TOG 1102 Occupational Health and Safety Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the definitions, professional disciplines, workplace elements, and anatomical impacts of Occupational Health and Safety based on the TOG 1102 course notes.

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)

A diverse science aiming for the adaptation of the working environment to workers and the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental, and social well-being in all occupations.

WHO 1995 Definition of OHS

A multidisciplinary activity aimed at protecting and promoting worker health, enhancing well-being and working capacity, and developing sustainable work environments.

Active Safety Committees

Functional groups within the OHS discipline responsible for safety oversight in the workplace.

Hazard Monitoring and Control

The practice of identifying and mitigating health risks within factories or industrial settings.

Epidemiology

The interdisciplinary field concerned with the statistical study of disease patterns in groups of individuals.

Environmental Health Professionals

Individuals who assess and mitigate environmental health hazards to reduce human exposure and impacts.

Industrial Hygienists

Scientists, engineers, and public health professionals who focus on protecting workplace and community health by identifying and managing environmental risks.

Toxicology

The science of studying poisons and their effects on living organisms, specifically how chemicals cause harm at certain concentrations.

Toxicologists

Persons who determine exposure levels that cause harm and recommend safety measures to prevent excessive exposure.

Ergonomics

The study of optimizing the interaction between people and their work environment, including factors like heat, light, sound, and tools.

Employee

A person employed for wages under a contract of service in connection with the work of an industry, including those directly or indirectly employed.

The Process

An element of the work environment where the physical state (solid, liquid, or gas) and particle size of materials used can determine harmful effects on workers.

Occupational/Work Environment

The sum of external conditions and influences which prevail at the place of work and have a bearing on the health and safety of the working population.

Physical Agents

Elements in the working environment such as excessive noise, heat, humidity, dust, vibration, electricity, or radiation.

Chemical Agents

Hazards arising from excessive airborne concentrations of chemical dust, mists, fumes, liquids, vapors, or gases.

Biological Agents

Hazards including the presence of insects, rodents, microorganisms, and poisonous plants or animals.

Ergonomic Hazards

Risks resulting from improperly designed tools, work areas, or procedures, such as improper lifting or repeated motions in awkward positions.

Psychosocial Factors

Human relationships and workplace dynamics including job satisfaction, leadership style, motivation, and work stability.

Epidermis

The skin; the body's largest organ consisting of multiple epithelial layers that protect underlying structures and act as a barrier against pathogens.

Musculo-skeletal System

The system providing form, stability, and movement, which also stores calcium and phosphorus and plays a key role in blood production.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The system that can be damaged by fat-soluble industrial toxins like chloroform or toluene which cross the blood-brain barrier.

Endocrine System

The system regulating hormones affecting metabolism and growth; it can be disrupted by exposure to substances like diethylstilbestrol or ionizing radiation.

Circulatory System

Composed of the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems, it moves nutrients and gases; it can be impacted by agents like $CO$ or chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Hemoglobin Inhibition

A condition caused by inorganic lead, resulting in anemia characterized by fatigue and pale skin.

Hypoxia

A state of oxygen deficiency in the blood caused by inert gases displacing oxygen, leading to impaired judgment or death.

Pneumoconiosis

A chronic respiratory condition resulting from long-term exposure to harmful substances like asbestos or coal dust.