Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Emergency response —The response made by firefighters, police, healthcare personnel, and
other emergency service workers upon notification of a fire, chemical spill, explosion, or
other incident in which human life or property may be in jeopardy.
Emergency response plan —See contingency plan.
Energize —The conductors of an electrical circuit; having voltage applied to such conduc-
tors and to surfaces that a person might touch; having voltage between such surfaces and
other surfaces that might complete a circuit and allow current to flow.
Energy —The capacity for doing work. Potential energy (PE) is energy deriving from posi-
tion; thus, a stretched spring has elastic PE, and an object raised to a height above the
surface of the Earth or the water in an elevated reservoir has gravitational PE. A lump
of coal and a tank of oil, together with the oxygen required for their combustion, have
chemical energy. Other sorts of energy include electrical and nuclear energy, light, and
sound. Moving bodies possess kinetic energy (KE). Energy can be converted from one
form to another, but the total quantity stays the same (in accordance with the conserva-
tion of energy principle). For example, as an orange falls, it loses gravitational PE, but
gains KE.
Engineering —The application of scientific principles to the design and construction of
structures, machines, apparatus, manufacturing processes, and power generation and
utilization, for the purpose of satisfying human needs. Safety engineering is concerned
with control of environment and humankind's interface with it, especially safety interac-
tion with machines, hazardous materials, and radiation.
Engineering controls —Methods of controlling employee exposures by modifying the source
or reducing the quantity of contaminants released into the workplace environment.
Epidemiological theory —This theory holds that the models used for studying and deter-
mining epidemiological relationships can also be used to study causal relationships
between environmental factors and accidents or diseases.
Ergonomics —A multidisciplinary activity dealing with interactions between man and
his total working environment, plus stresses related to such environmental elements as
atmosphere, heat, light, and sound, as well as all tools and equipment of the workplace.
Etiology —The study or knowledge of the causes of disease.
Exposure —Contact with a chemical, biological, or physical hazard.
Exposure ceiling —The concentration level of a given substance that should not be exceeded
at any point during an exposure period.
Fall arresting system —A system consisting of a body harness, a lanyard or lifeline, and an
arresting mechanism with built-in shock absorber, designed for use by workers perform-
ing tasks in locations from which falls would be injurious or fatal, or where other kinds
of protection are not practical.
Fire —A chemical reaction between oxygen and a combustible fuel.
Flammable liquid —Any liquid having a flash point below 37.8°C (100°F).
Flammable solid —A non-explosive solid liable to cause fire through friction, absorption of
moisture, spontaneous chemical change, or heat retained from a manufacturing process,
or that can be ignited readily and when ignited, burns so vigorously and persistently as
to create a serious hazard.
Flash point —The lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapor to form
ignitable moisture with air, and produce a flame when a source of ignition is present. Two
tests are used: open cup and closed cup.
Foot-candle —The illumination at a point on a surface 1 foot from and perpendicular to a
uniform point source of 1 candle.
Fume —Airborne particulate matter formed by the evaporation of solid materials (e.g.,
metal fume emitted during welding); usually less that 1 micron in diameter.
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