Chemical Safety, Hazards, and Safety Measures

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing core definitions, hazard classifications, GHS labeling elements, NFPA diamond, and safety measures from the Chemistry for Engineers lecture notes.

Hazard

Any source of potential harm, damage, or adverse effect on someone or something.

Risk

The probability that a person or a thing is harmed or damaged when exposed to a hazard.

Physical Hazards

Factors within the environment that may cause harm on the body even without touching it, which are generally discernible and perceptible.

Chemical Hazards

Chemical substances that may cause harm upon exposure to them, including gases, fumes, and liquids.

Ergonomic Hazards

Physical factors in the environment that may cause problems on the musculoskeletal system.

Safety Hazards

Working conditions that can cause injury, illness, or death, such as slippery floors or unguarded moving equipment parts.

Psychological Hazards

Aspects of the working environment that may affect the mental health of individuals, such as workload, stress, and discrimination.

Biological Hazards

Biological substances that may threaten the health of living organisms exposed to them.

Hazardous Substance (OSHA)

Any chemical that presents a physical hazard or health hazard, as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Physical Hazard (OSHA HCS)

A chemical that is a combustible liquid, compressed gas, explosive, flammable, organic peroxide, oxidizer, pyrophoric, unstable (reactive), or water-reactive.

Health Hazard

A chemical that may cause acute or chronic health effects to exposed personnel, classified as either a systemic effect or a target organ effect.

Republic Act 6969

The Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990, which defines a substance as hazardous if it presents a short-term acute hazard or long-term chronic toxicity.

Acute Hazards

Hazards that have an obvious and immediate impact upon exposure.

Chronic Hazards

Hazards that have a more hidden, cumulative, and long-term impact.

Globally Harmonized System (GHS)

An internationally agreed-upon system created by the United Nations to unify hazard communication on products and replace country-specific regulations.

GHS Label

A chemical container label containing signal words, pictograms, supplier information, precautionary measures, hazard statements, and product identifiers.

NFPA Diamond

A hazard identification system created by the National Fire Protection Association displaying Health (Blue), Fire (Red), Instability (Yellow), and Specific (White) hazards.

Flash Point

The minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off vapor within a test vessel in sufficient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with the air near the surface of the liquid.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

A document providing comprehensive safety information on a chemical substance, standardized into 16 required sections.

Hierarchy of Hazard Control

A system prioritizing control measures from most to least effective: Elimination, Substitution, Engineering Controls, Administrative Controls, and PPE.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Garments and devices that serve as a protective barrier between the user and the exposed hazard.