IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGIES IN SAFETY

Here are some important terminologies to remember which we come across in

industrial safety.

· ASPHYXIATION: - Asphyxiation occurs when body tissues do not receive

enough oxygen. The blood oxygen level should be sufficient for normal tissue

respiration.

· ASPHYXIA: - Suffocation from lack of Oxygen.

· AUTOIGNITION TEMPERATURE: - The lowest temperature at a flammable gas

liquid or vapor-air mixture will ignite on its own or contact with the hot surface without spark or flame.

· CHEMICAL BURNS:- Burns caused by chemicals.

· COLD BURNS; Burns caused by liquefied gases which are below zero degrees C.

· COMBUSTIBLE: - Able to catch fire and burn.

· COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS:- Liquids with a flash point above 37.8 C and below

93.3 C

· FLAMMABLE: - Any substance that is easily ignited, burns intensely or has a

the rapid rate of flame spread.

· FLAMMABLE LIQUID:- Liquid having flash point below 37.8 C

· FLASHPOINT:- The lowest temperature at which a fluid gives off enough vapor

to form a mixture of air and produce the flame when a source of ignition is

present.

· EXPLOSIVE LIMIT:- The lower and upper limit of flammability of a gas or vapor

at ambient temperatures in percent of the gas or vapor in air by volume.

· FLASH BLINDNESS:- Temporary visual disturbance resulting from viewing an

intense light source.

· SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTIBLE:- A material that ignites as a result of

retained heat from processing, or which will oxidize to generate heat and

ignite, or which absorbs moisture to generate heat and ignite.

· OXYGEN DEFICIENCY: - An atmosphere having less than the percentage of

oxygen found in normal air.

· PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE LIMIT(PEL):- The permissible concentration of air

contaminants to which a worker can be exposed eight hours a day, forty hours

a week, over a working lifetime (30 yrs.) without adverse health effects.

· SHORT TERM EXPOSURE LIMIT(STEL):- The airborne concentration of a

material to which anyone can be exposed for a continuous 15 minute

exposure period without adverse effects.(maximum four such exposures with

at least 60 minutes between exposure periods are safe). Eg. Alarm set points of

Chlorine and Ammonia.

PPM:- Parts per million by volume of vapor or gas or other contaminants.

RESPIRATOR:- A device to protect the wearer from inhalation of harmful

contaminants.

PINCH POINT:- Any point at which it is possible to be caught between the

moving parts, stationary parts or material being processed.

SCBA:- Self Contained Breathing Apparatus ( Supply or means of respirable air,

oxygen or oxygen generating equipment.)

SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTIBLE:- A material that ignites as a result of

retained heat from processing, or which will oxidize to generate heat and

ignite, or which absorbs moisture to generate heat and ignite.

Threshold Limit Value (TLV) LEL / HEL Lower Explosive limit/ higher explosive limit