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P4SR:
Predicted Four Hour Sweat Rate.
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Paper Tape Monitor:
A direct reading instrument for vapour which involves exposing a roll of chemically treated paper tape to a flow of contaminated air. As the air filters through the tape the paper stains black in the presence of the contaminant. The tape advances until the stain is directly above a light source where a detector picks up the amount of light transmitted through the paper (light varies according to the depth of stain).
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Parallel System:
A reliability engineering technique in which the capabilities of a critical component are duplicated so that if one fails the other is capable of continued operation, eg dual circuit braking system.
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Parasites:
Multi-cellular organisms with complex life cycles growing, for example, from egg to larva to adult which depend upon larger organisms for survival.
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Particle Motion:
The behaviour of dusts and fibres of various sizes in air. See Newtonian Behaviour, Stokes Behaviour and Brownian Motion.
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Particulate Radiation:
Sub-atomic particles emitted from a radio-active material which cause ionisation in the absorbing medium. See Alpha Radiation and Beta Radiation.
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Parts Per Million :
Units of measurement for volumetric concentration of airborne contaminant.
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Pascal (Pa):
Unit of measurement of sound pressure.
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Passive Sampler:
A device used to collect air samples without the aid of a pump. Gas is adsorbed or absorbed by the collecting medium at a rate of diffusion across a well defined diffusion path.
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Pathogen:
An organism which can infect a host and cause disease.
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Peak Action Level:
A point at or above which an employer must take action to reduce the noise exposure of the workforce by means other than PPE. A peak sound pressure level of 200 pascals (at time of going to print).[2] See also First Action Level and Second Action Level.
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Peak Sound Pressure Level:
The maximum value reached by the sound pressure at any instant during a measurement.
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Pecuniary Damages:
General damages for which there is a formal monetary scale of award such as insurance scales for fracture and amputation, loss of future earnings etc.
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Peer Group:
The group to which an individual belongs.
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Peer Group Pressure:
The pressure exerted by a group (sometimes coercive) on its members to ensure compliance with the group’s values and norms.
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Perceived Risk:
The level of risk as valued by non-experts, which is often influenced by subjectivity and personal judgement as to the potential disturbance of things that they value.
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Perception:
A psychological process by which we make sense of what we are experiencing.
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Perceptual Distortion:
A type of error created by the altered perception of data because of the way the information is presented.
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Perceptual Set:
A characteristic filter pattern, which develops through experience, which allows some information to pass through the filter more readily.
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Performance Measures:
Key outcome indicators based upon an organisations stated objectives in OH&S. See Qualitative Measures, Quantitative Measures, Subjective Measures and Objective Measures.
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Performance Monitoring:
A process by which an organisation determines its success or failure in managing OH&S. See Proactive Monitoring and Reactive Monitoring.
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Permanent Threshold Shift:
Permanent irreversible hearing loss occurring after prolonged exposure to high noise levels. See Temporary Threshold Shift.
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Permit to Work:
A formal authority to operate a planned procedure which is designed to protect personnel working in hazardous areas or activities.
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Peroxidation:
A slow reaction of a peroxidisable chemical with air to form peroxides which may separate or crystallise to form an explosive or even detonative component.
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Person Culture:
A style of organisational behaviour described by Charles Handy which strives to meet the needs of individuals. Often associated with government driven services.
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Personal Injury:
Any disease or impairment of a person’s physical or mental condition (HASAWA s53). See Major Injury and Over Three Day Injury.
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Personal Protective Equipment:
All equipment (including clothing affording protection against the weather) which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work and which protects a person against one or more risks to their health and safety.
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Personal Sampling:
The collection of samples of airborne concentrations of substances hazardous to health by attaching a small collector in the breathing zone of the worker under observation.
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Personality:
A word used to describe that collection of behaviour that makes one person distinguishable from another. A collection of attributes including intelligence, aptitude, attitude, experience, memories, knowledge and skills.
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Phagocyte:
A cellular defence mechanism which recognises unfamiliar cells, cell debris and particles etc in the human body and digests them in order to render them harmless.
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Photo-electric Device:
Protective (trip) device utilising a beam or beams of light (usually infrared) between a light source and a photo-sensitive cell. If the beam is broken power to the machine is automatically made safe.
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Photon:
A quantum of electromagnetic radiation.
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Physical Agent:
In the context of health and safety a physical hazard in the form of noise, vibration or radiation which has the potential to cause harm.
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Physical Hazard:
See Physical Agent.
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Piezo Balance:
Dust measurement instrument which gives a direct mass concentration readout. A crystal is set up in oscillation and the rate of oscillation is influenced by the amount of dust deposited on it.
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Pitot Tube:
An open ended tube which is connected to a manometer with the other end placed in the airflow enabling total pressure to be measured.
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Pitot-static Tube:
A combination of a pitot tube surrounded by a second tube which provides static pressure measurements.
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Plaintiff:
An injured or aggrieved person making a claim under civil law. See Claimant.
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Plenum Ventilation:
Mechanical form of dilution ventilation (from the Latin plenus meaning full).
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Pluralist:
A frame of reference based upon the premise that conflict is normal and to be expected between two parties, the balance of power shifting between one and the other depending upon the circumstances.
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Pneumoconiosis:
A prescribed disease of the lungs caused by exposure to inhaled dust, commonly found in mineworkers but many other occupational sources are listed. It is a generic description given to a range of diseases which include asbestosis, silicosis and coalworkers pneumoconiosis. Also reportable under RIDDOR.
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Policy:
See Safety Policy.
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Polluter Pays Principle:
The polluter bears the expenses of carrying out the pollution control measures decided upon by public authorities to ensure that the environment is in an acceptable state (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development).
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Pollution:
The release into any environmental medium from any process or substances which are capable of causing harm to humans or any other living organisms supported by the environment.
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Population Potential:
The number of people that could be affected by an accident.
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Positron:
See Beta Particle.
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Potential Difference (Electrical):
Measured relative to some fixed point in an electric field usually at earth potential (zero). Before a current will flow from one point to another say point A to point B, then A must have a higher potential than B. The unit of potential difference is the volt.
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Power:
The ability to get things done by threat or force or sanction. See also Coercive Power, Expert Power, Legitimate Power, Referent Power and Reward Power.
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Power Culture:
A style of organisational behaviour described by Charles Handy which is based upon power emanating from central ‘Zeus like’ figures.
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Power Interlocking:
A safeguarding system for machinery in which the movement of the guard is interlocked with the direct switching of the power to the hazard.
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PPE:
Personal Protective Equipment.
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PPM:
See Parts Per Million.
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PRA:
Probabilistic Risk Assessment.
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Practicable:
A stricter duty than ‘reasonably practicable’ in which the cost of precautions is not a factor. Something is practicable if it is possible to be accomplished with known means or resources and feasible within the scope of current knowledge and invention.
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Precautionary Principle:
Environmental measures must anticipate, prevent and attack the cause of environmental degradation. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation (UN Economic Commission for Europe).
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Predicted Four Hour Sweat Rate:
An index based on the concept that the sweat rate is an adequate index of heat stress. Its value is nominally the amount of sweat secreted by fit, acclimatised young men exposed to the environment for four hours. The stress is therefore directly measured by the strain it produces (in this case sweat!).
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Predicted Noise Level:
The noise reduction to be expected based upon attenuation data supplied by the manufacturers of noise reduction equipment or materials.
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Prescribed Disease:
A disease of occupational origin which is prescribed by regulations under the Social Security Act, and qualifies for Industrial Disablement Benefits. (The Social Security [Industrial Injuries] [Prescribed Diseases] Regulations).
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Prescriptive Legislation:
Statutory codes which specify exactly the conditions for compliance and often the means by which they should be achieved.
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Pressure (electrical):
Electrical Potential. See Low Pressure, Medium Pressure, High Pressure, Extra-high Pressure.
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Primary Explosion:
See Explosion.
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Primary Group:
Small group developing within a larger system with the objective of satisfying the affiliation needs of individuals within it. They are relatively intimate, informal and based upon personal relationships rather than roles conferred by the organisation.
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Primary Irritant:
A substance causing an irritant effect on the skin by direct action eg acids, solvents and detergents.
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Principal Contractor:
The contractor who undertakes or manages the construction work for the client.
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Private Nuisance:
An unlawful and continuing interference with a persons use or enjoyment of land.
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Proactive Monitoring:
See Active Monitoring.
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Probabilistic Risk Assessment:
An assessment which identifies potential routes to an undesired consequence and assigns probability data to the causal paths so as to produce a quantified estimate of the risk.
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Probability:
The likelihood of a specific event or outcome (usually expressed as a number between 0 and 1) measured by the ratio of actual events to the total number.
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Prohibition Notice1:
A statutory notice which may be issued by an inspector of the HSE or an EHO which requires the recipient to cease or not to begin an activity. The notice is served where an inspector forms the opinion that the activity presents a risk of serious personal injury. A breach of statute is not necessary and the notice remains in force during the period of any appeal.
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Prohibition Notice2:
Statutory notice which may be issued by the fire authority on premises which present a serious risk to persons in the event of fire. The notice may prohibit the use of or restrict the use of premises until appropriate remedial action is taken.
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Prosecute:
The act of initiating and pursuing a legal action before the criminal courts.
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Prospective Fault Current:
The maximum current which may flow in a system when there is a short circuit or an earth fault.
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Protected Disclosure:
A disclosure of information made in the public interest as a qualifying disclosure under The Public Interest Disclosure Act.
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Protected Face Head:
Sampling head which accommodates a 25 mm dia filter and is protected by a cover plate with a single hole which generates a higher capture velocity and is useful for collecting heavier metals eg lead, cadmium.
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Protected Route:
A route leading to an exit from a floor or to a final exit which is separated from the remainder of the building by walls, partitions, doors, floors and/or ceilings of fire resisting construction.
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Protective Device (electrical):
A device such as fuse, earth, RCD, reduced voltage transformer, etc, designed to reduce the risks associated with electrical systems.
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Proton:
An elementary particle with unit atomic mass approximately and unit positive electric charge.
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Psittacosis:
A reportable disease of the zoonose type brought on by exposure to infected droppings, dust or feathers and infected tissues in birds. Exposure can cause respiratory infection.
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Psychology:
A branch of the behavioural sciences concerned with the observation, explanation and prediction of individual behaviour.
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Psychrometer:
An instrument for measuring atmospheric humidity utilizing a dry and wet-bulb thermometer and whirled manually or by motorized unit to provide the moderate air flow necessary to obtain an aspirated wet-bulb temperature reading.
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Public Nuisance:
The interference with the use or enjoyment of a property or facility by the public in general, so widespread in its range, so indiscriminate in its effects that it would be unreasonable to expect one person to take steps to put a stop to it. It may constitute a criminal offence as well as allowing a civil action to anyone who may be harmed.
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Pulmonary Oedema:
A waterlogging of the lungs.
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Putlog Scaffold:
A scaffold whose structural support is provided by putlogs. The working platform rests on the putlogs.
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Putlogs:
Metal scaffold tubes flattened at one end into a spade like shape and inserted into brickwork.
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PUWER:
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations.
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Pyrophoric Compounds:
Materials which are so reactive that contact with air or moisture causes oxidation or hydrolosis so rapidly that the heat evolved is sufficient to cause ignition.
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