STC SA 1 Flashcards
Two types of law?
a) Criminal liability (public law);
b) Civil liability (private law).
Define Criminal liability (public Liability)?
Criminal liability falls within the ambit of the public law.
Define Civil liability (private liability)?
Civil liability falls within the ambit of the private law. Civil liability arises between two or more subjects, where they litigate against each other
Define Vicarious Liability?
Vicarious liability is where a company, for example, is held legally liable for the conduct of its employees or agents.
What does Section 9 OHSA determine?
That an employer has a duty towards persons other than employees, who may be directly affected by the employer’s activities are not exposed to
hazards to their health and safety
In accordance with Section 14 OHSA what are the duties of employees?
Employees must, at work:
- Be aware of and understand all the hazards and risks associated with their job and
work area;
- Co-operate and carry out all instructions given to prevent any incidents related to
health and safety;
-Follow safe work procedures as identified and implemented by the employer, for
any hazardous tasks;
-Report any high-risk conditions to the SHE Representative as soon as possible
- The SHE Representative in turn should report these to the employer;
- Report any incident (an injury or anything which may affect health), to the SHE
Representative as soon as possible, or before the end of the shift;
- Assist the employer to establish and maintain a healthy and safe working
environment.
- Every employee has the responsibility and duty to take “reasonable care” of his or her
own safety and health as well as the safety and health of any other person who may be
affected by his or her acts or omissions.
Define Mandatary?
Includes an agent, a contractor or a subcontractor for work, but without derogating from his
status in his own right as an employer or a user.
Define User?
In relation to plant or machinery, means the person who uses plant or machinery for his own
benefit or who has the right of control over the use of plant or machinery, but does not
include a lessor of, or any person employed in connection with, that plant or machinery.
Define Employee?
Any person who is employed by or works for an employer and who receives or is entitled to
receive any remuneration or who works under the direction or supervision of an employer or
any other person.
Define Employer?
Any person who employs or provides work for any person and remunerates that person or expressly or tacitly undertakes to remunerate him, but excludes a labour broker as defined in section 1(1) of the Labour Relations Act, 1956 (Act No. 28 of 1956).
Define Prohibition notice?
In the case of threatening danger, an inspector may prohibit a particular action, process, or
the use of a machine or equipment, by means of a prohibition notice. No person may
disregard the contents of such a notice and compliance must take place with immediate
effect.
Define Contravention Notice?
If a provision of a regulation is contravened, the inspector may serve a contravention notice
on the workers or the employer. A contravention of the Act can result in immediate
prosecution, but in the case of a contravention of a regulation, the employer may be given
the opportunity to correct the contravention within a time limit specified in the notice which is
usually 60 days.
Define Improvement notice?
Where the health and safety measures which the employer has instituted do not satisfactorily
protect the health and safety of the workers, the inspector may require the employer to bring
about more effective measures. An improvement notice, which prescribes the corrective
measures, is then served on the employer.
Define the Environment?
The surroundings within which humans exist and that are made up of:
- Land, water and atmosphere of the earth;
- Micro-organisms, plant & animal life;
- Any part of the above and the interrelation between them;
- Physical, chemical and aesthetic and cultural properties and conditions of the
above that influence human health and well-being.
Explain the The triple bottom line principal in environmental law?
The concept behind the triple bottom line is that companies should focus as much on social and environmental issues as they do on profits.
The TBL consists of three elements: profit, people, and the planet.
The triple bottom line aims to measure the financial, social, and environmental performance of a company over time.
- Economic aspect involves financial as well as non-financial aspects relevant to a company’s business;
- Environmental aspects include the effect on the environment of the product or services produced by the company; and
- Social aspects embrace values, ethics and reciprocal relationships with stakeholders other than shareholders.
Explain the The triple bottom line principal in enviromental law?
- Economic aspect involves financial as well as non-financial aspects relevant to a
company’s business; - Environmental aspects include the effect on the environment of the product or
services produced by the company; and - Social aspects embrace values, ethics and reciprocal relationships with stakeholders
other than shareholders.
Explain the Precautionary principle?
This principle refers to the idea that the lack of certainty should not be used as an excuse to postpone action when there is a threat of serious or irreversible damage and/or harm. Parties
have to take precautionary measures to anticipate, prevent or minimize the causes of such damage or harm and mitigate its adverse effects. It is an obligation of due diligence and
requires abstinence from conduct that carries significant risk or harm.
What is the best practicable environmental option?
The option that provides the most benefit, or causes the least damage, to the environment as a whole, at a cost acceptable to society, in the long term as well as in the short term. This
reminds of the OHSA’s “reasonable practicable” principle. The irony is that, apart from the definitions, the term is used only once in the act, and that is in the principles (section 2). This
section will be utilised by anyone — including the courts — when the Act is applied, so the definition is not futile.
Explain what is meant by the “Cradle to grave” responsibility?
Responsibility for the environmental and health and safety consequences of a policy, programme, project, product, process, service or activity exists throughout its life cycle. It starts with conceptualisation and planning and runs through all stages of implementation to reuse, recycling and ultimate disposal of products and waste or decommissioning of installations.
Explain Polluter pays principle?
Polluter pays principle is defined in Section 28 under Duty of care and remediation of environmental damage. On occasion where the polluter does not pay for or implement the remediation process once significant pollution has taken place the Director General of that Province can implement a remediation process as he sees as appropriate and the costs of the clean-up will be charged to the account of the polluter
What is the purpose of NEMA?
- Promote co-operative governance; and
- Establish systems, procedures and policies for a coordinated national environmental management.
What does Ergonomics seek?
To fit the job to the worker
Define ionising radiation?
Nuclear radiation occurs when unstable atoms decay. It is often called “ionising radiation” because it has enough energy to knock electrons off atoms, turning them into ions. lonisation disrupts the functioning of the cells that make up our bodies.
High levels of radiation kill cells, resulting in radiation burns, sickness and death
What are the three risk ratings?
- QUALITATIVE
- QUANTITATIVE
- SEMI-QUANTITATIVE
Define QUALITATIVE?
Judgement and a simple ranking system of low, medium and high. Useful for baseline risk assessments where the objective is simply to identify the “significant” risks.
Define QUANTITATIVE?
Involves the use of a mathematical equation that is an extension of high, medium, and low scenarios and describes risks as a frequency of death.
Define SEMI-QUANTITATIVE?
Involves the use of a matrix based on the rating of hazards and the rating of likelihood of exposure. Risks can be rated as low, moderate and high. It provides a useful means of ranking risks on a comparative scale and is more practical than the quantitative method. Example of matrix model is discussed in the risk management module
Define Absorption?
Passage through the skin.
Define Accident?
An unplanned event that causes harm to people or damage to property.
Define Accident?
Accident An unplanned event that causes harm to people or damage to property.
Define Accident?
An unplanned event that causes harm to people or damage to property.
Define Acoustic trauma?
Loss of hearing caused by a rupture of the eardrum.
Define Additive (health effects)?
Additive (health effects). The health effects of a mixture, equal to the sum of the effects of the components of the mixture. This is the case when two or more hazardous substances act upon the same organ system.
Define Adrenalin?
Adrenalin A hormone secreted by the adrenal glands affecting circulation and muscular action and causing excitement and stimulation. It is called into play in the stress response
Define ALARA?
As Low As Reasonably Achievable. Where it is assumed that there is a risk of health effects associated with doses below the recommended limits, these doses should be minimised. The doses should be kept as low as reasonably achievable, economic and social factors being taken into account.
Define Anthropometry?
The study and measure of the physical dimensions (size) of the
human body
Define Antibody?
A protein substance developed in response to and counteracting antigens such as bacteria, toxins and foreign blood cells.
Define Asphyxiant?
Any agent or substance that interferes with the supply of oxygen to the blood.
Define Back drafting?
When the air pressure inside a ventilated area is less than the
pressure outside that area, contaminants may be drawn back into the area through the ventilation system.
Define Biomechanics?
The study of the forces required to manually lift, lower, push, pull or carry objects or people, and the effects of these forces on the body.
Define Alveoli?
The tiny air sacs of the lungs which allow for rapid gaseous exchange (e.g., oxygen, carbon dioxide).
Define Alveoli The tiny air sacs of the lungs which allow for rapid gaseous exchange (e.g.,
oxygen, carbon dioxide).
Define Bronchi?
The large air tubes leading into the lungs from the trachea.
Define Bursa?
A very thin, fluid-filled sac that helps reduce friction where tendons rub against bones, ligaments and other tendons, or where bones come close to the surface of
the skin.
Define Bursitis?
An inflammation of a bursa.
Define Carcinogen?
A substance that causes cancer.
Define Carcinoma?
Cancer of lining tissues such as tissue that makes up the skin or line the intestine, kidneys, mouth, uterus, lungs and other organs.
Define Carpal tunnel?
A tunnel formed by the carpal bones of the hand and a tough fibrous band, through which nerves, tendons and blood vessels run to and from the hand.
Define CAS number?
The unique identification number assigned to specific chemicals by the Chemical Abstract Services Division of the American Chemical Society.
Define CEV (Ceiling Exposure Level)?
This is the maximum airborne concentration of a biological or chemical agent beyond which a worker should not be exposed at any time.
Define Chemical families?
Compounds sharing similarities of chemical structure.
Define Cilia?
Hair-like projections of the cells of the large airways that trap dust and bacteria and move them toward the mouth.
Define Circadian rhythm?
The rhythms of our physiological system that function in a pattern approximating a 24-hour period.
Define Contaminant?
A chemical that does not have a purpose in a compound or mixture.
Define Cochlea?
A small snail-shaped organ containing the hearing mechanism, located in the inner ear
Define Controlled products?
Controlled products Examples are compressed gases, flammable and combustible materials, oxidising materials, poisonous and infectious materials and dangerously reactive materials.
Define Cortisone?
A hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that, when converted to
cortisol, helps to mobilise body fuels. It is called into play in the stress response.
Define Cumulative trauma disorder (CTD)?
Muscleskeletal Injury:
- Cumulative Increasing in amount by one addition after another;
- Trauma Bodily injury from mechanical stress;
- Disorder Physical ailment or abnormal condition.
Define Decibel?
A unit for measuring sound intensity or loudness.
Define Decomposition products?
Material produced by the chemical or physical degradation of a parent material.
Define Density?
Density Ratio of weight (mass) of volume of a material, usually in grams per cubic centimeter.
Define Dermatitis?
Inflammation of the skin, characterised by reddened, cracked and blistered skin.
Define Disc (vertebral)?
The structure that separates each pair of vertebrae, gives the spine flexibility and absorbs shock; made up of a tough, elastic-like outer shell and a jelly-like centre.
Define DNA?
Short for deoxyribonucleic acid. It is a complex chemical blueprint for growth and development
Define Duct velocity?
Air speed through a ventilation duct.
Define Dust?
Solid particles suspended in air produced by agitation, crushing, grinding, abrading or blasting. Dust ranges in size from 0.1 to 50 micron and larger.
Define Acute?
Occurring immediately or very soon after exposure. Brief, intense or short-term exposure, sometimes referring to brief exposure of high intensity.
Define Chronic?
Occurring long after exposure.
Prolonged or long-term exposure, often with specific reference to
low-intensity.
Define Epicondylitis?
Inflammation of the area around the elbow joint.
Define Ergonomics?
The study of human characteristics for the appropriate design of living and work environments.
Define Flashpoint?
The lowest temperature at which a flammable material gives off sufficient vapour to form an ignitable mixture with air near its surface or in a vessel.
Define Freezing point?
The temperature at which a material changes from a liquid to a solid at normal atmospheric pressure.
Define Frequency (or pitch)?
The number of sound vibrations which occur each second.
Define Fume?
Fumes are the vapor, dust, or smoke emitted by a substance due to heating or other reaction.
Fumes can be described as very fine solid particles (such as solidified vapor) suspended in the air.
An airborne dispersion consisting of minute solid particles arising from the heating of a solid (such as molten metal).
Define Ganglion cyst?
A disorder of the tendon sheath or joint capsule, which causes a nodule filled with fluid or semi-solid material to develop.
Define Gas?
A formless substance that expands to occupy the space of its container.
Define Gastric acid?
Hydrochloric acid secreted by cells in the stomach.
Define Grab samples?
Samples of air removed for analysis (in a lab or on the spot).
Define Hammer (malleus)?
One of the three small bones of the ear.
Define Hazardous material?
In a broad sense, any substance or mixture of substances having properties capable of producing adverse effects on the health or safety of a human.
Define Haemoglobin?
A protein found in red blood cells which is specialised to transport oxygen.
Define Herniated disc?
A back injury in which some of the jelly-like centre of the vertebral disc protrudes through small tears in the tough outer shell of the disc.
Define Housekeeping?
A control “along the path” including proper cleaning, disposal of wastes, the clean-up of spills and maintaining clear aisles and passageways.
Define Hypothesis?
A statement of belief which guides research.
Define Incident?
An unusual occurrence in the workplace that could have resulted in harm to people or property if the circumstances had been slightly different. Sometimes called a “near miss”.
Define Independent (health effects)?
When two or more substances act on different organs of the body, the health effects are considered independently of one another.
Define Infectious agent?
An organism that is capable of producing infection or infectious disease.
Define Ingestion?
A route of entry. The taking in of a substance through the mouth and its passage through the digestive tract.
Define Inhalation?
A route of entry. The breathing in of a substance in the form of a gas, vapour, fume, mist, smoke or dust.
Define Injection?
A subsurface placement of a liquid or waste
Define Integrated sampling method?
A class of sampling methods that involves the collection of a sample in a collection medium that must be analysed in a lab.
Define Irritant?
A substance that causes pain and reddening of the exposed areas, most often the eyes, skin and respiratory tract.
Define Labour Relations Officer?
The occupational health and safety adjudicator appointed under subsection 20(1) of the Act.
Define Latency period?
The period between exposure to a substance and the appearance of disease.
Define Lethal Concentration?
The concentration in air of a material that causes the death of 50 percent of a group of test animals when inhaled over a set period of time, usually one to four hours
Define Lethal Dose?
The dose of a substance that causes the death of 50 percent of an animal population from exposure to the substance by any route other than inhalation when given all in one dose.
Define Leukaemia?
Cancer of blood-forming tissue in the bone marrow and lymph nodes.
Define Ligament?
A short band of tough, flexible fibrous connective tissue linking bones together.
Define Liquid?
A formless fluid that takes the shape of its container, but does not necessarily fill it.
Define Local effects?
Effects at the site of direct contact of a harmful agent with the body.
Define Lock-out?
A specific set of procedures to secure against the accidental start-up or movement of parts of circuits, systems or equipment that is temporarily out of service.
Define Lower explosive limit (LEL)?
The lowest concentration, expressed as a percent volume/volume ratio, of a vapour or gas in air that can burn or explode if ignited.
Define Lymphoma?
Cancer of lymphatic tissue.
Define Median nerve?
A motor and sensory nerve that passes through the carpal tunnel.
Define Micron?
A unit of length equal to one-millionth of a metre.
Define Mist?
An airborne cloud of tiny liquid droplets.
Define Monitoring strategy?
A plan of action for measuring the level of hazardous agents in the workplace.
Define Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI)?
Injuries to the system of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, bones and related structures of the human body.
Define Mutagen?
An agent causing genes in an organism to mutate or change.
Define Nervous system?
The nervous system is divided into two divisions, the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, which includes all the other neural elements.
Define Occupational hygiene?
Sometimes called industrial hygiene. The science devoted to the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of health hazards in the workplace.
Define Odour threshold?
The lowest concentration of a materials vapour (or a gas) in air that can be detected by odour.
Define Organs?
Structures in the body that perform particular functions, e.g., stomach, tongue, bladder.
Define Ovary?
The female organ that produces ova or eggs.
Define pH value?
The value that represents the acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution.
Define Pituitary gland?
A gland that secretes a number of hormones that regulate many
bodily processes including growth, reproduction, and various metabolic activities. It is often referred to as the master gland of the body.
Define Precision?
A method is said to be precise when the values obtained can be consistently reproduced or repeated.
Define Prescribed?
As set out in the regulations under any Act.
Define Quorum?
The minimum number of officers and members of a constituted body necessary for the valid transaction of business.
Define Radiation?
Energy that is emitted, transmitted or absorbed in wave, or energetic particle, form.
Define Reagent?
A substance used in a chemical reaction to detect, measure or yield other substances.
Define Routes of entry?
Inhalation, absorption, ingestion, injection.
Define Sampling?
The use of monitoring equipment to take samples of substances and agents in the workplace.
Define Sarcoma?
Cancer of bone, connective tissues and muscles.
Define Sensitivity?
The ability of an analytic procedure to measure small amounts of the contaminant in the sample.
Define Sensitisation?
The development, over time, of an allergic reaction to a chemical. The chemical may cause a mild response initially, but as the allergy develops the response becomes worse with subsequent exposures. Ultimately, even brief exposures to low concentrations can cause a very severe reaction.
Define Smoke?
Airborne particles that are the result of the incomplete combustion of materials consisting of or containing carbon.
Define Solubility?
The capacity of a material to dissolve in water or another liquid.
Define Specific gravity?
The ratio of the density of a material to the density of water. Materials that are lighter than water (specific gravity less than 1.0) will float. Materials that are heavier than water (specific gravity greater than 1.0) will sink.
Define Specificity?
The ability of an analytical method to measure accurately one contaminant in a sample without interference from any other contaminants in the same sample.
Define STEL?
Short-Term Exposure Level Value. The maximum airborne concentration of a biological or chemical agent to which a worker is exposed in any 15-minute period.
Define Stirrup (stapes)?
One of the three small bones of the ear.
Define Stressor?
A cause of stress.
Define Syndrome?
A group of signs or symptoms that collectively characterise or indicate a particular disease or abnormal condition.
Define Synergy?
An interaction of materials to give an effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.
Define Synovial fluid?
A fluid that supplies nutrients to and lubricates the cartilage inside
joints
Define Systemic effects?
Effects on the organs or systems of the body as the result of a harmful substance entering the bloodstream.
Define Tarsal tunnel?
A tunnel formed by the tarsal bones of the ankle and a tough fibrous band, through which nerves, tendons and blood vessels run to and from the foot.
Define Tendinitis?
Inflammation of the tendons.
Define Tendons?
Bands of fibrous connective tissue that attach muscles to bones.
Define Tenosynovitis?
Inflammation of the tendon and its sheath.
Define Teratogen?
Teratogen A substance that produces abnormalities in the embryo or foetus by changing the balance of the environment in the womb or by directly affecting the embryo or foetus.
Define Terms of reference?
A written statement of the functions and operating procedures of a committee.
Define Testis?
The gland in men that produces sperm.
Define Threshold shift?
- Temporary loss of hearing.
- Permanent loss of hearing.
Define Toxic substances?
Substances able to cause harmful health effects
Define Time-Weighted Average Exposure Value (TWAEV)?
The average of the airborne concentrations of a biological or chemical agent determined from air samples of the concentrations to which a worker is exposed in a work day or a work week.
Define Upper explosive limit?
The highest concentration, expressed as a volume/volume ratio, of a vapour or gas in air that will burn or explode if ignited.
Define Vapour?
The gaseous state of a material suspended in air that would normally be a liquid or solid at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure.
Define Vapour density?
Vapour density The weight of a vapour or gas compared to the weight of an equal volume of air. Light gases (density less than 1.0) rise in air. Heavy gases (density greater than 1.0) can accumulate in low-lying areas
Define Vapour pressure?
Vapour pressure A measure of the tendency of a material to form a vapour. The higher the vapour pressure, the higher the potential vapour concentration.
Define Vector-borne?
The transmission of infectious agents by insects
Define Vehicle-borne?
The transmission of infectious agents through contact with
contaminated materials or objects.
Define Local Ventilation?
The removal of contaminated air directly at its source.
Define Vertebrae?
The 33 bones that make up the spine.
Define Volatility?
The measure of a material’s tendency to vaporise or evaporate at room temperature and normal atmospheric conditions.
Define Wind chill index?
Indication of coldness arrived at by a combination of wind speed
and temperature factors.
Define Workers’ Compensation?
A system of insurance funded by employers and
administered by the government to pay for the medical treatment and lost wages of employees who are injured or made ill from work exposures or accidents.
Define Worst case strategy (monitoring)?
Monitoring those at the highest risks of exposure
to determine whether their exposure is below the level considered safe. This helps to determine whether further monitoring is required.
What Items should not be listed as an input or an output when doing a risk assessment/
No Manpower or PPE
No Risk
No Pollution
