DEFINATIONS:

FIRE:
Fire is a chemical reaction involving rapid oxidation or burning of a fuel. It needs four
elements to occur.
FULE:
Fuel can be any combustible material solid, liquid or gas. Most solids and liquids become
a vapor or gas before they will burn.
OXYGEN:
Oxygen the air we breath is about 21 percent oxygen. Fire only needs an atmosphere with at
least 16 percent oxygen.
HEAT:
Heat is the energy necessary to increase the temperature of the fuel to a point where
sufficient vapors are given off for ignition to occur.
FLASH POINT:
Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a fuel produces enough vapors to ignite in
the presence of a heat source.
DUST:
Dusts consist of solid particles and are created by such operations as grinding or sieving of
solid materials, controlled detonations and various drying processes.
FUMES:
Fumes are finely particulate solids which are created by condensation from a vapour, very
often after a metal has been converted to the molten state. Fumes are usually highly toxic.
GASES:
Gas is a formless chemical which occupies the area in which it is enclosed. There are many
toxic gases used in industry, such as chlorine.
MIST:
Mists consist of finely suspended droplets formed by condensation from a gas or the
atomising of a liquid or from aerosols.
VAPORS:
Vapour is the gaseous form of a solid or a liquid. Rise in temperature causes the vaporisation.
Examples are organic solvent vapours.
LIQUID:
Water is a typical example of a liquid. Can be in other forms such as droplets or aerosols.
VERY TOXIC:
substances and preparations which in very low quantities cause death or acute or chronic
damage to health when inhaled, swallowed or absorbed via the skin.
TOXIC:
Toxic - substances and preparations that in low quantities cause death or acute or chronic
damage to health when inhaled, swallowed or absorbed via the skin.

CORROSIVE:
Corrosive substances and preparations that may on contact destroy living tissues.
DENSITY:
The density of a material is defined as the mass of one cubic meter of material.
DENSITY = MASS/VOLUM
SPECIFIC GRAVITY:
We can therefore say that any liquid that will not dissolve (not miscible) in water, with a
specific gravity higher than 1, will sink, whilst those with a specific gravity lower than 1 will
float on top. For example:
1m3 of water (1000 ltrs) weighs 1000 kg
1m3 of aviation gasoline (1000 ltrs) weighs 720 kg
HEAT:
Heat is a form of energy. Heat can be produced by chemical means, e.g., by burning aviation
fuel or by mechanical means, by friction. Passing electrical current through a resistor also
produces heat as in an electric fire.
ELEMENT:
Substances that consist of only one type of atom are known as elements. EX. CARBON
MOLICULE:
If an element consists of more than one of the same type of atom, chemically bound together,
it is known as a molecule. EX. OXYGEN. The term molecule can also be used to describe a
substance that is made up of more than one type of atom. Water is an example.
COMPOUND:
A mixture is a term used to describe a substance that is made up of more than one type of
molecule. EX. WATER
COMBUSTION:
Combustion is a chemical process. For it to occur, oxygen, usually from the air, must combine
with a fuel. A fuel is any substance that will burn and may be in any one of the three states,
solid, liquid or gas. EX. SMOLDRING OR FLAMING
FLAMMABILITY LIMITS:
Flammability Limits (% fuel/air by volume)

GAS

LOWER LIMIT

UPPER LIMIT

Hydrogen

4.0

75.0

Carbon Monoxide

12.5

74.2

Methane

5.0

15.0

Butane

1.5

9.0

Ethylene

2.7

28.6

Acetylene

2.5

80.0

HARMFUL:
Harmful substances and preparations that may death or acute or chronic
health when inhaled, swallowed or absorbed through the skin.

damage to

CHEMICALS:
Chemical health hazards may be divided into the following groups:
Carcinogenic substances and preparations which if inhaled or ingested or absorbed by the
skin may induce cancer or increase its incidence.
Irritant non-corrosive substances and preparations which through immediate, prolonged or
repeated contact with the skin or mucous membrane may cause inflammation.
Sensitising a substance or preparation that may cause an allergic reaction.
ACUTE TOXICITY:
This describes a condition where the quantity of a toxic substance absorbed into the body
produces harmful effects very quickly, i.e. within seconds, minutes or hours.
CRONIC TOXICITY:
The term chronic toxicity describes a condition where the harmful effects of a toxic substance
absorbed into the body take a very long time to appear - months or perhaps years.
AMONIA:
A colourless gas with a pungent odour, readily soluble in water. A strong respiratory irritant
and corrosive substance, either as a gas or when combined with water as a liquid. Entry is by
inhalation into the lungs or absorption through the eyes or the skin.
Chlorine
The basic ingredient of mustard gas, but is also used in cleaning swimming baths and in
chlorine tanks. The immediate effect is choking, but it may also damage the lining of the
lungs.
CARBON MONOXSIDE:
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas. It is found in combustion
gases such as coal gas, car exhaust, producer gas, blast-furnace gas and water gas.
ISOCYANATES:
Used to make adhesives, synthetic rubber, polyurethane paints and lacquers, and quick-drying
printing inks. The most important industrial applications are in the manufacture of plastics
and paints to make them harden quicker.

ASBESTOS:
Previously used as an insulation and fire-resistant material in building construction, it was
also a common friction lining in machinery (brakes, clutch plates, etc.).
SILICA:
Silica is a naturally occurring element present in many rocks and stones, particularly
sandstone, quartz and slate. It is a highly toxic irritant when inhaled as a dust and can cause
numerous chest and respiratory tract diseases.
LAPTOSPIRA:
Rats are the primary cause of the disease (CONFIE SPACE).
HEPATITUS:
Hepatitis is a virus causing similar symptoms to Weils disease fever, jaundice, enlargement
of the liver, haemorrhages and feverish relapses. It is contracted primarily through injection,
although ingestion of infected substances may also be a route of entry.
LOCAL EXHUAST VENTILATION:
Local exhaust ventilation operates by removing a contaminant at the point of generation and
ducting it away in an air flow to a safe place.
RESPIRATORS:
Respirators, which are designed to purify respirable air by inhaling it through a medium
which removes the contaminants.
BREATHING APPRATUS:
Breathing apparatus, which supplies pure respirable air from an uncontaminated source.
BASIC ENVIROMENTAL ISSUES:
Pollution is the contamination or damage caused by human activity to the environment. It
arises in respect of three aspects of the environment:
Atmospheric pollution fumes, smoke and dust discharged into the air from incinerators,
traffic exhausts or other by-products of industrial processes.
Water pollution liquid waste (effluent) comprising toxic substances such as detergents
discharged into ground water, rivers or seawater directly from sewers, factories or
surrounding land (such as fertilisers being washed away from farm land by the rain).
Land pollution solid waste from industrial processes deposited on land.
IPC:
Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) is a system established, under Part I of the EPA, to
control the release of polluting substances to air, land and water by industry.
CONTROL WASTE:
Controlled waste defined as household, industrial and commercial waste or any substance
which is scrap or is effluent or unwanted surplus from a process.
SPECIAL WASTE:
Special waste defined as waste which may be so dangerous or difficult to treat, keep or
dispose of that special provision is required for dealing with it.
INDEPENDENT SCAFFOLD:

An independent tied scaffold is designed to carry its own mass and the full load of all
materials and workers used on the scaffold.
BASE PLATE:
Base plates are used to spread the load at the base of each standard.
FLAMMABLY GASES:
Flammable gases such as methane (marsh gas) and carbon monoxide
Toxic gases such as hydrogen sulphide
BATTERING:
Allows almost any excavation to be carried out safely without the need for a support system.
SHORING:
Shoring is artificial support for the side walls of an excavation
HEALTH:
Health includes mental as well as physical health and relates to the protection of people,
whether they are employees, contractors or visitors, from harm.
BIOLOGICAL HAZARD:
Biological hazards relate mainly to illness contracted from exposure to bacteria, viruses and
fungi.
SAFETY:
Safety is a state where risk has been eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level.
WEL FARE:
Welfare is concerned with the well-being and comfort of, primarily, employees.
ENVIROMENTAL PROTECTION:
Environmental protection relates to issues such as lighting, noise, heat etc.
INCIDENT:
Events that give rise to accidents or have the potential to lead to an accident.
ACCIDENT:
Accidents are undesired and unplanned events. They may cause personal injury or property
damage or both.
DANGROUS OCCURANCE:
An event or situation that could harm employees at work, in such a way that there is a legal
requirement to report it.
NEAR MISS:
Any form of incident which could result in injury or loss but does not.

PHYSIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS:

Physiological problems are diseases or injuries caused by exposure to dangerous substances

or practices.
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS:
Psychological problems are stress-related and can be due to traumatic events or exposure to
workplace pressures.
HAZARD:
A hazard can be defined as a situation with the potential to cause harm or danger.
RISK:
Risk can be defined as the likelihood that the harm from a particular hazard will happen. Risk
reflects both the likelihood and severity of the harm.
RISK = LIKELY HOOD X SEVERITY
RISK ASSESMENT:
A planned layout of the workplace is essential if a safe place of work is to be provided.
OBJECTIVES OF RISK ASSISMENT:
We can identify three main reasons for assessing and managing risk.
MORAL:
Moral reasons are based on the concept of preventing people being hurt or becoming ill.
LEGAL:
Employers have a legal duty to protect their employees.
ECONOMIC:
Accidents and ill-health costs can be high in terms of sick pay, lost production, replacing
damaged equipment etc.
DAMAGE ONLY:
An incident that does not result in injury but property or equipment may be damaged.
ILL HEALTH:
Examples of illnesses that are reportable are poisonings, skin and lung disease, infections and
occupational cancer.
DANGER OCCURANCE:
Non-injury incidents where there is serious potential for injury, such as a collapsing scaffold.
INCIDENT AND ACCIDENT RATIO:
Probability
No of accidents resulting in serious injury
Total number of accidents
Frequency rate

No of lost time accidents x 100,000

Number of man-hours worked

Severity Rate

Total number of days LIKELY HOOD X SEVERITY

x 1,000
Total number of man-hours worked
Frequency (likelihood) x Severity

Risk

HEALTH RISK HAZARD:

Acute causing immediate ill-health after one exposure
Chronic causing ill-health after long term exposure
CATAGARIZATION OF HEALTH RISK:
CHEMICAL HAZARD:
Liquids, dusts, fumes, mists.
BIOLOGICAL HAZARD:
Exposure to bacteria, viruses and fungi.
PHYSICAL HAZARD:
Mechanical, noise, radiation, heat etc. Also includes ergonomic factors.
PHYYCHOLOGICAL HAZARD:
Refers to mental stress.
SAFE WORK SYSTEM:
A safe system of work is: A formal procedure which results from systematic examination of a
task in order to identify all the hazards.
PERMITS TO WORK:
A permit to work can de described as:
A formal document giving written authority to carry out specific work.
HOT WORK:
Any work that increases the risk of fire and explosion by the introduction of an ignition
source, such as welding, flame cutting, use of electrical equipment may be subject to a permit
to work system.
FIRST AID:
First aid is the immediate care given to victims of an accident or illness before qualified
medical assistance arrives.
CRUSHING:
Crushing is where the body or part of the body is caught between two moving parts of the
machine or between moving and static objects such that they meet together.
SHEARING:
Shearing is where two parts of the machine are moving together to a situation where one
moves over the top of the other.
CUTTING & SEVERING:
Cutting or severing is where a sharp-edged part of the machinery comes in contact with the
person. As implied, it is a similar effect to what happens when someone cuts himself with a
knife.
ENTANGLEMENT:
Entanglement is associated with a single rotating part of a machine. Usually an item of
clothing gets caught on the rotating part and the person is drawn rapidly to the machine.

DRAWING OR TRAPPING:
Drawing in or trapping is where the body is caught between two moving parts and drawn
into the machine.

IMACT:
Impact is where a powered part of the machine hits the person.
STABBING OR PUNCTURED:
Stabbing or puncture is caused by some sharp part of the machine or process penetrating the
person.
FRICTION OR ABRASION:
Friction or abrasion is caused by coming into contact with a fast moving surface.
FIXED GUARD:
These are guards with no moving parts and are designed to prevent access by enclosing the
hazard. Typically, a fixed guard will require a tool, such as a spanner or screwdriver, to
remove it.
TRIP DEVICE:
A trip device is a guard which stops or reverses motion when a person enters the hazard area.
ADJUSTABLE GUARD:
Adjustable guards are guarding systems which require manual adjustment to give protection.
They are used on woodworking machinery, milling machines, lathes, drills, and grinders.
SELF ADJUSTING GUARD:
A self-adjusting guard is a fixed or movable guard which, either in whole or in part, adjusts
itself to accommodate the passage of material, etc.
TWO HANDS CONTROL:
Where guarding is impracticable, two-hand control offers a means of protecting the hands of
the machine operator.
PROTECTIVE APPLIANCES:
These are hand-held tools or hand-controlled fixed devices which are used to hold or
manipulate a work piece.
VOLTAGE:
To enable electricity to flow there needs to be a complete circuit between the two terminals
through which it can travel.
CURRENT:
The flow of electricity through the conductors is known as the current. Current flow
increases by using more voltage.
RESISTANCE:
Typical resistances used in everyday life include light bulbs, power tools, hi-fi systems.
OHMS LAW:
The simple electrical circuit which follows demonstrates how using Ohms Law the terms
described above are inter-related. V=IR
SHOCK:
Usually caused by coming into contact with live conductors.

FUSE:
A fuse forms a weak link in a circuit.
Fuses do not prevent shocks.
Fuses protect equipment.
EARTHING AND AUTOMATIC DISCONNECTION:
By earthing the exposed metal parts which should not normally carry a current, any fault
current is provided with a path to earth.
ISOLATION:
Isolation should establish an effective barrier between the equipment and the supply and
ensure that no unauthorised person is able to remove the barrier.
REDUCED LOW VOLTAGE SYSTEM:
For hand-held portable tools and the smaller transportable units, the 110 volt centre-tapped
(CTE) system is recommended.
RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICE:
They determine when a current flows to earth by comparing the currents flowing in the phase
(live) and neutral (return) conductors.
POLICY:
Policy: Describes the general intentions, approach and objectives of an organisation.
Organising: Describes the process of designing and establishing responsibilities and
relationships involving individuals in an organisation.
PLANNING:
Planning: Describes how the objectives and methods of implementing policy are decided allocating resources, setting standards, the control of risk.
MEASURING:
Measuring: Describes the collection of information about the implementation and
effectiveness of plans and standards.
REVIEWING:
Reviewing: Describes the activities involving judgments about performance and decisions
about improving performance. Reviewing is based on information received from measuring
and auditing activities.
AUDITING:
Auditing: Used to describe the process of collecting independent information on the
efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of the total (safety) management system
SAFETY CIRCLE:
Small groups of employees who meet informally to discuss health and safety problems in
their areas.
WORK AND OFFICE COMITTE:
Shop floor representatives, supervisors and managers who meet to discuss general health and
safety matters affecting the company.

ORGANIZATION CULTURE:
Shop floor representatives, supervisors and managers who meet to discuss general health and
safety matters affecting the company.
ATTITUDE:
A persons point of view, or their way of looking at something
MISTAKES OR ERRORS:
Doing the wrong thing, believing it to be right
INFLUENCE OF PEER GROUP:
A peer group is a group of individuals of a similar age or background with whom a person
mixes in a social context.
WORK PLACE GROUP:
The workplace is such a group and we behave in accordance with the collective, accepted
behaviour of the group.
COMMUNICATION:
Communication is defined as, imparting, conveying or exchanging information, ideas or
opinions by the use of speech, writing or graphics.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION:
Written - a postal service or a notice-board
ORAL OR VERBAL (SPOKEN) COMMUNICATION:
Oral or verbal (spoken) - a personal interview or telephone system
VISUAL COMMUNICATION:
Visual - a drawing, photograph or video
NOTICES, POSTERS, FILMS
Used to draw attention to hazards and risks or safe practices and measures. Need to be eye
catching and relevant.
TOOL BOX TALKS:
A development of safety briefings and deal with specific issues at the workplace.
EMPLOYEE HAND BOOKS:
Key document laying out company policy and certain procedures. Effective as part of
induction training.
INVESTIGATION:
The purpose of an investigation is primarily to find the cause, with the intention of preventing
a recurrence, rather than to blame.
REACTIVE MONITRING:
Reactive monitoring, which is used in the investigation of accidents, incidents or dangerous
occurrences- After

PROACTIVE MONITORING:
Pro-active monitoring, which involves checking that standards, practices, procedures
and systems are being complied with. Before
MAINTENANCE INSPECTION:
Inspection involve examining, testing and making repairs/adjustments to such items.
Often specified by the manufacturer or supplier.
SAFETY INSPECTION:
A formal inspection by a team of inspectors who go round an area or section of work to
check on standards; e.g. floor condition, HK, warning signs, fire equipment.
SAFETY SURVEY:
An in-depth examination of specific procedures such as the introduction of new
equipment, or investigating a rise in accident or incident rate.
AUDITY:
the structured process of collecting independent information on the efficiency, effectiveness
and reliability of the total health and safety management system and drawing up plans for
corrective action.
WORKING SAFELY:
Working safely is carrying out your job in such a way that you do not put yourself for others
at risk of injury, or threaten their health or well-being.
PLANT:
(Tools, equipment, protective devices)
PLACE:
(Environment, access, egress, storage)
COMPETENCE:
(Training, qualifications, supervision, provision of information)
SYSTEM:
(The safe conjunction of employee, workplace, equipment and work method)