EHS glossary>Safety term

The Definition of Duty of Care

Duty of care is the legal and ethical obligation of an employer to take reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of workers.

Plain-English definition

Real-world example

Definition of Duty of Care

The legal and ethical obligation of an employer to take reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of workers.

Example of Duty of Care

Providing proper training and PPE before assigning a worker to a hazardous task.

Part of SafetyIQ's EHS glossary: plain-English definitions of workplace health and safety terms.

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The Definition of Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)

A permissible exposure limit (PEL) is OSHA's legally enforceable maximum amount of a chemical or physical agent a worker may be exposed to, usually as an 8-hour average.

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The Definition of Young Worker Safety

Young worker safety covers the training, supervision, and legal job restrictions that protect employees under 18 from workplace hazards.

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The Definition of Zoonotic Disease

A zoonotic disease is an illness that can pass from animals to humans, a hazard for workers in agriculture, veterinary care, labs, and meat processing.

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The Definition of Welding Fume

Welding fume is the mixture of fine metal particles and gases produced when metal is heated above its boiling point during welding, which can cause lung disease, nerve damage and cancer.

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The Definition of Assigned Protection Factor (APF)

An assigned protection factor (APF) is the protection a respirator class is expected to give when properly used, such as 10 for a half mask.

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