineering,
Ergonomics,
VR in Safety
Engineering,
Fluid Mechanics.
