Environmental Safety and Health Practice Flashcards

These vocabulary flashcards cover fire safety regulations, accident investigation theories, environmental pollution control, energy conservation principles, and waste management strategies for event management.

Temporary Change of Use

A permit from the SCDF required for events held in buildings not purpose-built for such activities, ensuring fire safety measures account for increased fire load.

Fire Triangle

A model illustrating the three elements required for ignition: heat, fuel, and an oxidizing agent (usually oxygen).

Starvation

The process of extinguishing a fire by depriving it of fuel or combustible materials.

Smothering

The process of extinguishing a fire by excluding oxygen from the surrounding atmosphere using sand, blanketing, or foam.

Cooling

The process of extinguishing a fire by removing heat energy to reduce the temperature below the combustion point.

Class A fires

Fires caused by combustible materials such as wood, plastics, fabrics, paper, and garbage.

Class F fires

Fires involving cooking oils and fats found in appliances like deep-fat fryers.

PASS

The four-step operating instruction for fire extinguishers: Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handles, and Sweep from side to side.

Heinrich’s Domino Theory

A theory stating that accidents result from a chain of sequential events, where removing the 'unsafe act and unsafe condition' domino prevents the injury.

Frank Bird's Model

An updated domino sequence showing that lack of control leads to basic causes and immediate causes, resulting in an incident and subsequent losses.

Fish Bone Analysis

Also known as the Ishikawa diagram, a visual tool used for root cause analysis based on five factors: Man, Method, Machine, Material, and Environment.

Corrective Action

Measures carried out after a nonconformity has occurred to prevent its recurrence.

Preventive Action

Measures planned with the goal of preventing a nonconformity from occurring in its entirety.

Environmental Control Officer (ECO (SP))

A registered professional appointed by a Premises Manager to oversee environmental sanitation standards at specified premises.

Trade Effluent

Liquid waste produced by business activities that must be treated to allowable limits before discharge into public sewers or watercourses.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

A document providing information on chemical hazards and instructions for safe handling, loading, and storage.

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) for Noise

The equivalent sound pressure level of $85\,\text{dBA}$ over an $8\,\text{hour}$ work day as governed by WSH Regulations.

Noise Induced Deafness (NID)

An incurable but preventable occupational disease caused by over-exposure to loud sounds that destroy hair-like cells in the inner ear.

Tinnitus

A 'ringing' sound in the ears which serves as an early warning sign of Noise Induced Deafness.

Green Design

Also known as sustainable design, a philosophy aiming to minimize negative environmental impacts through low-impact materials, energy efficiency, and durability.

Energy Conservation Audit

A feasibility study to identify energy use, detect conservation opportunities, and establish an energy management programme.

Acid Rain

Precipitation formed when sulfur dioxide reacts with water and oxygen in the atmosphere, potentially damaging ecosystems and buildings.

Waste Hierarchy

A ranking of waste management strategies from most preferred (Avoidance & Minimization) to least preferred (Disposal).

Incineration

A waste disposal method involving burning waste at high temperatures to reduce volume, often featuring energy recovery systems.

Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP)

A 10-step process for identifying responsibility, waste types, and management options to ensure efficient handling of waste on-site.