17 March 2013

OSH MANAGEMENT - OSH Key Definitions




















OSH KEY DEFINITIONS

By Faudzil Harun


Safety
The state of being safe and the condition of being protected from hazard, danger or risk and not likely to be harmed or lost. Safety can also be defined to be the control of recognized hazards to achieve an acceptable level of risk.

Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.                         

Occupational Safety and Health Management     

cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and
welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goals of occupational
safety and health programs include to foster a safe and healthy work
environment. 

OSH may also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, and 
many others who might be affected by the workplace environment. It involves
organizing efforts and procedures for identifying workplace hazards, reducing
accidents and exposure to harmful situations and substances.

Hazard

A hazard is a source or situation in the workplace that has the potential to harm the health 
and safety of people or to damage plant and equipment. The situation could involve a task, chemical or equipment used. Hazard management is a continuous process that can be used
to improve the health and safety of all workplaces.

Danger
The possibility of suffering harm or injury. Dangerous situation upon contact with hazard that is likely to cause harm or injury.

Risk
The chance or probability of harm actually being done or the probability that something undesirable will happen from exposure to hazard. Risk is governed by :

  Likelihood – is the likelihood that an injury will result from the hazard
                       occurring and affecting someone. Exposure is a component of
                       likelihood and is a measure of the level of contact that
                       people have with the hazard.

  ● Consequence – is the potential degree of harm or injury.

Accident
An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in injury or illness or damage.

Near Miss Accident
An unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage, but has the potential to 
do so.

Dangerous Occurrence
An occurrence, which arises out of or in connection with work as, listed in Table 6 of NADAPOD Regulations, 2004 and any occurrence in any of the classes listed in the First Schedule of Factories and Machinery Act, 1967.

Fatal Injury
An injury leading to immediate death or death within one year from the date of the accident.

Occupational injury
Any injury such as a cut, fracture, sprain, amputation, etc., resulting from a work accident or from a single instantaneous exposure in the work environment. Conditions resulting from animal bites, including insect or snake bite, and from one-time exposure to chemicals while working are considered to be injuries.

Occupational Poisoning or Disease
A poisoning or a disease arising out of or in connection with work and is of a class specifies in Schedule 3 of NADOPOD Regulations, 2004. It includes acute and chronic poisoning or disease which may be caused by inhalation, absorption, ingestion, or direct contact.

Unsafe Act
A violation of an accepted safe procedure which could permit to the occurrence of an accident.

Unsafe Condition
A hazardous physical condition or circumstances that could directly permit to the occurrence 
of an accident. It could be the result of an unsafe act by someone.

Practicable
Means practicable having regard to :
(a) the severity of the hazard or risk in question;
(b) the state of knowledge about the hazard or risk and any way of removing
     or mitigating 
the hazard or risk;
(c) the availability and suitability of ways to remove or mitigate the hazard or
     risk; and
(d) the cost of removing or mitigating the hazard or risk;

Occupational Health Doctors
Medical practitioners who take up occupational health courses that are recognized and registered with the department. They carry out the health or medical surveillance, particularly for workers exposed to chemicals hazardous to health, as enshrined in the Use and Standards of Chemicals and Hazardous to Health Regulations 2000 (USECHH 2000). Occupational Health Division also plays a role in the new registration and renewal of certificates of registration every three years according to the certificate expiry date for the Occupational Health Doctors.