TERM Character 40 0
NOTES Memo 10 0
DEFSUMM Character 69 0

TERM NOTES DEFSUMM
IRRITANT A respiratory irritant affects your nose and upper lung passages causing sneezing and coughing, and in some cases bronchitis. It may also damage your lungs. A skin irritant commonly causes dermatitis by direct damage to your skin. Some chemicals, when concentrated can cause chemical burns. Your eyes are extremely sensitive to irritants. A substance causing irritation to breathing system, skin or eyes
SENSITISER/SENSITISING AGENT Once you are 'sensitised' to a substance any further exposure, even very small, may bring on an allergic reaction. * A respiratory sensitiser may bring on an attack of coughing and wheezing. * A skin sensitiser may cause itching, dermatitis and discomfort. In some cases the allergic reaction may involve a serious fainting attack. A substance to which the body becomes allergic
ALLERGEN   See sensitiser/sensitising agent
CARCINOGEN   A substance which causes cancer
INHALATION This is usually the main route of entry into the body of hazardous substances. Breathing in substances
INGESTION   Substances getting into the body through the mouth
MICRO-ORGANISM   A minute living creature causing disease (virus, bacteria etc)
TERATOGEN A substance which can cause defects in the child of a person exposed to it. A substance which causes birth defects
MAXIMUM EXPOSURE LIMIT (MEL) Maximum concentration of an airborne substance to which a worker may be exposed. This concentration is averaged over a certain period. It should not be exceeded and it should be reduced below it. The legal maximum concentration for exposure to an airborne substance
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE STANDARD (OES) Concentration of an airborne substance at which there is no evidence of harmful effects. This limit is averaged over a reference period. It is a less strict official limit than on MEL. Exposure should be reduced to that standard. The legal limit at which exposure to an airborne substance is safe
DERMATITIS The skin becomes reddened, itchy, blistered, thickened, hardened, or flaky. Dermatitis may be caused by tens of thousands of chemicals and apparently harmless substances, including mineral ois, resins, cement, sugar, penicillin. It is often called eczema. A rash caused by exposure of skin to chemicals, friction, heat etc
GRAIN DUST   Dust arising from barley, oats, rye, wheat or maize
PRESCRIBED INDUSTRIAL DISEASE A worker with a prescribed disease may be eligible for DSS compensation. See DSS leaflet NI 2 "If you have an industrial disease". A disease recognised by the DSS to be associated with certain jobs
REPORTABLE OR NOTIFIABLE DISEASE   A disease your employer must report to the appropriate inspectorate
BEAT CONDITIONS   Beat hand, beat elbow and beat knee. See Bursitis
REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY Injury to the body is caused by work which involves over-use from: * Repeated movements of the hands, limbs etc. * Application of repeated pressure. * Maintenance of a rigid posture (static work) Damage involves the muscles, tendons, nerves, joints and other soft tissues, typically in the neck, back, shoulders, arms elbows, wrists, hands and fingers. Any part of the body may be affected. A range of injuries due to repetitive or difficult movements
WORK RELATED UPPER LIMB DISORDERS Injury to the body is caused by work which involves over-use from: * Repeated movements of the hands, limbs etc. * Application of repeated pressure. * Maintenance of a rigid posture (static work). Damage involves the muscles, tendons, nerves, joints and other soft tissues in the upper body, especially the hands, wrists and forearms. A range of upper body injuries due to repetitive/difficult movements
BURSITIS The soft tissue pad, which lies between the skin and bone or bone and tendon, is known as a bursa. Bursitis of the knee, elbow and shoulder is also known as "beat knee", "beat elbow" and "beat shoulder" respectively. Inflammation of the soft tissue pad at the elbow, shoulder or knee
CREPITUS   "Crackling" feeling when tendons or swelling are pressed tightly
GANGLION   Cyst-like swelling near a tendon sheath or joint
TINNITUS Tinnitus is especially worse at night when it can prevent sleep. It may also be desbribed as a hissing or bussing noise. A disturbing "ringing in the ear", often present all the time
LOUDNESS RECRUITMENT A person with noise-damaged hearing has to ask people to speak up - then when they do, has to tell them not to shout because their voice becomes unbearably loud with only a slight increase in volume. Loudness recruitment makes noises get louder suddenly. It can be painful. When small changes in the intensity of a sound feel like big changes
OCCUPATIONAL DEAFNESS The hearing loss is permanent. 50dB is the average of hearing losses at 1, 2 and 3kHz frequencies. Deafness from damage to hearing cells after exposure to noise at work
OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA   Asthma due to exposure to a sensitising substance encountered at work
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT   Protective clothing, footwear, breathing equipment etc
DECIBELS (dB) The abbreviation for decibels is dB. Unit of measurement for the intensity or loudness of noise
FREQUENCY   Character or quality of sound measured in cycles per second or Hertz
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM   The breathing system - the nose, the lung passages and the lungs
WORKSTATION   Display screen and accessories, worksurface and seating
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE A huge range of substances may be hazardous to health. A substance which may cause damage to health
DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT   A screen which displays letters and numbers or graphics
WELDING Welding has become an increasingly complex process, with over 200 types existing. The main types being electrical, gas, laser and stud welding. Union of two pieces of material by heating and/or pressing together
INORGANIC COMPOUND   A substance that does not contain carbon
ORGANIC CHEMICAL   A substance that contains carbon
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE   Any illness affecting the heart and the blood vessels
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM   The brain and the spinal cord
PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM   The nerves as they run from the spinal cord to the rest of the body
ZOONOSIS   Disease transmitted by animals
ORGANIC SOLVENTS The main families, with examples, are: * Alcohols: methanol, ethanol, propanol and "glycols". * Alipahtic hydrocarbons: n-hexane, octane, nonane. * Aromatic hydrocarbons: benzene, toluene, xylene and styrene. * Glycol ethers: methoxyethanol, ethoxyethanol. * Ketones and aldehydes: acetone, MEK, MBK, formaldehyde. * Chlorinated hydrocarbons: methylene chloride, carbon tetrachloride, chloromethane, trichloroethane, trichloroethane. Liquids commonly used in paints, paint strippers, lacquers etc
SENSITISATION   Development of an allergy
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE LIMITS   The legal limits of exposure to toxic substances. See MEL and OES