Monday, 5 December 2016

Meanings of Common Terms

An accident is defined as an unplanned, controlled event which has, or could have in slightly different circumstances, led to injury, damage or some other loss
  • Examples include: a fall resulting in a fracture, incorrect operation of machinery leading to breakdown, or an event where there is no actual loss this time (near miss) such as someone dropping a tool whist working up a ladder and narrowly missing someone below.

A dangerous occurrence is an unplanned and undesired occurrence which has the potential to cause injury and which may or may not cause damage to property, equipment or the environment and is reportable to the national enforcing authority. Many national laws require the reporting of such events to external agencies e.g. the Health and Safety Authority in Ireland. Typical examples would include the failure of pressure vessels, collapse of a scaffold and a serious fire.

A near miss (or incident) is an accident that results in no apparent loss. So it is an unplanned, uncontrolled event that has not led to injury, damage or some other loss this time, but could have in slightly different circumstances.
  • Examples include: articles falling near to people, short-circuits on electrical equipment.


Work-related ill-health (physiological and psychological) concerns people who are made ill by theirwork - a recent HSE survey in the UK suggests that over two million people are suffering from illness they thought was caused by work. This ill-health could be physiological
  • Examples: WRULDs, noise induced hearing loss or psychological e.g. stress.

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