|
ABSOLUTE DUTY: No defence available against non-compliance with statutory requirements, when the term 'shall' or 'must' is used, without the qualification of 'reasonably practicable'.
ACUTE EFFECT: An effect arising from exposure to a hazardous substance which happens immediately on exposure.
ACUTE EXPOSURE: Single exposure to a hazardous substance over a short period of time. The seriousness of this exposure will depend on the toxicity of the substance.
ACCIDENT:
An unplanned unexpected event which may result in loss, injury or damage.
Contact with energy resulting in a loss (injury, damage).
Contact with substances resulting in a loss.
Or any combination of the above.
ACTION LEVEL: The level above which action should be taken.
ALLERGEN: An antigen (molecule capable of being recognised by the immune system) that causes an allergic reaction.
APPOINTED PERSON: One who is trained in accordance with the appropriate schedule, competent to carry out the duties and appointed in writing.
APPROVED CODE OF PRACTICE: A Code of Practice (COP) prepared by management, unions and HSE, that has been approved and accepted by The Health and Safety Commission (HSC).
AS FAR AS REASONABLY PRACTICABLE: The degree to which risk in a particular situation can be balanced against the cost, in terms of time, trouble, money and physical difficulty of taking measures to avoid the risk. If this cost is disproportionate to the risk, it would be unreasonable to expect any employer to incur those costs to avoid the risk.
BALANCE OF PROBABILITIES: The standard of proof required by by the courts in a civil law claim. Also known as the 'preponderance of evidence' in the US. The standard is met if there is a greater than 50% chance of the proposition being true. Described by Lord Denning (Miller Vs Minister of Pensions) as 'more probable than not'.
BARRIER CREAM: A cream which can be applied to the hands to help protect them from oils, greases, and other mild irritants. Some creams can also be absorbed by the skin to help safeguard against contact dermatitis. These should not be considered as a substitute for proper PPE.
BEST PRACTICE: A management concept that there is a way that is more effective at delivering results than others. This is often considered alongside benchmarking, which is about making comparisons with others and learning the lessons that those comparisons throw up.
CARCINOGEN: A substance or physical agent that causes cancer.
CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME: is the result of the median nerve, running from the forearm to the hand, being squeezed at the wrist. This can result in burning, tingling or itching numbness in the palm of the hand and fingers. This may or may not be caused by the repeated use of vibrating hand tools. See also RSI.
CODE OF PRACTICE: A body of rules for Practical Guidance only and not having the force of law although failure to comply may be used in evidence in legal proceedings.
COMPETENT PERSON: A practical and reasonable person with sufficient documented training and experience, who knows what to look for, how to recognise it when they see it, and how to deal with it to make it safe. They also know and work within the limits of their competence.
CONFINED SPACE: A Confined Space is a place which is substantially enclosed (though not always entirely), and where serious injury can occur from hazardous substances or conditions within the space or nearby (e.g. lack of oxygen).
CONTRIBUTORY NEGLIGENCE: A common law defence to a claim or action. It applies to a situation where the plaintiff or claimant has, through their own negligence, caused or contributed to the injury they suffered.
CONTROLS: Actions taken or measures put in place to reduce risks arising from work activity.
DANGER: A state or condition in which personal injury and/or asset damage is reasonably foreseeable.
DERMATITIS: Inflammation of the skin. When the condition is due to contact with a substance at work it is called 'occupational' or 'industrial' dermatitis.
DUTY OF CARE: A legal precedent which states that "You must take reasonable care to avoid acts or omissions which you could reasonably foresee would be likely to injure your neighbour". Established by Donoghue Vs Stevenson (1932).
ERGONOMICS: The study of the relationship between workers and their occupation, equipment and environment and particularly, the application of anatomical, physiological and psychological knowledge to the problems arising there from.
ERROR: Mistake; error of judgement leading to action resulting in an accident and its subsequent effects.
ERROR RATE PREDICTION: A forecast of the possibility of error based on statistical data.
FIRE PRECAUTIONS: The measures taken and the fire protection features provided in a building (e.g. design, systems, equipment and procedures) to minimise the risk to the occupants from and outbreak of fire.
FREQUENCY (or ACCIDENT) RATE:
Number of injuries in the period x 100,000
Total hours worked during the period
GUARDING: Use of any device or combination of devices which prevents any person gaining access to a dangerous part of a machine.
HARM: Injury or damage.
HAZARD:
The exposed danger, a condition or practice with potential for loss.
A situation that may give rise to Personal injury or asset damage or both.
IMPROVEMENT NOTICE: A notice issued by the Health and Safety Executive that requires steps to be taken to improve health and safety by a specified date. Improvement notices are commonly issued following an accident but may be issued following a routine HSE inspection.
INCIDENCE RATE:
Total number of accidents x 1000
Number of persons employed during the period
INCIDENT: An event where there is no shown damage, injury or loss, but which may cause problems to an organisation.
LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION (LEV): a form of ventilation which encloses the material, equipment or process as much as possible and ensures air flow into the enclosure and away from the worker and workspace.
LOCK-OFF: A system whereby controls such as switches or valves can be physically and intrinsically locked in the 'OFF' position as part of a SAFE SYSTEM of work.
LOSS: Personal injury and/or asset damage.
LOST TIME ACCIDENT: Any accident that prevents a worker from performing their normal duties. See also Reportable Accident.
LUX: A unit of measurement for illuminance.
MANUAL HANDLING: Any means of transporting or supporting a load manually. Lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving by hand or bodily force.
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET: A document that contains information on the potential hazards (composition, first aid, fire precautions, spillage precautions, environmental hazards) and how to work safely with a chemical product.
MEAN DURATION RATE:
Total number of days lost
Total number of accidents during the period
MEANS OF ESCAPE: Structural means whereby a safe route is provided for persons to travel unaided from any point in a building to a place of safety.
MISTAKE: A human action that produces an unintended result.
NEAR MISS: An incident, which does not show a visible result, but had the potential to do so.
NEGLIGENCE: The omission to do something, which a reasonable person, guided upon those considerations which ordinarily regulate the conduct of human affairs would do, or something, which a prudent and reasonable man would not do.
OXIDISING AGENT: Strong oxidising agents are often very reactive chemicals and in contact with combustible materials, such as paper, sawdust of fabric, may for unstable mixtures which may constitute a risk of fire or explosion.
PERMIT TO WORK: A formal written or verbal authority to operate a planned procedure, which is designed to protect personnel, working in hazardous areas or activities. Authority for a safe system of work.
POLICY: A statement of corporate intent, which will be adopted and pursued as advantageous or expedient.
PRACTICABLE: Technical feasibility without reference to costs, and 'which is physically possible, in light of current knowledge and invention.'
QUALIFIED WORKER: One who is accepted as having the necessary physical attributes, who possesses the required intelligence, training and education, and has acquired the necessary skill and knowledge to carry out the work in hand to satisfactory standards of safety, quantity and quality.
QUANTIFIED RISK ASSESSMENT: Resulting from calculations allied to error rate predictions.
REASONABLY PRACTICABLE: A computation made in which the quantum of risk is placed on one scale, and the disadvantages involved in the measure necessary for averting the risk is placed upon the other. A balance between: risk and cost, inconvenience, effect on production.
RESIDUAL RISK: The remaining risk after treatment or control measures have been put in place.
RISK: The potential for harm, not actual harm. Risk reflects both the likelihood that harm and/or damage will occur and its severity.
RISK ASSESSMENT: A process where hazards are identified and risks evaluated, with the objective of eliminating or reducing the risks as low as is reasonably practicable.
ROOT CAUSE: The real or underlying cause of an event, as distinguished from the immediate cause or causes which are usually fairly obvious.
SAFE SYSTEM OF WORK: A method of working that eliminates or reduces the risk of injury.
SAFETY: Freedom from risk of injury or asset damage/loss.
SAFETY AUDIT: Monitoring of the implementation of a safety policy by subjecting each area of an activity to a systematic critical examination with the purpose of minimising loss, and providing a quantified assessment of performance.
SAFETY CASE: Formal explanation of methods to be adopted to reduce risk of accident often used in high potential risk situations - e.g. Petro-chemical, Nuclear Installations.
SAFETY COMMITTEE: A committee representative of all staff with the objective of promoting co-operation in investigating, developing and carrying out measures to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the employees.
SAFETY CULTURE: This term has no widely agreed definition. It may be described as a product of the individual and group values, attitudes, competencies and patterns of behaviour that determine the commitment to, and the style and proficiency of an organisations health and safety programmes.
SAFETY INSPECTION: as opposed to a Safety Audit, this is an examination of the actual conditions and working practices within a workplace.
SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SMS): Management of Safety in order to promote a strong Safety Culture and achieve high standards of safety performance.
SAFETY MONITORING: Periodic checks on observance of corporate safety standards and procedures.
SAFETY PASSPORT: A scheme used in various industries, but most notably construction, to provide a framework for safety training to ensure that workers are aware of the risks of their workplace before being allowed to work in that environment.
SAFETY POLICY: A legal requirement on an employer to prepare, and keep up to date a written statement of their policy regarding the health and safety of their employees. The requirement for a written statement is for 5 or more employees.
SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE: A person appointed by a recognised trade union, who is recognised by the employer under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 and who fulfils the function conferred upon them by the Regulations.
SAFETY SAMPLING: Systematic sampling of particular dangerous activities, processes or areas.
SAFETY SURVEYS: General inspections of the particular dangerous activities, processes or areas.
SAFETY TOURS: General Health and Safety inspections.
SENSITISATION: The development, over time, of an allergic reaction to a hazardous substance.
SEVERITY RATE:
Total number of days lost x 1000
Total number of man hours worked
STRESS: defined by the HSE as "The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them."
SYSTEMIC: Affecting the whole body.
TIME WEIGHTED AVERAGE: Usually calculated as an 8 hour TWA. An average value of exposure over the course of an 8 hour shift.
TOXIC: Inherent potential of a substance to cause harm.
TOXIN: Substance that causes harm.
TREM CARDS - Transport Emergency Cards: Must be carried, displayed and made accessible in the vehicle cab when transporting a hazardous substance.
VIBRATION: Vibration experienced by the body as a result of using vibrating power tools. Usually classified either as whole body or hand-arm vibration.
VICARIOUS LIABILITY: An employer can be found to be vicariously liable for negligent acts or omissions by their employee in the course of their employment whether or not such act or omission was specifically authorised by the employer. To avoid vicarious liability an employer must demonstrate that the employee was not negligent in that the employee was reasonably careful or that the employee was acting in his own right, rather than on the employer's business.
volenti non fit injuria: Latin for 'to a willing person, no injury is done.' This doctrine holds that a person who knowingly and willingly puts himself in a dangerous situation cannot sue for any resulting injuries.
WHISTLEBLOWER: An employee or former employee who reports misconduct to people or authorities who have the power to take corrective action. Generally the misconduct is a breach of law, regulation or public interest.
WHITE FINGER (VIBRATION WHITE FINGER): A condition caused by exposure to hand-held and other vibrating equipment. Excessive vibration can cause the blood vessels in the hand to constrict, which reduces the blood supply to the fingers causing tingling, numbness and whiteness.
WORKPLACE: The workplace may be described as any place where people are at work.
WORKPLACE EXPOSURE LIMIT: A limit on the exposure to hazardous substances, established by the HSE in EH40. Defined as a Long-term exposure limit (over an 8 hour reference period) and a Short-term exposure limit (over a 15 minute reference period). generally measured in ppm or mg/m3.
|
|
