Frequently Used Workplace Safety Terms | Safety Services Company

Today we continue with the 2nd part of our Common Workplace Safety Terms. Tackling these terms are not only helpful for those who work in occupations that involve a certain level of danger or hazard, it’s also informative for students who want to find out more about the careers and professions they want to pursue in a couple of years. Learning about these safety terms will help them be prepared way before they step into their dream workplace.

So here we go:

34. Hazard

This is a condition, circumstance, practice or substance with the potential for accidental loss or harm / damage to life, health or property. A process called hazard identification is used to point out these risks and address them as fit. All workplaces have their own set of hazards, these are further classified into:

Ergonomic Hazards – this includes repetition, force, posture and duration of activities that go beyond a person’s physical abilities

Hazardous Atmosphere – is an atmosphere which by reason of being explosive, flammable, poisonous, corrosive, oxidizing, irritating, oxygen deficient, toxic, or otherwise harmful, may cause death, illness, or injury.

Fall hazard – refers to (i) whenever employees are working within three feet (.91 m) of the unprotected edge of a work surface that is 8 feet or more (2.44 m) above the adjoining surface and twelve inches (.3 m) or more, horizontally, from the adjacent surface; or (ii) whenever weather conditions may impair the vision or sound footing of employees working on top of containers

Hazardous chemical / substance – are chemicals for which uncontrolled use or exposure is a risk to safety or health. Such chemicals may be described as dangerous goods, poisons, drugs or hazardous substances.

Imminent hazard – pertains to any activity or situation that is likely to result in serious injury, death, or significant environmental or property damage.

33. Health

A state of complete physical, mental and social well being, not merely an absence of disease or injury.

32. Heat Exhaustion

This can literally mean the overheating of the body. Heat exhaustion can happen when the body loses too much fluid (because of excessive sweating) or when conditions, such as physical activity in a hot environment, prevent sweat from evaporating into the air. Here is one sub classification of heat exhaustion:

Heat Stroke – a potentially deadly condition in which over-exposure to a very hot environment breaks down the body’s ability to control its temperature and cool itself sufficiently. The body temperature rises to a very high (deadly) level.

31. Hoist

This is a system used to raise or lower goods and equipment to an elevation.

30. Hood or Helmet

This refers to a respirator component that covers the wearer’s head and neck, or head, neck, and shoulders, and is supplied with incoming breathable air for the wearer to inhale. It may include a head harness and connection to a breathing tube.

29. Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH)

This is dangerous. It is an atmospheric concentration of any toxic, corrosive or asphyxiant substance that poses an immediate threat to life or would cause irreversible or delayed adverse health effects or would interfere with an individual’s ability to escape from a dangerous atmosphere.

28. Illness

Now here’s a more common word – illness. We all use it when we catch something and the body’s normal functions are altered or hindered. But what does this mean in the workplace? Here are two classifications:

Heat illness – a serious medical condition resulting from the body’s inability to cope with a particular heat load and including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat syncope, and heat stroke.

Occupational Illness – An ill health condition caused by exposure to a health hazard in the workplace. This may also be called industrial disease. It also pertains to all other occupational illnesses such as: Heatstroke, sunstroke, heat exhaustion, heat stress and other effects of environmental heat; freezing, frostbite, and other effects of exposure to low temperatures; decompression sickness; effects of ionizing radiation (isotopes, x-rays, radium); effects of non-ionizing radiation (welding flash, ultra-violet rays, lasers); anthrax; blood borne pathogenic diseases such as AIDS, HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C; brucellosis; malignant or benign tumors; histoplasmosis; coccidioidomycosis.

27. Ingress and Egress

Say what? Don’t panic. In simple, layman’s terms it just means “entry” and “exit,” respectively. In trenching and excavation operations, they refer to the provision of safe means for employees to enter or exit an excavation or trench.

26. Injury

Anyone can get injured; athletes, students and professionals alike. But were you aware of the sub classifications of the word injury when used in the workplace? Here’s a dose for you.

Chronic Injury – is an injury resulting from the cumulative effects of repeated exposure to an injurious force not sufficient to cause acute injury. It may also result from an acute injury that, for whatever reason, does not recover as expected.

Occupational Injury – is any wound or damage to the body resulting from an event in the work environment.

Acute Injury – is an injury resulting from a single sudden incident, for example; being struck by an object, pulling a muscle, etc.

Critical Injury – is a serious personal injury that places life in jeopardy, produced unconsciousness, serious loss of blood, fracture of a leg or arm, amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot, burns to most of the body, or loss of sight in one or both eyes

Employment Injury – includes work injuries plus any additional injury or disease acquired away from the workplace that is compensable under workers compensation law.

25. Lift

This is a physical structure, usually a cage in a vertical shaft used to raise or lower people or equipment.

There, 25 terms discussed, 25 more to go. We hope you find these terms useful and informative. Until the next part, be safe out there.

Continue Reading Part 3 of Common Workplace Safety Terms.