Know your safety terms

1. Lockout: When a machine is shut down for maintenance, repair, or other reasons, you don’t have to fear that it will accidentally turn on. This is because the machine is in lockout mode or is protected from sudden start-ups. So make sure a machine is in “lockout” when not in use to prevent untoward incidents

2. Manual handling: This is the many activities you do with your hands or your body. It includes cleaning, holding, lifting, moving loads, and packing. This also refers to pulling, pushing, sorting, throwing, and typing.

3. Safety Data Sheet (SDS): The SDS is a form that summarizes the properties of a hazardous chemical product and its possible health and safety hazards. It includes information on how to handle, use, and store the product properly. It also details physical data of the products such as the melting and boiling points, reactivity, health effects, and first aid. In general, suppliers of such products are required to provide SDS for all hazardous materials. This is important so that workers will be aware of the proper and safe use of the product.

4. Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs): Don’t confuse this with the term above. MSDs or Muskuloskeletal disorders are injuries often experienced by workers due to unsafe and sometimes improper manual handling tasks. The injuries affect the muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones, and joints. Workers with MSDs experience sprains and strains and even abdominal hernias and long-term pain.

5. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): The NIOSH is a federal agency in the United States of America‘s Department of Health and Human Services. The agency was established to assure safe and healthy working conditions. It does this by doing researches, tests, certifications, and trainings to occupational safety and health professionals. NIOSH also makes recommendations to prevent illnesses and injuries related to work.

6. National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) : NOHSC is a federal authority in Australia that develops and aids in implementing a national occupational health and safety policy. For those who want an easier term to remember, NOHSC is also known as Work safe Australia.

7. Near Miss :

Here’s a “miss” term you wouldn’t want to miss in an accident.

Yes, it’s a misfortune but the good thing is that it does not result to injury or disease.

8. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) : OSHA is the United States of America’s authority responsible in ensuring safe and healthy workplaces and continues to develop and implement regulations to achieve this.

9. Risk : I’m sure at one point in your working life, you took a risk while knowing that there is a chance something negative might happen. Risk is the likelihood or probability that an accident, damage, illness, injury, or loss will occur.

10. Personal Monitoring : From the term itself, this technique is used to monitor one’s exposure to hazardous agents and chemicals by wearing a sampling device. Hazardous chemicals are monitored at the breathing zone while noise is examined at the ears.

11. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) : Unlike Personal Monitoring, PPE is a device that provides protection to a worker. It is personal safety equipment that includes ear plugs, hard hats, safety goggles, respirators, gloves, and safety shoes.

12. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) :

WHMIS is system that ensures that information on hazardous materials is disseminated. This is done by requiring labels, MSDSs, and training programs for workers.

Now that you know that elimination of the risk is an effective occupational safety measure and that wearing PPE will minimize risk and prevent occupational disease, it is time you assess the occupational safety and health program of your workplace.