Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Acceptable Risk - Audit - Continual Improvement - Corrective Action Document - Hazard - Hazard Identification - Ill Health - Incident - Interested Party Nonconformity - Occupational Health & Safety - Occupational Health & Safety System Occupational Health & Safety Objective - Occupational Health & Safety Performance Occupational Health & Safety Policy - Organization - Preventive Action Procedure - Record - Risk - Risk Assessment - Workplace
The following section on Terminology is based on OHSAS 18001 2007, section 3, Terms and definitions. We have translated these definitions into plain English in order to make them easier to understand. However, in order to make these definitions more informative, we have also used information
from OHSAS 18002. We have taken this approach in order to add substance to definitions that are often rather cryptic and difficult to understand.
3.2 Audit
An audit is an evidence gathering process. Audit evidence is used to evaluate how well audit criteria are being met. Audits must be both objective and independent and the audit process must be both systematic and documented.
3.5 Document
When information is placed on a medium it becomes a document. In this context, the term medium usually refers to paper. But it can also refer to electronic, magnetic, or optical disks. A set of documents is often referred to as documentation. NOTE: Neither OHSAS 18001 nor OHSAS 18002 expects you to write an OH&S Manual (per OHSAS 18001 and 18002 section 4.4.4).
3.6 Hazard
A hazard is any situation, substance, activity, event, or environment that could potentially cause injury or ill health. More precisely:
Hazardous situations can cause injury or ill health. Examples of potentially hazardous situations include slippery or uneven walking surfaces, cramped working conditions, badly ventilated areas, high altitudes, noisy locations, poorly lit areas, and confined spaces. Hazardous substances can cause injury or ill health. Examples of potentially hazardous substances include corrosive and toxic chemicals, flammable and explosive materials, dangerous gases and liquids, radioactive substances, particulates, poisons, bacteria, and viruses. Hazardous activities can cause injury or ill health. Examples of potentially hazardous activities include dangerous tasks, unnatural movements and postures, heavy lifting, repetitive work, interpersonal conflicts, bullying, and intimidation. Hazardous events can cause injury or ill health. Examples of potentially hazardous events include explosions, implosions, collisions, vibrations, fires, leaks, releases, chemical reactions, electric shocks, falling objects, loud noises, structural breakdowns, software failures, equipment malfunctions, and unscheduled shutdowns.
3.9 Incident
An incident is a work related event during which: 1. injury, ill health, or fatality actually occurs, or 2. injury, ill health, or fatality could have occurred. An accident is a type of incident. It is a work-related event during which injury, ill health, or fatality actually occurs. It is a type of incident (see 1, above). A close call, near miss, near hit, or dangerous occurrence is also a type of incident. It is a work-related event during which injury, ill health, or fatality could have occurred, but didnt actually occur (see 2, above).
3.11 Nonconformity
Nonconformity is the non fulfillment of a requirement or a deviation from a standard. When an organization fails to meet requirements or deviates from a standard, a nonconformity exists. Accordingly, any deviation from the OHSAS 18001 standard is a nonconformity.
3.17 Organization
An organization is a company, corporation, enterprise, firm, institution, or authority. Organizations can be either incorporated or unincorporated, and can be either privately or publicly owned. It can also be a single operating unit or part of a larger entity. However, an operating unit or part of a larger entity must have its own functions and administration in order to count as an organization.
3.19 Procedure
A procedure is a specified way of carrying out an activity or a process. Procedures may or may not be documented. A documented procedure describes and controls a logically distinct
process or activity, including the associated inputs and outputs. Documented procedures can be very general or very detailed, or anywhere in between. While a general procedure could take the form of a simple flow diagram, a detailed procedure could be a one page form or it could be several pages of text. A detailed documented procedure defines and controls the work that should be done, and explains how it should be done, who should do it, and under what circumstances. In addition, it often explains what authority and what responsibility has been allocated, which supplies and materials should be used, and which documents and records must be used to carry out the work.
3.20 Record
A record is a document that shows what kinds of activities are being performed or what kind of results are being achieved. It always documents and provides evidence about the past.
3.21 Risk
Risk combines three elements: it starts with a potential event , and then combines its probability with its potential severity . In the context of OH&S, the concept of risk asks two future oriented questions: 1. What is the probability that a particular hazardous event or exposure will actually occur in the future? 2. How severe would the impact on health and safety be if the hazardous event or exposure actually occurred? A high risk hazardous event or exposure would have both a high probability of occurring and a severe impact on OH&S if it actually occurred. A high risk event or exposure is one that is likely to cause severe injury or ill health.
3.23 Workplace
A workplace is a physical location where an organizations work is performed. A physical location is an organizations workplace only if it is under its control. However, control may extend to work that is performed while traveling, working at home, or at a customers workplace. Regardless of where work is performed, organizations must manage their OH&S risks.
Introduction to OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Overview of OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Standard OHSAS 18001 2007 OH&S Standard Translated into Plain English OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Gap Analysis Tool OHSAS 18001 2007 Internal OH&S Audit Program
HOW TO ORDER OUR OHSAS 18001 PRODUCTS
Home Page
Our Libraries
A to Z Index
Our Customers
How to Order
Our Products
Our Prices
Our Guarantee
Updated on December 14, 2009. On the Web since May 25, 1997.
Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability The publisher and authors have used their best efforts in designing and developing this electronic publication. We make no representation or warranties with respect to accuracy or completeness of the contents of this publication and specifically disclaim any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose and shall in no event be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Legal Restrictions on the Use of this Page Thank you for visiting this page. You are, of course, welcome to view our material as often as you wish, free of charge. And as long as you keep intact all copyright notices, you are also welcome to print or make one copy of this page for your own personal, noncommercial, home use. But, you are not legally authorized to print or produce additional copies, or to copy and paste any of our material onto another web site. If you would like to purchase our material, please contact our Sales Desk. Our staff would be very pleased to take your order or to answer any questions you might have.
Copyright 2007-2009 by Praxiom Research Group Limited. All Rights Reserved.