A

acceptable risk: a concept that has developed in connection with toxic substances, food additives, air and water pollution and related environmental concerns. Defined as a level of risk at which a seriously adverse result is highly unlikely to occur, but 100 percent safety cannot be guaranteed.

accident: an unforeseen or unplanned occurrence in a sequence of events that results in unintended injury, death and/or property damage.

accident analysis: process of scrutinizing various aspects of an accident to determine causation, nature, proportion, function or relationship and results in a statement of an investigation process.

accident experience: one or more indices describing the accident performance according to various units of measure, e.g., disabling injury frequency rate, number of lost-time accidents, disabling injury severity rate, number of first aid cases, accident loss in dollars.

accident investigation: a detailed, systematic search to uncover the facts (who, what, when, where, why and how) of an accident and the relationship to one another to find the cause(s).

acute: having a sudden onset, sharp rise and short course; characterized by sharpness or severity.

acute effect: appearance of a change which occurs in the body within a relatively short time (minutes, hours, days) after exposure to a substance.

air quality (indoor): refers to the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of indoor air in non-residential workplaces with no industrial processes or operations which can affect the comfort or health of the occupant.

allergy: abnormal response of a hypersensitive person to chemical and physical stimuli.

ambient: environmental conditions, surrounding.

anaphylactic: relating to a state of increased susceptibility or hypersensitivity to the introduction of a material into the blood stream, shock can lead to death.

approved: acceptable to or certified as meeting the requirements of a body having authority to establish regulations or standards.

asbestos: hydrated magnesium silicate in fibrous form. The fibres are believed to be the more hazardous component of asbestos dust, and exposure is regulated in Ontario under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE): the society develops Standards that are referred to in the Building Codes of both countries as providing acceptable criteria. Standard 62-1989 defines acceptable indoor air quality as indoor air containing no excessive concentrations of contaminants and causes dissatisfaction to no more than 20% of the building's occupants. Comfort is a subjective assessment of the whole indoor environment where thermal, acoustic, air quality and visual factors are all considered.

asthma: constriction of the bronchial tubes in response to irritation, allergy or other stimulus.

attractive nuisance: place, object or condition to which children are not capable of perceiving a risk of danger, even though they may be trespassers.

audit: periodic (annual, monthly, etc.) methodical and in-depth examination of a function or location of an organization to verity and assure adequacy.

autoclave: pressure vessel using superheated pressurized steam for sterilization of utensils.

B

barrier guard: device designed to protect operators and other individuals from hazard points on machinery and equipment, barrier may be fixed, interlocked, adjustable or moveable.

best practices: present methods of those organizations though to have the most effective safety programs.

brake lining: friction-producing asbestos compound attached to the brake shoes that is pressed against the brake drum during braking. Special precautions must be used to avoid exposure to asbestos during automotive repairs to brakes.

C

cage(ladder): guard consisting of an enclosure fastened to the side rails of a fixed ladder or to the structure, which encircles the climbing space of the ladder in such a manner as to prevent a person from falling outward should he/she lose his/her grip on the ladder.

Canadian Registered Safety Professional(CRSP): individual who has been examined and certified by a board of safety professionals as having achieved professional competence in the field.

carcinogen: cancer-producing substance or agent.

caustic: substance that attacks tissue by chemical action, e.g., sodium hydroxide (caustic soda).

ceiling exposure limit: maximum exposure to a regulated substance or physical agent that is not to be exceeded for any reason.

chip breaker: a rebate ground into the tip of a metal lathe tool, or a separate piece of metal clamped to the tool to form a step that breaks the metal strip as it leaves the cutting point. Essential safety procedure to reduce the risk of serious injury to the lathe operator from long strips of metal swarf.(ribbon)

chronic: long continued; of long duration; persistent; prolonged.

classroom safety instruction phase: that phase of instruction characterized by an instructor meeting with a group of students for study, lecture, discussion and other activities based on written, visual and other learning materials, the focus of which is the theoretical aspects of the task.

combustible construction; construction that does not meet the requirements for noncombustible construction (National Building Code, Subsection 3.2.4.

combustible liquid: liquid with a flash point at or above 37.7 degrees Centigrade.

confined space: compartment or room of small or limited access, e.g. maintenance access hole, septic tank, boiler, pipe or other small space, where job hazards are magnified because of the possibility of limited or enriched oxygen, the presence of toxic gases and the absence of escape routes. Ontario regulations require procedures, training and emergency services where confined spaces may be entered.

constructor: means a person who undertakes a construction project for an owner and includes an owner (or agent of an owner) who undertakes all or part of a project by himself or by more than one employer.(OH&S Act)

construction: includes erection, alteration, repair, dismantling, demolition, structural maintenance, painting, grading, trenching, the installation of any machinery or plant, and any work or undertaking in connection with a construction project.( excerpt from OH&S Act)

criteria: standards, rules or measures by which something can be judged or evaluated.

critical injury: Ontario Regulation 834, OH&S Act: includes injuries that:

• place life in jeopardy;
• produce unconsciousness
• result in substantial loss of blood;
• involve the fracture of a leg or arm, but not a finger or toe;
• involve the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot, but not a finger or toe;
• consist of burns to major portions of the body; or
• cause the loss of sight in an eye

cumulative injury: term used to describe any physical or psychological disability that results from the combined effects of repeated injuries or illnesses in the work place occurs, the cumulative effect over time can lead to claims for physical or psychological disabilities, (e.g.,) coronary heart disease, hypertension, ulcers, stroke, cancer, arthritis, or neuropsychiatric problems that may be interpreted as compensable under workers' compensation law; also called gradual injury, long-term disease process or repeated trauma.

cutaneous: pertaining to, or affecting the skin.

D

deadman switch: Switch so constructed that a circuit closing contact can only be maintained by continuous pressure.

density: a ratio of the mass of a specimen of a substance to the volume of the specimen.

dermal: Relating to the skin.

dermal toxicity: Adverse effects resulting from skin contact with or absorption of substance.

dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin from any cause such as radiation (physical), chemicals or microbial (biological) agents.

design load: Weight which can be safely supported by floor, equipment or structure as defined by its design characteristics.

designated: Biological, chemical or physical agent or combination thereof prescribe as a designated substance by a provincial/federal regulation and exposure to which is prohibited, regulated, restricted, limited or controlled.

dilution general ventilation: Air flow designed to dilute contaminants to acceptable levels.

double insulated tool: portable electric tool that has a layer of insulation that isolates the tool housing, handle and drive train from the electrical components and which makes it safe for use without being grounded.

drive belt: V-shaped belts that transfer power by means of pulleys.

drive shaft: Metal tube that transfer power.

dry chemical extinguisher: fire extinguisher containing a chemical base agent (sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate and ammonium phosphate) which extinguishes fire by interrupting the chain reaction where the chemicals used to prevent the union of free radical particles in the combustion process so that combustion does not continue when the flame front is completely covered with the agent.

dust collector: air cleaning device to remove heavy particulate from exhaust systems before discharge to outdoors.

E

earplug: hearing protector inserted in the external ear canal.

ear protector: device worn to reduce the passage of ambient noise into the auditory system.

electromagnetic radiation: propagation of varying electric and magnetic fields through space at the speed of light, exhibiting the characteristics of wave motion.

electromagnetic spectrum: radiation of all wavelengths from extremely long waves to extremely short X-rays and gamma rays.

embryotoxic: poisonous to an embryo (without necessarily poisoning the mother)

emergency alarm: warning device, usually visual or auditory, which indicates the existence of a situation requiring immediate action or attention.

emergency plan: comprehensive document to provide guidance on actions to be taken under various possible emergency conditions, including responsibilities of individuals and departments, organization resources available for use, sources of aid outside the organization, general methods or procedures to follow, authority to make decisions, requirements for implementing procedures within departments, training and practice of emergency procedures, communications and reports required.

emergency planning: Activities designed to develop detailed procedures for responding to emergency situation such as fire/ explosion, chemical spills/uncontrolled releases.

enforcement: Exercising of executive power or the use of authority, either directly or delegated, to require adherence to prescribed standards, policies, rules or regulations.

engineering controls: Methods of controlling employee exposures by modifying the source or reducing the quantity of contaminants released into the workroom environment.

ergonomics: Study of problems of people in adjusting there environment; science that seeks to adapt work or working conditions to suit the worker. The aim of the discipline is the evaluation and design of facilities, environments, jobs, training methods and requirement to match the capabilities of users and workers, and to reduce the potential for fatigue, error or unsafe acts.

exhaust, local: Local system used to carry off an air contaminant by trapping it near its source to provide a cleaner and healthier work environment.

exhaust ventilation: Removal of air usually by mechanical means from any space. The flow of air between two points is due to the occurrence of a pressure difference between the two points. This pressure difference will cause air to flow from the high pressure to the low pressure zone.

exit: Part of means of egress that lead from the from the floor area it serves, including any doorway leading directly to from a floor area to an open public thoroughfare or to an exterior open space protected from fire exposure from the building and having access to an open public thoroughfare .

exothermic reaction: Reaction which liberates energy, specifically as heat.

explosimeter: Device which detects and measures the presence or expansion of gases; may be accompanied by shock waves or the disruption of enclosing materials or structures or both.

explosive actuated tool: Tool designed to be held in the hand and activated by an explosive charge.

exposure limit: Specified limit of exposure to which most workers may be subjected without adverse effects.

eye protection: Device which safeguards the eye in eye-hazard environment.

eyewash fountain: Rigidly mounted plumbing fixture capable of discharging dual, soft streams of aerated water into the eyes to gently flush away particulate, chemical foreign matter.

F

faceshield: Clear plastic device attached to a worker's hat or headband designed to prevent hazards substances, e.g.,dust particles, sharp objects, etc., from contacting the face.

falsework: Total system of support for freshly poured concrete, including the mold or sheathing which contacts the concrete and all structural members, hardware and bracing. Also called "framework."

filter, HEPA: High-efficiency particulate air filter that is at least 99.97 percent efficient in removing generated particles.

filter respirator: Breathing apparatus designed to remove harmful contaminants from the atmosphere by means of mechanical or chemical filter.

fire drill: Planned exiting of occupants from a building on a giving (preferably unannounced) signal to help assure the safe evacuation of the occupants in the event of damaging fire or the threat of one.

fire escape: Designated and marked route by which occupants can evacuate a building in the event of damaging fire.

fire extinguisher classification: Water-based extinguishers (including soda-acid type) for class A fires; halogen compound extinguishers for class A, B or C fires; dry chemical extinguishers (including bicarbonates, sodium or potassium) for class B or C fires; and carbon dioxide extinguishers for class A or B fires; the is special extinguisher for class D fires.

fire resistant: Characteristic of clothing, house furnishings, building or other materials which inhabits them from igniting or burning readily, thus providing some protection against damaging fires.

fire retardant: Term frequently used to refer to materials or structures which are combustible but have been subjected to treatments or surface coverings to prevent or retard ignition or the spread of fire.

first aid: Emergency care of person who is injured or ill to prevent death or further injury, to relieve pain and counteract shock until medical aid can be obtained.

first aid attendant: Qualified person appointed by an employer to administer first aid.

first aid education: Learning experiences designed to (a) develop understanding and skills necessary, in time of emergency, to prevent death or further injury of a person until the services of a physician can be obtained; (b) provide instructions concerning the learning of medical self help.

flame retardant: quality possessed by materials which have been treated or coated with a substance that retards ignition and flame spread under moderate fire exposure.

flame spread: spread of flame throughout an area independently of the ignition source.

flame spread rating: index or classification indicating the extent of spread of flame on the surface of a material or an assembly of materials in a stand fire test (National Building Code Subsection 3.1.10).

flammable: Characteristics of any substance that is easily ignited, burns intensely or has a rapid rate of flame spread. (Note: flammable is preferred over inflammable, which has the same meaning but can cause confusion because the prefix "in" has negative meaning in many words.)

flammable liquids: Liquids having flash points below 37.7C (100F) and vapour pressures not exceeding 40 psia (275.8kpa) at 37.7C (100F) subdivided as: class l liquids having flash points 37.7C (100F) and subdivided as follows: class l A includes with having flash points below 22.8C (73F) and with boiling points at or above 37.7C (100F); class l C includes those flash points at or above 22.8C (73F) below 37.7C (100F).

fuse: Device designed to interrupt the flow of an electrical current when the current exceeds the capacity of the conductor.

G

general exhaust: Diluting the general room atmosphere with outdoor air fast enough to keep the concentration of toxic vapour in the room air within safe limits. Also known as general ventilation.

germ: Micro-organism; microbe usually thought of as a pathogenic organisms.

germicide: Agent capable of killing germs.

goggles: Eye covering, designed to protect one's eyes against dust, impacting particles or objects, strong light or other harmful environmental influences.

ground fault circuit interrupter: Fast-acting circuit breaker designed to limit an electric shock to a current time duration value below that which could produce serious injury to a person.

guard: Physical device used to protect workers from hazard on machine, e.g., pulley pinch points.

guarding: Use of any one or combination of devices designed to prevent an individual from having any part of the body in the danger zone of machine during the operating cycle; usually involves guarding the point of operation, protecting operating personnel and others in adjacent areas from flying fragments and/or guarding of power transmission components by fixed enclosures.

guardrail: Device consisting of post and rail members, or wall sections, designed, constructed and erected to prevent individuals and/or moving vehicles from coming in contact with a hazard.

H

hard hat: Rigid headgear of various materials designed to protect a person's head from impact, flying particles and electric shock, or any combination thereof.

harm: Adverse effect of an activity or condition, e.g., death, injury, illness, pain, impairment, damage.

hazard: Dangerous object, event, behavior or condition which can interrupt or interfere with the expected orderly process of an activity, or can adversely affect the travel path or vehicle.

hazard analysis: Functions, steps and criteria for the design and plan of work which identify hazards, provide measures to reduce the probability and severity potentials, identify residual risks and provide alternative methods of further control.

hazard classification: Designation relative loss potential. A system to code substandard practices or conditions by the potential severity of loss, should accident or loss occur.

hazard control: Means of reducing the risk to exposure to a hazard including: ergonomic design of work tasks, stations and equipment; arrangement, guarding and interlocking of machinery; barricading of pedestrian and vehicular traffic routes; limiting exposure to toxic materials; ventilation and exhaust systems; prescribed work practices including the wearing of personal protective equipment; prescribed work practices including the wearing of personal protective equipment; and visible and/or audible warning devices.

hazard control audit: audit made to determine the effectiveness of the hazard controls in use within an organization unit and, when question arise about overall effectiveness of safety, to determine the need for additional or more effective hazard controls.

hazard recognition: perception or awareness of dangerous condition.

hazardous chemical: chemical of causing injury or disease due to flammable, toxic, corrosive, radioactive explosive or reactive properties.

hazardous waste: hazardous waste that poses a substantial threat to human health or the environment when the waste is improperly managed.

hazardous waste management: systematic control of all aspects of hazardous waste which may pose a hazard to health or the environment.

health and safety committee: committee of workers and management required in almost all jurisdictions in Canada to promote safe workplace attitudes and practices, and to reduce hazards and accidents.

health and safety program: systematic combination of activities, procedures and facilities designed to ensure and maintain a safe and healthy workplace.

hearing conservation: prevention or minimizing of noise-induced deafness through the use of hearing protection devices and the control of noise.

heat exhaustion: response to heat characterized by fatigue, weakness and possibly collapse.

hood: encasing or channeling structure placed in a ventilation system to control contaminants (preferably at the source of the emission)

hood, canopy: hood that is located over a source of emissions.

hood, capturing: hood with sufficient airflow to reach outside of the hood to draw in contaminants.

hood, slot: hood consisting of a narrow slot leading into a plenum chamber under suction to distribute air velocity along the length of the slot.

hood static pressure: suction or static pressure in a duct near a hood representing the suction that is available to draw air into the hood.

housekeeping: cleanliness, neatness and orderliness of an area with the designation of a proper place for everything and everything in it's proper place; good house practices often preclude the occurrence of accidents in homes and workplaces.

hygiene: (a) science of health and it's maintenance; (b) systems and principles for the preservation of health and prevention of disease.

hygiene practices: personal hygiene habits that may lower or prevent the exposure of a worker to chemical substances, including no smoking, eating or drinking in the work area, washing up before breaks and meals, removing contaminated clothing before leaving work, not shaking or using compressed air to remove dust from clothing and keeping street clothes separate form contaminated work clothing.

hypersensitive: condition of being affected by lower level concentrations of substances that do not affect most people.

hypersusceptibility: greater than normal sensitivity to certain substances.

I

in loco parentis: Latin phrase describing one (such as a school) who acts in place of a parent and assumes a guardian's responsibility for a child.

incident: undesired event that, under slightly different circumstances, could have resulted in personal harm, property damage or loss.

incompatible: (a) materials which could cause dangerous reactions from direct contact with one another; (b) liquid and solid systems that cannot be mixed with another specified material without separation or impairment of properties.

industrial disease: disease peculiar to, or characteristic of, an occupation as organized by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.

industrial ear plugs: devices designed to be inserted in humans ear canals to protect the wearer from loud intermittent or continuous noise in work environments.

industrial hygiene: science that deals with the recognition, evaluation and control of potential health hazards in the industrial environment.

industrial hygiene survey: systematic analysis of a workplace to detect and evaluate health hazards in the industrial environment.

industrial hygienist: individual trained in engineering, chemistry, physics, medicine or related biological sciences to recognize, evaluate and control workplace hazards.

inhalation: drawing of air or other vapour into lungs.

inorganic: compounds that generally do not contain carbon, e.g., sulfuric acid and salt; exceptions are carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide,

inservice education: efforts to promote the professional growth and development of employees, commonly during there normal work periods.

inspection:(a) deliberate, systematic scrutiny or examination of an activity; (b) thorough, close, critical examination, checking or testing against established standards.

inspectorate: governmental body charged with inspecting the workplace.

insulation: material or structure which limits transmission of a type energy (electrical, chemical, radiation, heat or sound).

L

lanyard: flexible line to secure a worker wearing a safety belt or harness to drop line, lifetime or fixed anchorage.

liability: obligation one is legally bound to fulfill and which maybe enforced in court; liabilities are usually financial or can be expressed in financial terms.

litigation: practice of taking legal action in the form of a law suit.

local exhaust: ventilating system which traps air contaminants near their source and provides cleaner work environment by preventing contaminants from spreading through the room.

lock-out: specific set of procedures for ensuring that a machine shut down for maintenance or repair or other reason is secured against accidental start -up or movement of any part of the duration of the shut down.

lock-out procedures: written procedures to ensure that a machine or piece of equipment cannot be operated or energized without his/her knowledge or consent.

lost time injury: work injury which results in death or disability in which the injured person is unable to report for duty on his next regularly scheduled shift.

M

machine guarding: installation of devices on machines to eliminate hazards created by operation of machines.

make-up air: air introduced into an area being exhausted to replace the air that is removed .

material safety data sheet (MSDS): data sheet that contains detailed information related to the possible health and safety hazards of a product. the MSDS should be available from the manufacturer for any chemical or mixture of chemicals used in industry.

means of egress: continuous path of travel for the escape of persons from any point of the building, floor area, room or contained open space to an open public thoroughfare or to an exterior open space protected from fire exposure from the building and having access to an open public thoroughfare.

medical aid injury: any minor injury for which medical treatment was provided and cost of which is covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of the province in which the injury was incurred.

musculo-skeletal system: combined system of muscles and bones which comprise the internal biomechanical environment.

mutagen: anything that causes a mutation, i.e., change in form or quality, or a permanent transmissible change of the genetic material, usually an alteration of chromosomes. most carcinogens are also mutagens.

N

National Standard of Canada: consensus standard prepared or reviewed by an accredited standards-writing organization and approved by the Standards Council of Canada.

natural ventilation: air environment cause by wind, temperature difference or other non-mechanical factors.

nature of injury: identifies the injury in terms of it's principal physical characteristics, e.g., burn, fracture, scratch, dermatitis, sprain, poison.

nature of work: type or classification of the work being done.

neutralization: chemical reaction between an acid and a base in which the characteristics of each disappear.

noise: undesired sound

noise induced hearing loss: sensori-neural hearing loss attributable to the effects of noise.

noncombustible construction: construction in which a degree of fire safety is attained by the use of noncombustible material for structural members and other building assemblies (National Building Code Subsection 3.1.4). steel construction fits this category.

nonflammable: characteristic of any material or substance that will not burn readily or quickly (nonflammable is preferred over non-inflammable which as the same meaning but is confusing because of it's apparent double negative).

non-school safety activities: activities which are neither sponsored by the school nor are under the guidance or supervision of school personnel, but are considered significant in terms of learning experiences and permanent student records.

non-toxic substance: substance which, in experience and/or experiment (using reasonable and appropriate test),has failed to produce physiologic, morphologic or functional changes affecting human or animal health.

nonvolatile matter: portion of material which does not evaporate at ordinary temperatures.

nuisance dusts: those which have little adverse effects on lungs and do not produce significant organic disease or toxic effect when exposures are kept under reasonable control.

O

occupational accident: accident occurring in the course of or arising out of a person's employment that may have been caused by hazards inherent in or related to the job.

occupational disease: disease associated with or contracted because of particular occupation.

occupational health: as a practice, aims at the promotion and maintenance of the physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations.

occupational illness: abnormal physical condition or disorder caused by exposure to environmental factors associated with employment.

occupational safety: maintenance of a working environment relatively free from actual or potential hazards capable of causing physical harm to those who work in the environment.

occupational safety program: planned activities carried on to prevent accidents in work related environments or situation.

organic: designation of any chemical compound containing carbon.

organism: living thing, e.g., human being, animal, germ, plant, etc., especially one consisting of several parts, each specializing in a particular function.

oxidizer: substance that readily reacts with organic materials usually furnishing oxygen in the reaction.

oxidizing material: material, other than ordinary atmospheres, which by itself is not necessarily combustible, but which may (by yielding oxygen) cause or contribute to the combustion of other material.

oxygen deficiency: atmosphere having less than percentage of oxygen found in normal air. Normally, air contains about 21 percent oxygen at sea level. when the oxygen concentration in air is reduced to approximately 16 percent, it is generally held to be deficient.

P

partial ventilation system: local exhaust system designed with airflow less than that required for all hoods in the system. Airflow to hoods not in use is shut off so there is sufficient airflow through hoods being used.

person in charge: qualified person appointed by an employer to ensure the safe and proper conduct of an operation or of the work of employees.

personal protective equipment: device or item of apparel worn to protect a worker,

pesticide: poison used to kill insects and similar pests.

physical agent: physical force (noise, radiation, heat) or influence which affects the body, a part of the body or any of its functions.

pinch point: point at which it is possible to be caught between moving parts, between moving and stationary parts or between the material and the moving part.

point of operation guard: guard that prevents entry of the operator's hands or fingers into the point of operation.

poisoning: systemic effects of toxic materials.

policy: written statement which expresses the wisdom, philosophy, experience and belief of an organization's senior managers for future guidance toward attainment of certain stated goals.

pollutant: harmful chemical or waste material discharged into the atmosphere, land or water.

preliminary evaluation: first step in an industrial hygiene survey, usually a visual inspection to identify possible hazards.

preventive maintenance: routine servicing of a machine, including periodic inspections to prevent the development of problems and provide maximum economy of operation, includes making necessary adjustments and replacement of parts, filters, bushings, screens, belts, hoses etc.

probability: event that is likely to occur or that can reasonably be expected to occur on the basis of available evidence.

protective clothing: clothing worn to protect the worker from exposure to contact with harmful substances.

pulmonary: pertaining to or affecting the lungs.

pupil transportation services: activities concerned with transporting pupils to and from school and school activities.

pupil transportation vehicle: motor vehicle owned by a public or governmental agency, or privately owned and operated for compensation, used to transport children to and from school and school activities.

push block: short block of wood provided with a handle and a shoulder at the rear end, which is used for pushing material over revolving cutters on woodworking machines. Does not replace mandated need for guards.

push stick: narrow strip of wood or other soft material which is used to push short or narrow pieces of material through woodworking saws. Does not replace mandated requirement for guards on equipment.

Q

qualified person: person who, because of knowledge, training and experience, is qualified to perform a specified job safely and correctly.

quality assurance: planned and systematic pattern of means and actions designed to ensure that items or services meet contracted and other stated requirements.

quality control: system that controls and regulates the characteristics of an item or service to established requirements.

quantitative: property which can be determined by measurement.

quantitative analysis: determination of the amounts in which the various constituents of a material are present.

R

radiation control program: program of systematic and periodic checks of all radiation sources, including, exposure control, worker training and disposal procedures.

radiation source: apparatus or material emitting or capable of emitting ionizing radiation.

regulatory authority: federal, provincial, municipal or other government body responsible for regulating the acceptability, sale or use of products, materials or services.

rehabilitation: treatment and retraining of a disabled worker.

respirable: able to be breathed.

respirable size particulate: particulate in the size range (generally less than two microns) that permits them to penetrate to the lungs upon inhalation.

respirator: protective device for the human respiratory system designed to protect the wearer from inhaling contaminated air.

respiratory diseases: disease affecting the respiratory system.

respiratory hazard: toxic gas, vapour, organic or inorganic mist, dust or fume which can produce harmful effects if inhaled by humans.

respiratory irritant: irritant that affects the respiratory tract.

respiratory system: group of organs concerned with the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, consisting of the air passages through the mouth, nose and throat, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and the alveoli of the lungs.

risk assessment: information, hazard analysis method and control program evaluation which permit estimation of risk

risk management: professional assessment of all loss potentials in an organization's structure and operations, leading to the establishment and administration of a comprehensive loss control program. The goal is to reduce losses to an acceptable minimum at the lowest possible cost.

route of entry: method of passage into the body, by way of inhalation (lungs), ingestion (mouth, swallowing) or absorption (gastrointestinal tract, skin)

S

safe: condition where risks are as low as practicable and present no significant residual risk.

safe environment: where physical surroundings, including equipment, are constructed, arranged, maintained and operated so that the accident or illness potential of the environment is reduced to the lowest level reasonably practicable.

safety: relative freedom from hazard, degree to which risks are judged acceptable or, the art of performing any task in the most accident-free manner possible.

safety audit: periodic, methodical process of evaluating the effectiveness of an accident prevention program by appraising each of the principal factors of the program including, policy, organization, responsibility and accountability, education, training, inspection, accident investigation, environmental conditions, work practices, medical precautions and predictive and special techniques.

safety belt: belt with a rope lanyard worn by a worker as protection against falling.

safety can: approved closed container, of not more than 23 litres(five gallons) capacity, that has a flash-arresting screen and a spring-closing lid and spout cover, designed so that is will safety relieve internal pressure when exposed to fire.

safety education: learning experiences designed to enable individuals to live and work safely and efficiently.

safety engineer: individual who, through education, accreditation and experience, is devoted to the application of scientific principles and practices for the control and modification of the work place in order to achieve optimum protection for both people and property.

safety footwear: footwear which has been designed and constructed to provide the toes of the wearer with protection against compression and impact in accordance with Canadian Standards Association standard, and may include additional standards for protection against puncture, metatarsal guards or other protective features which may be part of the footwear.

safety glasses: eye protectors consisting of two lens and a frame designed to be worn by an employee for the purpose of protecting the eyes against hazards, and meets Canadian Standards Association standards for the hazard encountered.

safety grounding: connection of an electrical system or device to ground by means of electrical conductors, mechanical clamps and connectors.

safety hat: rigid headgear of various materials designed to protect a person's head from impact or electric shock.

safety professional: individual who, by virtue of education, specialized knowledge, skill and experience has achieved professional status in safety: may also have been awarded the status of Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP)(CAN) or Certified Safety Professional (CSP)(USA)

safety program audit: examination or evaluation to determine adherence to an organization's safety program plans, goals, budgets and results and provides the basis for higher management's judgment of safety program effectiveness.

safety regulation: safety standard, specification, procedure or method having the force of law because it has been approved and promulgated under the powers of a federal or provincial statute.

safety rule: rule prescribing safeguarding requirements, personal protective equipment or safe behaviour on the job, in school, on the playground, or any place where a potential hazard exists.

safety standard: specification, code of practice or rule of conduct developed and adopted by a recognized standard setting organization such as the Canadian Standards Association, National Fire Protection Association, or like organization.

scaffold: temporary elevated or suspended platform and its structural members used to support workers and/or materials during construction, painting, cleaning, repair or maintenance operations.

school jurisdiction: in relation to safety, having to do with (a) continuous observance of safe practices by all school personnel and students on school property, enroute to and from school, and in school-related activities; (b) proper maintenance of school facilities and equipment so as to keep them in condition for safe use.

school safety: all matters having to do with safety in and around the school, with emphasis on responsibilities of the administration, teachers and custodians, as well as of pupils and parents.

school safety program: combination of safety management, safety education and safety services designed to conserve human and material resources.

school bus: motor vehicle owned by a public or governmental agency, or privately owned and operated for compensation, used to transport children to and from school and school activities.

school bus accident: mishap involving a school bus, when in authorized use, which results in personal injury or property damage.

school bus evacuation plan: program of instruction and practice that involves pupils and adult passengers leaving a school bus via the designated emergency exits under timed conditions.

sealed source: radioactive source sealed in an impervious container which has sufficient strength to prevent contact with and dispersion of the radioactive material under the conditions of use and wear for which it was designed.

security: procedures designed to protect buildings and grounds, facilities and equipment and occupants against burglary, vandalism, arson, sabotage and any other willful or malicious damage.

sensitizer: material that causes an allergic condition in an individual so that additional exposure to the same material will cause a typical physiological reaction.

serious accident: accident resulting in death, permanent disability, excessive damage costs, accidental release of pollutants with significant effects, broadly those accidents meriting in-depth investigation.

simple asphyxiant: substance which acts mechanically by excluding oxygen from the lungs when breathed in high concentrations (nitrogen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide)

skin: thin layer of tissue covering the outer surface of the body; divided into two main strata, epidermis and derma.

skin contamination: irritation or infection to the skin such as dermatitis.

solder: material, most commonly containing lead and tin, used for joining metal surfaces together. Silver solder may contain cadmium.

soldering: using any of various fusible alloys, usually tin and lead, to join metallic parts when applied in the melted state to the solid metal.

solvent: organic liquids used to dissolve other organic materials; water is included under the general definition of a solvent.

sound: auditory sensation produced through the organs of hearing usually by vibrations transmitted in a material medium, commonly air.

sound spectrum: distribution in frequency of the magnitudes of the components of the sound wave.

sound waves: vibratory motion caused by a vibrating body which transmits a series of alternating compressions and rarefactions(expansions) of the elastic medium.

specific gravity: ratio of the density of a substance to that of water under specified conditions.

specific weight: weight per unit volume of a substance; same as density.

standards: criteria adopted by professional bodies to prescribe acceptable practice; standards are sometimes adopted by reference in statutes or regulations.

stimulus: internal or external energy that excites a receptor.

stress: non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it. Stress can be positive(eustress) or negative(distress).

stressor: agent or thing causing a condition of stress.

subacute: illness or condition that is not quite as serious or as dangerous as the acute phase, but may become so if not correctly managed.

synergistic: pertaining to an action of two or more substances, organs or organisms to achieve an effect of which each is individually incapable.

T

technical specification: document which lays down characteristics of a product or a service such as levels of quality, performance, safety or dimensions, and may include exclusively with terminology, symbols, testing and test methods, packaging, marking or labeling requirements.

temperature, effective: arbitrary index which combines the effect of temperature, humidity and air movement on the sensation of warmth or cold felt by the human body.

temperature humidity index: index based on the effective temperature scale using dry- and wet-bulb measurements.

teratogen: agent or factor that causes the production of physical defects in the developing embryo.

threshold: level where the first effects occur.

threshold dose: minimum absorbed dose that will produce a detectable degree of any given effect.

threshold limit value(TLV): estimate of the average safe airborne concentration of a substance and represent conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed day after day without adverse effect. TLV is a trademark of the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists and is referenced in Ontario legislature.

time-weighted average exposure criteria(TWAEC): time-weighted average concentrations or levels of an agent for a 40-hour work week to which it is believed nearly all workers may be exposed day after day without experiencing adverse effects.

time-weighted average exposure limit(TWA): maximum average exposure in a 40-hour week to an airborne concentration of a regulated or a toxic substance or physical agent.

toe-board: vertical barrier usually of 25 cm(6 in) in height installed flush with the floor along the exposed edges of a floor opening, wall opening, platform, runway or ramp to prevent material or objects from falling on persons below.

toxic: injurious to health when taken into the body by any route of entry

toxic agent: substance potentially or actually poisonous to the human body.

toxic dust: dust that may be harmful to the respiratory system or to other parts of the body by passing from the respiratory tract into the blood stream.

toxic reaction: alteration of a biologic system or organ due to the action of toxic agents.

toxic spill: accidental dumping, leakage or splashing of a harmful or potentially harmful substance.

toxicant: poison or poisonous agent.

toxicity: (a)relative property of a chemical agent with reference to a harmful effect on some biologic mechanism and the condition under which this effect occurs; (b) quality of being poisonous.

toxicologist: specialist in the science that deals with poisons and their effects.

toxin: poisonous substance that is produced by the metabolism of a living organism.

trauma: injury, including shock, resulting from any outside source and being of a physical, mental or emotional nature.

U

unsafe condition: any physical state which results in a reduction in the degree of safety normally present.

unstable: tending toward decomposition or other unwanted change.

V

vapour: gaseous form of substances normally in solid or liquid state at normal temperature and pressure.

vapour density: weight of a vapour per unit volume at any given temperature and pressure.

vapour pressure: pressure exerted by a vapour.

velocity, capture: air velocity needed to draw contaminants into the hood.

velometer: device for measuring air velocity.

ventilation: simultaneous supplying and exhausting of air to an enclosed machine, room or entire building. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists(ACGIH) Ventilation Manual specifies methods for control of various toxic airborne contaminants by local exhaust.

ventilation, dilution: air flow designed to dilute contaminants to acceptable levels.

ventilation, general/dilution: process of diluting air contaminants by natural or mechanical air exchange in the workplace.

ventilation, local exhaust: process of capturing air contaminants at the source, usually by the use of hoods, ducts or vents located near or directly over the source; preferred method of ventilation where toxic contaminants are released and potential exists for worker exposure.

ventilation, mechanical: air movement caused by a fan or other air-moving device.

ventilation, natural: air movement caused by wind, temperature difference or other non-mechanical factors.

volatility: tendency or ability of a liquid to vapourize.

W

water quality criteria: varying levels of water pollution that affect the suitability of water for given uses. Water use classification includes, public water supply (safe for drinking), recreational use(fit for swimming) and use for fish and wildlife propagation and agricultural or industrial use. The province sets the criteria for various uses.

work environment: physical location, equipment, materials processed or used, and the kinds of operations performed in the course of an employee's work, whether on or off the employer's premises.

work site: location or area occupied by an employee in the course of or in connection with the work.

workers' compensation: various provincial remedies, provided for by statute, by which indemnity for injuries or death arising out of employment is furnished to employees and their dependents.

workplace inspection: planned (usually regular) walk-through of a workplace or selected parts or areas in order to examine closely and critically all factors with potential to cause injury and to identify where action is necessary to control hazards.

Z

zero exposure: exposure held to a negligible level.