Abrasive
blasting—A process for cleaning metal and other surfaces
using material in a high-pressure stream. The material is blasted
against a surface to remove contaminants. If silica sand is used as
the material, this process is called sandblasting.
Accelerated
silicosis—A silicosis that develops 5 to 10 years after
exposure to high concentrations of crystalline silica.
Acute
silicosis—A silicosis with symptoms that can develop
a few weeks to 5 years after exposure to very high concentrations
of crystalline silica. The term "acute” usually refers to
a short but severe illness. In acute silicosis, the time between exposure
and severe illness is shorter than in accelerated or chronic silicosis.
Air
monitoring—The use of specialized equipment to measure
types of pollutants and their concentrations in the atmosphere.
Automation—The
replacement of human or animal labor by machines. One example is the
use of robots or remote-controlled equipment for lifting and transporting
materials.
Biopsy—The
removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from a living
body for diagnosis of disease.
Chronic
silicosis—A silicosis that develops after 10 or more
years of exposure to low concentrations of crystalline silica.
Crystalline
silica—The crystalline form of silica; a mineral made
of silicon and oxygen (SiO2) that is naturally abundant
in the earth's crust. In its crystalline form (primarily as quartz,
tridymite, or cristobalite), silica may be harmful if inhaled.
Cyanosis—A
bluish or purplish discoloration due to inadequate oxygen concentration
in the blood. This discoloration is most often seen in the skin, but
it occurs in other body systems.
Engineering
controls—Methods of controlling worker exposures to hazardous
agents by adjusting the source or reducing the amount released in
the workplace. Examples include a change in process, substitution
of less harmful job activities or materials, isolation, and ventilation.
Engineering controls are the preferred method for targeting worksite
hazards.
Epidemiology—The
study of why and how a disease occurs and spreads in populations.
Fibrosis—Scarring
of the lungs due to breathing harmful dusts or chemicals such as crystalline
silica. As the disease develops, the lungs begin to stiffen and become
less flexible, making breathing more difficult.
Fit
testing—A procedure for checking to see that a respirator
fits properly and does not allow pollutants to be inhaled.
Industrial
hygiene—The applied science of recognizing, evaluating,
and controlling factors in the workplace that may cause illness or
injury for workers.
Local
exhaust ventilation—An air movement system for capturing
pollutants in the air directly where they are produced and carrying
them away before they can spread throughout the work area.
Material
safety data sheet (MSDS)—A written summary of
important safety and health information about a chemical or substance.
Manufacturers must supply the MSDS for each hazardous agent purchased.
Employers must make the MSDS available to employees for each hazardous
agent used.
Mine
Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)—A Federal agency
within the U.S. Department of Labor. MSHA develops and enforces regulations
for workplace safety and health in the mining industry.
National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)—A
Federal occupational safety and health research agency within the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. NIOSH also communicates safety and health information
to workers and to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA).
Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)—A Federal
agency within the U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA develops and enforces
regulations for workplace safety and health.
Outbreak—A
sudden increase in the number of new cases of a disease in a geographic
area.
Particulate—A
particle or small object made of a solid or liquid material.
Pneumonia—A
lung disease caused by infection or irritants and characterized by
inflammation.
Pneumoconiosis—A
lung disease caused by inhaling hazardous dusts.
Protective
clothing—Any clothing designed or intended to be worn
as protection from exposures to harmful agents such as chemicals.
Pulmonary
edema—An abnormal accumulation of fluid in the lungs.
Respirable
particles—Airborne particles within a size range that
allows them to be inhaled and to penetrate deeply into the lungs.
Respirator—A
device worn over the mouth and nose or entire head to protect the
user from inhaling harmful agents.
Respiratory
protection program—A plan established by an employer
to protect workers from inhaling harmful agents in the workplace.
The elements of a respiratory protection program are described under
Question 6 in the text.
Sandblasting—A
process for cleaning metal and other surfaces using sand in a high-pressure
air stream. The sand is blasted against a surface to remove paint
or contaminants. This process is also called abrasive blasting.
Silica
sand—The fine particles from ground rock containing a
high content of crystalline silica.
Silicosis—A
nodular fibrosis of the lungs and shortness of breath caused by prolonged
inhalation of silica-containing dusts.
Silicotic
nodule—A mass of tissue that is a reaction of the body
to crystalline silica particles.
Source
controls—Any engineering change made to eliminate or
reduce exposures at the point where the hazard is generated (for example,
enclosing equipment, putting up a barrier to the equipment, and using
wet methods, dust collection systems, and substitution).
Substitution—The
removal of a harmful agent from a process and its replacement with
an agent that is less harmful to health.
Supplied-air
respirator—A protective device that delivers fresh (uncontaminated)
air to the user through a supply hose connected to the facemask or
enclosure.
Wet
methods—The use of water or another suitable liquid with
industrial processes (cutting, sanding, grinding) to reduce dust concentrations
in the air.
Work
practices—The procedures followed by employers and workers
to control hazards in the workplace (for example, use of wet methods
to control dust).
