E-Books: Dictionary of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health

Lewis Dictionary of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health by Jeffrey W. Vincoli. Occupational and environmental safety and health disciplines are, indeed, separate functions. However, changes in the way corporate America does the business have forced a continued divergence of the two professions. This development has created a drastic need for new, quick-reference sources of knowledge and information. The more complete and comprehensive the source, the more beneficial it will be to the user. This Lewis Dictionary of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health is an attempt to fill this need and provide the professional with the single-source of reference for defining the thousands of words, terms, and phrases they are faced with literally every working day. The occupational and environmental safety and health professions have been on merging paths for several years now. Corporate “down-sizing” or “right-sizing” has resulted in a more streamlined approach to these once very diverse and quite separate disciplines. Although they both may now be practiced in tandem,
often by the same individuals, each has evolved and developed as a separate area of study. As such, there are literally thousands of words, terms, and phrases that have specific meanings within their respective disciplines that may not always be clear and simple.
The practicing professional who has responsibilities in both occupational and environmental safety and
health must be familiar with the “language of the profession” to successfully maneuver through the maze
of compliance, regulatory, management, administrative, legal, technical, scientific, and even industry-specific slang terminology that is encountered every working day.

Table of Contents

The Lewis Dictionary of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health is the most comprehensive reference source of its kind available to today’s diversified professional. Words, terms, and phrases from the following specific areas have been included in this publication. In total, there are approximately 25,000 definitions from the various listed areas of study.

Occupational and environmental safety and health disciplines are, indeed, separate functions. However, changes in the way corporate America does the business have forced a continued divergence of the two professions.
Those stuck in the middle, the practicing safety and environmental professionals, are forced to

contend with an increasing number of responsibilities in areas where they may only possess cursory knowledge. This development has created a drastic need for new, quick-reference sources of knowledge and information. The more complete and comprehensive the source, the more beneficial it will be to the user.
This Lewis Dictionary of Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health is an attempt to fill this need
and provide the professional with the single-source of reference for defining the thousands of words, terms, and phrases they are faced with literally every working day.

A
A1 carcinogen
A confirmed human carcinogen as classified by the ACGIH TLV Committee. Substances associated with industrial processes recognized to have carcinogenic potential.
A2 carcinogen
A suspected human carcinogen as classified by the ACGIH TLV Committee. Chemical substances, or substances associated with industrial processes, which are suspect of inducing cancer, based on either limited epidemiological evidence or demonstration of carcinogenesis on one or more animal species by appropriate methods.
“A” basis allowables
The minimum mechanical strength values guaranteed by the material producers or suppliers such that at least 99 percent of the material they produce or supply will meet or exceed the specified values with a 9 percent confidence level.
AAEE
American Academy of Environmental Engineers.
AAI
See arrival aircraft interval.
AAIH
See American Academy of Industrial Hygiene.
AALACS
See ambient aquatic life advisory concentrations.
AAOHN
See American Association of Occupational Health Nurses.
AAOO
American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology.
AAP
See the acoustical assurance period.
AAQS
Ambient air quality standards.
AAR
See the airport acceptance rate.

B
B-10 life
The rated life defining the number of revolutions
that 90 percent of a group of identical
bearings will complete before the first evidence
of failure develops.
“B” basis allowables
The mechanical strength values specified by
material producers and/or suppliers such that
at least 90 percent of the materials they produce
or supply will meet or exceed the specified
values with a 95 percent confidence level.
B display
A sound display in which the data are presented
on a rectangular coordinate system
with range and azimuth comprising the axes.
Also referred to as range-bearing display.
B-horizon
The intermediate soil layer, usually having a
high clay content, where minerals and other
particles washed down from the A-horizon
accumulate.
B scale
A sound weighing system which approximates
the response characteristics of the human
ear in the 40- to 70-phon equal loudness
contour range.
B shift
See the second shift.
B-weighted sound pressure level
That sound pressure level measured using the B scale. Represented as dB(B). See also A-weighted sound pressure level.
Babes-Ernst granules
Metachromatic granules present in many bacterial cells.
Babinski reflex A reflex action of the toes, indicative of abnormalities in the motor control pathways leading from the cerebral cortex and widely used as a diagnostic aid in disorders of the central nervous system. It is elicited by a firm stimulus (usually scraping) on the sole of the foot, which results in dorsiflexion of the great toe and fanning of the smaller toes. Normally such a stimulus causes all the toes to bend downward. Also called Babinski’s sign.