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Back up System:
A reliability engineering technique which activates a safety or protection device should the primary system fail, eg a mechanical-scotch.
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Bacteria:
Organisms which come in a variety of shapes eg spherical (cocci), rod shaped (bacilli) etc. They may exist as a single cell or grow in colonies many of them being able to survive independently of any other organism.
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Ballistic Action:
A behaviour which once initiated will continue to the end without conscious thought or external control, even if no longer appropriate in the circumstances.
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Ballistic Over-learning:
The over-learning of an activity to the point at which it can be delegated to a sub-controlling part of the brain.
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Base Plate:
A small flat metal plate fitted to the bottom end of a scaffold standard which increases the surface in contact with the ground.
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Basic Cause:
The element of failure or loss of control prior to the existence of the immediate cause of an accident. See Root Causes.
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Basic Survey :
A sampling approach which concentrates on assessing the ‘worst case’ and using this as an index of the overall risk. For large numbers of workers they should be divided into homogenous groups in relation to type of work, location, duration etc. The groups with the highest suspected exposure can then be studied ensuring that individual work patterns and exposure cycles have been adequately covered.
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Bathtub Curve:
Graphical representation of the expected failure rates of a component. So called because of its similarity to a bathtub.
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BATNEEC:
Best Available Technique Not Entailing Excessive Cost.
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Becquerel:
See Activity.
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Behaviour:
Description of what a person does in the context of others, action in response to a stimulus. An activity directly detectable by the senses of an observer.
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Behaviour Modification:
The systematic positive reinforcement of required behaviour, whilst at the same time ignoring or exercising negative reinforcement to eliminate unwanted behaviour.
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Behavioural Science:
A collective term used to describe those scientific disciplines which have varying degrees of concern with the study of human kind, see also Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology and Ergonomics.
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Benchmark Guidance Value:
A biological monitoring guidance value set at around the 90th percentile of available validated data. The data is obtained from those industries which employ good working practices. It is a level which can be achieved by the majority of industry by employing good working practices.
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Bench-marking:
A planned process by which an organisation compares its health and safety processes with other organisations with the objectives of reducing accidents and ill-health; improving legal compliance; and cutting compliance costs.
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Best Available Technique Not Entailing Excessive Cost:
An implied condition of authorisation to operate a process under integrated pollution control legislation.
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Best Practicable Environmental Option:
An underlying principle of integrated pollution control that consideration must be given to effects of emissions on all environmental media and that the least damaging route as a whole should be selected.
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Best Practicable Means:
A standard, usually indicated by a regulating authority, expressing views of what can be achieved in given circumstances. These are given in the form of published notes or documents.
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Beta Particle:
An electron emitted by the nucleus of a radionuclide. The electric charge may be positive, in which case the beta particle is called a positron.
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Beta Radiation:
A form of particulate radiation which causes ionisation. It involves electrons travelling at very high speed. Beta particles have moderate penetrating powers in soft tissue (about 1cm) causing superficial damage.
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Beta-ray Absorption Instrument:
A direct reading instrument for particulates which passes Beta particles from Carbon-14 source through dust collected on a plate. The absorption of Beta radiation is a function of the mass collected and a direct mass readout is given.
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Biological Agent:
Any micro-organism, cell structure, or human endoparasite (including any which have been genetically modified) which may cause infection, allergy, toxicity or otherwise create a risk to human health.
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Biological Hazard:
See Biological Agent.
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Biological Monitoring:
The measurement and assessment of hazardous substances or their metabolites in tissues, secretions, excreta or expired air, or any combination of these, in exposed workers. Measurements reflect absorption of a substance by all routes of entry. See Benchmark Guidance Value and Health Guidance Value.
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Bird (Frank):
Guru of modern accident causation and prevention theory. Noted for his update of the domino theory and work on accident ratios.
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Birdcage Scaffold:
An independent scaffold constructed so as to provide its own support and structural integrity.
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Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE):
An explosion which normally results from the catastrophic failure of a pressure vessel containing liquefied flammable gases. The released gas ignites and a strongly radiating, rising fireball is created.
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BPEO:
Best Practicable Environmental Option.
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Braces:
The diagonal metal poles which connect the outer and inner standards of a scaffold giving support to the whole structure. Those running in line with the permanent structure are called cross braces, those running at right angles to it are called ledger braces.
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Breach of Statutory Duty:
A criminal offence – but one for which an injured person may make a civil claim if they have suffered injury as a result of the breach (unless specifically excluded in the statute itself).
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Break Even Analysis:
The analysis of the point in time when an investment will be repaid by the benefits estimated in a cost benefit analysis.
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Breathing Apparatus:
A respiratory protective device which provides air from an uncontaminated source which enables it to be used in oxygen deficient environments.
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Breathing Zone:
A notional hemisphere close to a person’s nose and mouth in which the sampling head of a personal atmospheric monitoring device is positioned in order to provide a representative sample of exposure.
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Brisance:
The ability of an explosive substance to release energy at a rate which cannot be absorbed by the movement of an object and which causes shattering of objects in the path of the shock wave.
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Brittle Failure:
A fast fracture in a (generally) brittle material which occurs with little or no warning.
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Brownian Motion:
The movement in air of particles of less than 0.1 µm which behave like molecules and move randomly in air.
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Brucellosis:
A zoonose and prescribed disease, caused by contact with bacteria (brucella) in infected milk or discharges during animal birth. Transmission to humans is through broken skin or mucous membranes. Main occupations at risk are farmers, slaughterhouse workers and veterinary workers.
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BS 8800:1996:
Guide to Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. Guidelines general principles of good safety management based upon two contemporary system approaches: HSG65 and BS EN ISO 14001. See OHSAS 18001.
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Buckling:
A term used to describe the unstable compressive collapse of structural members eg scaffolding.
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Bureaucracy:
A style of organisation based upon legal-rational authority capable of producing a high degree of efficiency, characterised by a belief in rules and order and managed by distinct official roles. See Role Culture.
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Burning-in:
De-bugging.
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Byssinosis:
A form of occupational asthma, arising from exposure to inhaled cotton dust (among others) and causing permanent narrowing of the airways. It is a prescribed disease whose symptoms include progressive tightness in the chest, cough and shortness of breath.
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