CCOHS: NJHSFS - Definitions
 
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 New Jersey Hazardous Substance Fact Sheets - Definitions

Technical terms and acronyms used in this Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet are defined to clarify the information on the fact sheet.

ACGIH
is the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. It recommends upper limits (called TLVs) for exposure to workplace chemicals.
carcinogen
A carcinogen is a substance that causes cancer.
CAS number
The CAS number is assigned by the Chemical Abstracts Service to identify a specific chemical.
combustable substance
A combustible substance is a solid, liquid or gas that will burn.
corrosive substance
A corrosive substance is a gas, liquid or solid that causes irreversible damage to human tissue or containers.
DEP
DEP is the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
DOT
DOT is the Department of Transportation, the federal agency that regulates the transportation of chemicals.
EPA
EPA is the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal agency responsible for regulating environmental hazards.
fetus
A fetus is an unborn human or animal.
flammable substance
A flammable substance is a solid, liquid, vapor or gas that will ignite easily and burn rapidly.
flash point
The flash point is the temperature at which a liquid or solid gives off vapor that can form a flammable mixture with air.
HHAG
HHAG is the Human Health Assessment Group of the federal EPA.
IARC
IARC is the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a scientific group that classifies chemicals according to their cancer-causing potential.
miscible substance
A miscible substance is a liquid or gas that will evenly dissolve in another.
mg/m3
mg/m3 means milligrams of a chemical in a cubic meter of air. It is a measure of concentration (weight/volume).
MSHA
MSHA is the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency that regulates mining. It also evaluates and approves respirators.
mutagen
A mutagen is a substance that causes mutations. A mutation is a change in the genetic material in a body cell. Mutations can lead to birth defects, miscarriages, or cancer.
NCI
NCI is the National Cancer Institute, a federal agency that determines the cancer-causing potential of chemicals.
NFPA
NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. It classifies substances according to their fire and explosion hazard.
NIOSH
NIOSH is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It tests equipment, evaluates and approves respirators, conducts studies of workplace hazards, and proposes standards to OSHA.
NTP
NTP is the National Toxicology Program which tests chemicals and reviews evidence for cancer.
OSHA
OSHA is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which adopts and enforces health and safety standards in private workplaces.
ppm
ppm means parts of a substance per million parts of air. It is a measure of concentration by volume in air.
reactive substance
A reactive substances is a solid, liquid or gas that releases energy suddenly under certain conditions.
teratogen
A teratogen is a substance that causes birth defects by damaging the fetus.
TLV
TLV is the Threshold Limit Value, the workplace exposure limit recommended by ACGIH.
vapor pressure
The vapor pressure is a measure of how readily a liquid or a solid mixes with air at its surface. A higher vapor pressure indicates a higher concentration of the substance in air and therefore increases the likelihood of breathing it in.

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