Glossary beginning with O
O
- Occupational exposure limit (OEL) search for term
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An occupational exposure limit is the highest level of exposure (for example, dose of radiation or concentration of chemical in air) which has been determined to result in an acceptable risk to workers during the normal course of their workday. A workday is generally considered to be 8 hours a day and 40 hours per week. A widely recognized OEL is the Threshold Limit Value (TLV) produced by the ACGIH. In the case of ultraviolet radiation, the TLV was also adopted as an international exposure limit by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRRP).
- Occupational health and safety (OHS) search for term
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Occupational health and safety (OHS) can be defined as “the science of the anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of hazards arising in or from the workplace that could impair the health and well-being of workers, taking into account the possible impact on the surrounding communities and the general environment”.4
- 4. Alli, B.O. Fundamental Principles of Occupational health and Safety. 2nd ed. International Labour Office, Geneva.
- Occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) search for term
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For our Model Sun Safety Program, we have adopted the Institute for Work and Health definition of an occupational health and safety management system: "An OHSMS is the integrated set of organizational elements involved in the continuous cycle of planning, implementation, evaluation, and continual improvement, directed toward the abatement of occupational hazards in the workplace".5 Sometimes an OHSMS is referred to as an occupational health and safety program. Key standards which describe requirements of an OHSMS are OHSAS 18001:1999 and CSA Z1000-14.
- 5. Robson L, Clarke J, Cullen K, Bielecky A, Severin C, Bigelow P, Irvin E, Culyer A, Mahood Q. The Effectiveness of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: A Systematic Review. Institute for Work & Health, Toronto, 2005.
- Occupational health and safety policy search for term
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An occupational health and safety policy is a general and simple set of statements setting out, among other things, the importance of occupational health and safety (OHS) to the organization. It is a foundational element of an occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS). The other elements of the OHSMS fulfill the OHS policy. The OHS policy is sometime confused with an OHS Program or a procedure. A particular OHS program, such as a sun safety program will have its own policy statement, setting out the important and intent of the program (refer to sun safety policy and core).
- Occupational health and safety program (OHSP) search for term
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Often an occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) is referred to as an occupational health and safety program. Occupational health and safety legislation in most Canadian provinces includes the term ‘program’ instead of ‘system’ to refer to more of the operational aspects of an OHSMS. OHSPs generally do not have the same level of emphasis on continual improvement as is found in an OHSMS. Where a workplace is managing their OHS hazards within the context of an OHSP instead of an OHSMS, a sun safety program is then considered to be a part of the coordinated activities or measures within the overall OHS program which is focused on managing sun safety
- Off-the-Job safety program search for term
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An off-the-job safety program consists of activities and measures in the workplace that encourage employees to initiate safety activities at home for the protection of the employees and their families. A sun safety program may be linked to an off-the-job program in that education in the workplace about sun safety can be applied to sun exposure off the job to the worker and his or her family.
- OHSAS 18001:1999 search for term
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OHSAS 18001 is the name of a model occupational health and safety management system that is similar in structure and function to ISO 14001. It is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, which, if followed, should result in an occupational health and safety management system that is appropriate to the workplace.
- Operational review search for term
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The operational review is the first of three risk assessment steps we recommend for undertaking a comprehensive sun safety risk assessment for either solar ultraviolet radiation or heat stress. This helps a workplace to understand the operational environment and factors which increase the risk of adverse conditions of outdoor workers as a result of exposure to the sun.
- Organizational arrangements search for term
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Organizational arrangements are sometimes referred to as roles and responsibilities in an occupational health and safety management system. Organizational arrangements set out the responsibilities, authority and accountability for each person involved with a sun safety program.