Environmental Hazard
Any substance or physical agent with the potential to threaten the surrounding natural environments or the potential to adversely affect people’s health is known as an environmental hazard. The three different types of environmental hazards include: Chemical: Probably the most common kind of environmental hazards, chemical hazards are substances that can cause significant damage to…
CSS Editorial Staff | August 6, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
Top 10 OSHA Violations in 2018
Most common OSHA violations in 2018 This illustrated list covers the most frequently cited OSHA standards compiled from the thousands of inspections in 2018. Although the top ten safety violations regularly remained unchanged, you may be surprised to find the addition of eye and face protection. Read to stay up to date with OSHA’s most…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 31, 2019 | CSS.com – Infographics | < 1 min read
Permissible Exposure Limit
Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) is a limit for occupational exposure to hazardous environments that include physical agents, loud noises, or chemical substances. These limits are established by OSHA and are typically given as a time weighted average (TWA) such as 8 or 10 hours. They may also be expressed as a workplace environmental exposure limit…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 31, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
IIAR
IIAR, the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration, is the world’s leading advocate for the safe, reliable, and efficient use of ammonia and other natural refrigerants. The IIAR organization’s mission statement is to “provide advocacy, education, and standards for the benefit of the global community in the safe and sustainable design, installation and operation of ammonia and…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 24, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
Drone Safety
Text From Infographic Drone Safety Though they once seemed like the products of a distant future, drones are now used for all sorts of purposes, from photography to outdoor recreation. Since drone technology comes with the potential for catastrophic injury and costly property damage, it is important to obey safety practices that reduce the risk…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 8, 2019 | CSS.com – Infographics | 2 min read
Occupational Heat Stress
Workers are at risk for occupational heat stress and related illnesses when exposed to extreme heat or when working in hot environments. If the human body cannot get rid of excess heat, it will store that heat and the core body temperature will begin to rise. Heat stress can result heat stroke, heat rashes, heat exhaustion, or…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 2, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
Acute Toxicity
In OSHA’s Guidance for Hazard Determination for Compliance, acute toxicity is defined as “the toxic effects resulting from a single dose or short exposure to a substance.” Adverse effects caused by acute toxicity can happen if a chemical is ingested, absorbed through the skin, or inhaled, specifically in small doses or for short amount of time…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 2, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
Health Hazard
Health hazards are chemicals or substances that present a danger to human health. Workers exposed to health hazards are at risk for illness, whereas physical hazards cause bodily damage. The Globally Harmonized System both classifies and categorizes hazard; the three hazard classes are health hazards, physical hazards, and environmental hazards. The four sub-classes of health hazards are corrosive,…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 2, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | < 1 min read
Flame-Resistant Clothing
Flame-resistant (FR) clothing is a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) designed to self-extinguish upon ignition. Though FR clothing can still catch fire, these garments will not continue to burn and effectively reduce the risk and severity of burns. Flame-resistant clothing is not synonymous with flame-retardant clothing. Both kinds of garments will self-extinguish, and both…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 1, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste is any type of waste (gas, liquid, sludge, or solid) that exhibits at least one hazardous trait: ignitability, reactivity, corrosivity, or toxicity. Hazardous waste is generated in a number of industries; motor oils are a hazardous waste of automotive shops, manufacturing facilities commonly deal with wastes from batteries, farms have to be conscious…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 1, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
Administrative Controls
Administrative controls (also called work practice controls) are used in the workplace to reduce or limit the exposure to a specific hazard. This kind of hazard control works by changing how work is done when elimination, substitution, or the use of engineering controls is not feasible. In the Hierarchy of Controls, administrative efforts rank fourth for…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 1, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
Pinch Points
Pinch points, also called nip points, are points on a machine where a person or a part of their body can get caught in between moving parts. Gears, rollers, belt drives, and pulleys are all examples of typical pinch points in the workplace. OSHA standard 1910.211 provides guidance on what constitutes a nip point: “Pinch point” means…
CSS Editorial Staff | July 1, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Slips, trips, and falls, or “falls to the same level,” are much more frequent than falls from an elevation and cause one in six of all lost-time work injuries. Falls from the same level are caused either by a slip or a trip: Slips occur when there is too little traction or friction between the footwear and the…
CSS Editorial Staff | June 24, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
Uptime
Uptime, sometimes referred to as run time, is a key performance indicator (KPI) used to evaluate Lean manufacturing processes and prevent downtime. This metric takes into account all possible stoppages, both scheduled and unscheduled, for a more complete representation of the amount of time a production line is up and running. Manufacturers who keep track of uptime…
CSS Editorial Staff | June 24, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
Forklift Certification
OSHA requires forklift operators to be certified to use a forklift and authorized from the employer to operate the forklift. Forklifts, or powered industrial trucks, are a staple of many workplaces, but can also be the most dangerous hazards in the workplace. They are vehicles that weigh thousands of pounds that are often traveling in the…
CSS Editorial Staff | June 20, 2019 | CSS.com - Glossary | 2 min read
