Tree work words: heat, noise, vibration and injury reporting

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. The words below come up in heat rules, noise and vibration limits and injury reporting. Each meaning is written in our own words from the page named in its row, and none of the pages is written only for tree work. A word that no agency page defined is left out.

Words for gear and protective clothing are on tree work words: safety and PPE. The full list is the glossary.

Heat words

Term	Meaning and source
Acclimatization	CCOHS defines it as the body changes that follow several days of heat exposure and make it accustomed to a hot environment. The same fact sheet links heat edema and heat syncope mostly to people who are not acclimatized. Source: CCOHS, Hot Environments, Health Effects and First Aid
Heat strain	CCOHS: the body's physical and behavioural responses to heat exposure. Its separate term, heat stress, is the overall heat load from body heat, the environment and clothing. Source: CCOHS, Hot Environments, Health Effects and First Aid
Heat edema	CCOHS: swelling that generally occurs in people not used to working in heat, most noticeable in the ankles. Source: CCOHS, Hot Environments, Health Effects and First Aid
Heat syncope	CCOHS: heat-induced dizziness and fainting from a temporary shortage of blood flow to the brain, most often among people who are not acclimatized. It also says vigorous activity for two hours or more before the faint can cause it. Source: CCOHS, Hot Environments, Health Effects and First Aid
Wet bulb globe temperature, WBGT	CCOHS calls it the most used workplace measure of overall heat load. It is worked out from a formula that takes in air temperature, air movement, radiant heat, sunshine and cooling from sweat evaporation. Direct-reading meters, often called heat stress analyzers, give the figure without a calculation. Source: CCOHS, Hot Environments, Assessment and Control Measures
Humidex	CCOHS: a number that says how hot people feel in hot, humid weather, intended for the general public. Environment Canada uses it. CCOHS says WBGT values are not the same as humidex values, and its table puts 46 and over in the band marked dangerous, with heat stroke possible. Source: CCOHS, Humidex Rating and Work; CCOHS, Hot Environments, Assessment and Control Measures

Noise and vibration words

Term	Meaning and source
Noise-induced hearing loss	HSE says it is preventable but permanent: once hearing has gone it will not come back, and high noise can do permanent damage without the person noticing until too late. Source: HSE, Noise-induced hearing loss
Tinnitus	HSE names it as a result of high noise exposure: ringing in the ears. Deafness is the other outcome it names. Source: HSE, Noise-induced hearing loss
Hearing conservation program	OSHA lists its main elements under the noise standard as exposure monitoring, audiometric testing, hearing protection and training. Source: OSHA, Occupational Noise Exposure, Overview
Hand-arm vibration syndrome, HAVS	HSE's name for the combined damage from long-term hand-arm vibration: harm to blood circulation, nerves and muscles in the hand and the tendons in the wrist, including carpal tunnel syndrome. Source: HSE, Hand-arm Vibration in Forestry and Arboriculture
Vibration white finger	HSE: the form of vibration damage many have heard of, in which blood circulation in the fingers is affected by vibration exposure. Source: HSE, Hand-arm Vibration in Forestry and Arboriculture
Exposure action value, exposure limit value	In the UK Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, HSE gives the daily exposure action value as 2.5 metres per second squared A(8) and the exposure limit value as 5 metres per second squared A(8). Exposure above the limit value is prohibited. Source: HSE, Hand-arm Vibration in Forestry and Arboriculture

Reporting and skin words

Term	Meaning and source
RIDDOR	HSE's short name for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. HSE's page sorts reportable incidents into specified injuries to workers, reportable occupational diseases, exposure to carcinogens, mutagens and biological agents, and dangerous occurrences. Source: HSE, RIDDOR; HSE, Reportable incidents
Urushiol	NIOSH: the oil that poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac release when the plant is damaged or burned. It reaches skin by direct contact or on tools and clothing, and burning plants can send particles into the air. NIOSH names forestry workers among the workers at risk. Source: CDC NIOSH, Poisonous Plants and Work

Reading these sources

CCOHS is the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Its fact sheets quote the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists for the heat stress definition, so exposure limits in Canada differ by jurisdiction. HSE is the British regulator, and the vibration values are those of UK regulations. OSHA and NIOSH are the American regulator and its research institute. The rules by place are on heat rules for outdoor work and reporting injuries by country.