|
WORKPLACE INJURY GLOSSARY |
 |
Glossary of
Workplace Injury Terms
A
B C
D E
F G
H I
J K L
M N
O P
Q R
S T
U V
W X Y Z #
Click on
the first letter of the word from the list above to go to
the appropriate section of the glossary.
Contact us if you would like a personal injury law glossary or
one of other legal glossaries for
your website.
- C -
Carve-out: Carve-out programs allow
employers and unions to create their own alternatives for workers' compensation
benefit delivery and dispute resolution under a collective bargaining agreement.
Cases without lost workdays: Cases that do
not involve lost workdays but result in medical treatment other than first aid,
restriction of work or motion, loss of consciousness, transfer to another job,
or diagnosis of occupational illness.
Cave-in: The separation of a mass of soil
or rock material from the side of an excavation, or the loss of soil from under
a trench shield or support system, and its sudden movement into the excavation,
either by falling or sliding, in sufficient quantity so that it could entrap,
bury, or otherwise injure and immobilize a person.
Certified: Equipment is
"certified" if it (a) has been tested and found by a nationally
recognized testing laboratory to meet nationally recognized standards or to be
safe for use in a specified manner, or (b) is of a kind whose production is
periodically inspected by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, and (c) it
bears a label, tag, or other record of certification.
Chemical Hazard: A nonliving hazard that
results from substances, including solids, liquids or vapors that could
potentially interact. Some chemicals can damage the human body if people inhale,
ingest or absorb them. Eg: chemicals are lead, alcohol and hydrocarbons.
Circuit: The path along which electric
current flows from start to finish is called a circuit. The circuit includes the
generator or battery which starts the current, the wires, and any electrical
device that the current operates. If any part of the circuit is removed, the
current cannot flow. The circuit is then broken or open. Because electric
current seeks to complete its circuit, it will travel along any path that is
presented (path of least resistance), which is why humans are at risk of
electrocution when they handle damaged tools or cords, or contact un-insulated
wires. In effect, they become part of the circuit.
Circuit breaker: A protective device which
automatically opens, or trips, a circuit, without damage to itself, when the
current exceeds a predetermined level.
Claim form: The form used to report a work
injury or illness to your employer. The form is filed out and turned in at your
place of business.
Claims Administrator: The term for
insurance companies and others that handle your workers' compensation claim.
Most claims administrators work for insurance companies or third party
administrators handling claims for employers. Some claims administrators work
directly for large employers that handle their own claims.
Claim: A demand for money or relief.
Class
action: A type of lawsuit filed by one or more plaintiffs on behalf of
themselves and a larger group of people "who are similarly situated."
While allowing one judge to hear all the cases at the same time, the resulting
decision is binding on all parties. Cleat: A structural block used at the end of
a platform to prevent the platform from slipping off its supports. Cleats are
also used to provide footing on sloped surfaces such as crawling boards.
Closing statement: The final argument in a
trial by an attorney on behalf of his/her client after all evidence has been
produced for both sides.
Cold Work: Low-risk work in a
non-restricted area (outside a 50 meter radius of a live surface facility).
Commutation: An order by a workers'
compensation judge for a lump sum payment for all or part of your permanent
disability award.
Company Rules: An internally developed set
of standards regarding company policies and requirements for safety and general
conduct.
Company Worker or Person: This is a person
whose knowledge, training and experience qualified him or her to perform the
work properly and safely.
Competent person: One who is capable of
identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings, or working
conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who
has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate such hazards.
Conductor: A substance or body that allows
a current of electricity to pass continuously along it. Metals, such as copper
or aluminum, are good conductors. In a circuit, current-carrying wires are
termed "conductors", as in a flexible cord.
Confined Space: Any space which has
restricted access; egress where hazardous, gases vapors, dusts, or fumes may
accumulate; or where oxygen may be deficient.
Connector: A device that is used to couple
(connect) parts of the personal fall arrest system and positioning device
systems together. It may be an independent component of the system, such as a
carabiner, or it may be an integral component of part of the system, such as a
buckle or D-ring sewn into a body belt or body harness, or a snaphook spliced or
sewn to a lanyard or self-retracting lanyard.
Consultant: A professional individual or
firm hired by a company solely to give professional advice with respect to the
planning of specified tasks.
Controlled access zone (CAZ): An area in
which certain work (e.g., overhand bricklaying) may take place without guardrail
systems, personal fall arrest systems, or safety net systems, and access to the
zone is controlled.
Construction work: Work for construction,
alteration, and/or repair, including painting and decorating.
Critical Work: Any work that falls in the
medium or higher risk area of the Risk Assessment Matrix. Work that may be
considered critical include:
- critical lift in a non-restricted area
- tasks done during major turnarounds that
affect other workers
- maintenance work in an area where toxic-gas
amounts are likely to exceed
occupational exposure limits
- welding in a hydrocarbon production facility
- confined space entry
Cross braces: The horizontal members of a
shoring system installed perpendicular to the sides of the excavation, the ends
of which bear against either uprights or wales.
Cross braces: Two braces which cross each
other in the form of an X.
Cross examination: The opportunity for the
attorney for one party to ask questions in court of a witness who has testified
in a trial on behalf of the opposing party.
Cumulative injury: An injury that was
caused by repeated events at work.
Current: The flow of electrons through a
conductor, measured in amperes (amps). If the current flows back and forth
through a conductor, it is called alternating current (AC). If the current flows
in one direction only, as in a car battery, it is called direct current (DC). AC
is most widely used because it is possible to increase ("step up") or
decrease ("step down") the current through a transformer. For example,
when current from an overhead power line is run through a pole-mounted
transformer, it can be stepped down to normal household current. Also,
alternating current can travel enormous distances with little loss of voltage,
or power.
Cycle: When alternating current flows back
and forth through a conductor, it is said to cycle. In each cycle, the electrons
flow first in one direction, then the other. In the United States, the normal
rate for power transmission is 60 cycles per second, or 60 Hertz (Hz).
DISCLAIMER: The
information contained within this personal injury site is of a general nature
and is not meant to be a restatement of any rules of law. Your
use of this site does not create an attorney-client
relationship. You should hire an attorney to obtain legal
advice for your specific case.
© Copyright 2004,
Consultwebs.com, Inc., All rights reserved. Personal
Injury Law
Glossary.
|
