| action level | A concentration designated in CCR Title 8 § 5155 for a specific substance, calculated as an eight (8) hour time-weighted average, that initiates certain required activities such as exposure monitoring and medical surveillance. |
| acute effect | Symptom of exposure to a hazardous material that soon appears after a short-term exposure, coming quickly to a crisis. |
| acute exposure | A single, brief exposure to a large dose of a toxic substance. Adverse health effects are evident soon after exposure. |
| acute toxicity | Adverse biological effects of a single dose of a toxic agent. |
| administrative controls | Methods of controlling exposures to contaminants by job rotation, work assignment or time away from the contaminant. |
| Cal/OSHA | California Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This agency develops and enforces occupational safety and health standards for most industry and business in the state of California. |
| ceiling limit | The maximum allowable exposure limit for an airborne chemical, which is not to be exceeded even momentarily. See also PEL and TLV. |
| CETTS | Centralized Employee Training-Tracking System. This on-line system provides a record of training in various subject areas for all CSUS employees. The system also has the capability to generate employee training status reports. |
| Chemical Hygiene Officer | A person designated by the employer, who is qualified by training or experience, to provide technical guidance in the development and implementation of the provisions of the Chemical Hygiene & Safety Plan. |
| Chemical Hygiene and Safety Plan | A written program developed and implemented by the employer which sets forth procedures, equipment, personal protective equipment and work practices that are capable of protecting employees from the health hazards presented by hazardous chemicals used in the particular workplace. |
| chronic exposure | Repeated exposure or contact with a toxic substance over a long period. Adverse biological effects from chronic exposure develop slowly, last a long time, and frequently recur. |
| chronic effect | Symptom of exposure to a hazardous material that develops slowly after many exposures, or that recurs often. |
| chronic toxicity | Adverse biological effect of repeated doses or long-term exposure to a toxic agent. |
| combustible | Able to catch on fire and burn. According to the DOT and NFPA, combustible liquids are "those having a flash point at or above 1000 F (37.80C), or liquids that will bum. They do not ignite as easily as flammable liquids. However, combustible liquids can be ignited under certain circumstances, and must be handled with caution. . ." Non -liquid substances that will burn, such as wood and paper, are called "ordinary combustibles." (See flammables.) |
| combustible gas | A gas or mixture of gases having, in a container, an absolute pressure exceeding 40 psi at 70°F (21.1°C); orA gas or mixture of gases having, in a container, an absolute pressure exceeding 104 psi at 130°F (54.4° C) regardless of the pressure at 70°F (21.1°C); orA liquid having a vapor pressure exceeding 40 psi at 100°F (37.8° C) as determined by ASTM D-323-72. |
| combustible liquid | Any liquid having a flashpoint at or above 100°F but below 200°F. |
| compressed gas | A gas or mixture of gases in a container having an absolute pressure of 40 or more psi at room temperature. |
| corrosive | A chemical that causes visible destruction of, or irreversible changes in, living tissue by chemical action at the site of contact, or that has a severe corrosion rate on structural materials. |
| decomposition | The breakdown of a material into a simpler compound by chemical reaction, decay, heat, or other process. |
| designated area | An area that may be used for work with "select carcinogens," reproductive toxins or substances which have a high degree of acute toxicity. A designated area may be the entire laboratory, an area of it, or a device such as a hood. |
| explosive | A chemical that causes a sudden, almost instantaneous release of pressure, gas, and heat when subjected to sudden shock, pressure, or high temperature. |
| flammable | A flammable substance is one that will catch on fire and burn rapidly under ordinary conditions; for example, liquids with a flash point below 100°F and solids that ignite readily. Note the Uniform Fire Code uses a cut-off of 140°F, which qualifies more liquids as "flammable." |
| flashpoint | The minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off a vapor in sufficient concentration to ignite. |
| fume hood | A ventilation device enclosed on five sides with a moveable sash, constructed and maintained to allow chemical manipulations to be conducted inside enclosure while preventing or minimizing the escape of air contaminants into the worker's breathing zone. |
| general ventilation | Also known as general exhaust ventilation, this is a system of ventilation consisting of either natural- or mechanically-induced fresh air movements to mix with and dilute contaminants in the workroom air. This is not the recommended type of ventilation to control contaminants that are highly toxic, when there may be corrosion problems from the contaminant, when the worker is close to where the contaminant is being generated, and where fire or explosion hazards are generated close to sources of ignition (See LOCAL EXHAUST VENTILATION). |
| hazard warning | The words, pictures, and symbols, or a combination thereof, that appear on a label and indicate the hazards of the substance in the container. |
| hazardous chemical | A chemical, or mixture of chemicals, that can produce adverse physical effects (e.g., fire, explosion) or health effects (e.g., dermatitis, cancer). |
| health hazards | Substances for which there is evidence, from at least one scientific study, that acute or chronic health effects may occur in exposed persons. These chemicals include carcinogens, toxic agents, reproductive toxins (mutagens and teratogens), irritants, corrosives, sensitizers, hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, neurotoxins, agents which act on the hematopoietic system, and agents that damage the lungs, skin, eyes, or mucous membranes. |
| hazardous material | Any substance or compound that has the capability of producing adverse effects on the health and safety of humans. |
| incompatible | The term applies when two substances cannot be mixed together without the possibility of a dangerous reaction. |
| ignitable | A solid, liquid or compressed gas that has a flash point of less than 140°F. Ignitable material may be regulated by the EPA. |
| ignition temperature | The lowest temperature at which a substance will ignite and continue to burn. The lower the ignition temperature, the more likely the substance is to be a fire hazard. |
| inhibitor | A substance that is added to another to prevent the occurrence of an undesirable chemical reaction. |
| laboratory | A facility where the "use of hazardous chemicals" occurs. It is a workplace where relatively small quantities of hazardous chemicals are used on a non-production basis. |
| local exhaust | A ventilation method for removing contaminated air at the point where the contaminants are generated (e.g., a fume hood). |
| mutagen | A substance capable of causing damage to genes and chromosomes, particularly those of sperm or egg cells, resulting in mutations. |
| oxidizer | A material that causes the ignition of combustible materials without an external source of ignition. When mixed with combustible materials, an oxidizer increases the rate of burning of these materials when the mixtures are ignited. Oxidizers usually contain their own oxygen, and can, therefore, burn in an oxygen-free atmosphere, are usually very unstable or reactive, and pose a serious fire hazard. |
| Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) | An exposure limit that is published and enforced by OSHA as a legal standard. PEL may be either a time-weighted-average (TWA), exposure limit (8-hour), a 15-minute short term exposure limit (STEL), or a ceiling (C). The PELs are found in Tables Z- 1, Z-2, or Z-3 of OSHA regulations 1910.1000. (See also TLV). |
| personal protective equipment | Any devices or clothing worn by the worker to protect against hazards in the environment. Examples are respirators, gloves, and chemical splash goggles. |
| principal investigator | Person who is responsible for the design, conduct or reporting of research. |
| reactivity | A substance's susceptibility to undergoing a chemical reaction or change that may result in dangerous side effects, such as explosions, burning, and corrosive or toxic emissions. The conditions that cause the reaction, such as heat, other chemicals, and dropping, will usually be specified as "Conditions to Avoid" when a chemical's reactivity is discussed on an MSDS. |
| reproductive toxins | Chemicals that affect the reproductive capabilities, including chromosomal damage (mutations) and effects on fetuses (teratogenesis). |
| select carcinogen | Any substance that meets one of the following criteria: (i) It is regulated by OSHA as a carcinogen; or (ii) It is listed under the category, "known to be carcinogenic," in the "Annual Report on Carcinogens," published by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) (latest edition); or (iii) It is listed under Group 1 ("carcinogenic to humans") by the International Agency for Research on Cancer Monographs (IARC) (latest editions); or (iv) It is listed in either Group 2A or 2B by IARC or under the category, "reasonably anticipated to be carcinogenic" by NTP, and causes statistically significant tumor incidence in experimental animals. |
| suspect carcinogen | A substance that might cause cancer in humans but has not yet been proven to do so. |
| systemic poison | A substance that has a toxic effect upon several organ systems of the body. |
| target organ effects | Effects on specific organs of the body caused by exposure to a hazardous chemical. |
| teratogen | An agent or substance that may cause physical defects in the developing embryo or fetus when a pregnant female is exposed to that substance. |
| TWA | Time Weighted Average: The exposure limit averaged over a normal 8-hour workday or 40-hour workweek. |
| toxic substance | A substance that causes harmful biological effects after either short-term or long-term exposure. |
| toxicity | A relative measure of the adverse biological effects that can result from exposure to a harmful substance. |
| unstable | A chemical is unstable if it tends to decompose or undergo other undesirable chemical changes during normal handling or storage. |
| ventilation | Circulation and exchange of air and the method by which this is accomplished. |
| volatile | A term used for a liquid that evaporates at room temperature. Very volatile liquids, such as gasoline, form vapors (evaporate) quickly and are a breathing hazard. |
| water-reactive | A chemical that reacts with water to release a flammable or toxic gas. |
