Safety Terms To Know

1. Safety Terms To Know

2. acute hazard An acute hazard is one to which a single exposure may cause harm, but which is unlikely to lead to permanent damage. These conditions may be either chemical or physical in nature and may include toxic, flammable, reactive, explosive, or radioactive hazards.

3. allergen An allergen is any material which produces an allergic reaction in an individual.

4. allergic contact dermatitis Allergic contact dermatitis is a type of skin hypersensitivity. Its onset may be delayed by several days to as much as several years, for weaker sensitizers. Once sensitized, fresh exposure to the sensitizing material can trigger itching and dermatitis within a few hours.

5. analgesic An analgesic such as aspirin is a chemical which reduces the body's sensitivity to pain.

6. asphyxiant An asphyxiant is a material capable of reducing the level of oxygen in the body to dangerous levels. Most commonly, asphyxiants work by merely displacing air in an enclosed environment. This reduces the concentration of oxygen below the normal level of around 19% which can lead to breathing difficulties, unconsciousness or even death.

7. carcinogen A carcinogen is a chemical known or believed to cause cancer in humans. The number of proven carcinogens is comparatively small, but many more chemicals are suspected to be carcinogenic.

8. chronic hazard A chronic hazard is presented by a chemical which has the potential to cause long-term damage to health, often as a consequence of repeated or prolonged exposure to it.

9. combustible The term combustible is often used to describe any material which will burn.

10. corrosive/caustic A corrosive material is one which causes damage to skin, eyes or other parts on the body on contact. The technical definition is written in terms of "... destruction or irreversible damage to living tissue at the site of contact". A corrosive material may also be called caustic.

11. deliquescent A deliquescent material is one which is hygroscopic (that is, abstracts water from the air) to such a degree that it can eventually form a solution.

12. flash point The flash point of a chemical is the lowest temperature at which a flame will propagate through the vapor of a combustible material to the liquid surface. Put more simply, it is the minimum temperature at which the liquid produces a sufficient concentration of vapor above it that it forms an ignitable mixture with air.

13. insoluble An insoluble material is one which is incapable of dissolving to any significant extent in a specified solvent.

14. irritant An irritant is a chemical which may cause reversible inflammation on contact.

15. miscible/ immiscible Two liquids are miscible if they dissolve completely in each other whatever the proportions of the components. Two liquids are Immiscible if they do not dissolve in each other.

16. MSDS MSDS is a very widely used abbreviation for Material Safety Data Sheet. A MSDS contains details of the hazards associated with a chemical, and gives information on its safe use.

17. mutagen A mutagen is an agent that changes the hereditary genetic material which is a part of every living cell. Such a mutation is probably an early step in the sequence of events that ultimately leads to the development of cancer.

18. sensitizer A sensitizer is a chemical which may lead to the development of allergic reactions after repeated exposure.

19. toxic A toxic substance is one that is capable of causing injury or damage to a living organism.

20. unstable / stable An unstable chemical will react. A stable chemical is not prone to react. .

21. flammable A flammable chemical can burn or cause a fire.

22. oxidizer An oxidizer is a chemical that can cause a fire or explosion