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Unit: Working sustainably

Supporting: MSAENV272B Participate in environmentally sustainable work practices

Glossary

Some words have strict technical meanings. Other words can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context they are used in. The following definitions provide the meanings of particular words used in the context of working in the manufacturing industry in an environmentally sustainable way.

Term

Definition

Benchmark

A standard or point of reference.

Code of practice

Technical document providing guidance on how to comply with the law in a particular activity.

Consumable

A product or material that is used up during the process of making a product or carrying out an activity.

Contaminant

Any substance that may cause environmental damage or harm someone's health.

Dangerous goods

Substances classified by WorkCover as being 'dangerous' because of their potential to cause fires or explosions.

Due diligence

Carrying out the company's activities according to an acceptable standard of care.

Duty of care

Legal principle that requires a person or organisation to take care so that they do not cause harm to people or the environment.

Ecosystem

A community of plants, animals and other organisms living together in the natural environment.

Greenhouse gas

Any gas that tends to trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to the 'greenhouse effect'.

Hazardous substance

Substance listed by WorkCover as being a potential risk to safety or health.

Infrastructure

The buildings, machines and facilities that allow a business to operate.

Material safety data sheet (MSDS)

Summary of the properties of a hazardous chemical or product, and information on storage, handling and emergency controls.

Natural resources

Materials occurring in nature that can be used to make things or provide power.

'Non-process' energy

Energy used to support the process of manufacturing a product or carrying out an activity, but not directly related to the immediate process itself.

Pesticide

Poisonous substance used to destroy insects.

Pollution

Contaminants that can damage air quality, water quality or other natural system in the environment.

'Process' energy

Energy used directly in the process of manufacturing a product or carrying out an activity.

Ready-reckoner

A list that can be referred to quickly for information.

Regulation

Legislation passed by parliament to provide details on how to implement the requirements of an Act of Parliament.

Resource

Any material or energy source that goes into producing an item or achieving some other outcome.

Solvent

Chemical product that can dissolve other liquids, solids or gases - used in products such as paint thinners, cleaning agents and glues.

Sustainability

Working in a way that maintains a balance between using resources for current needs and conserving resources for future needs.

Turbid

Muddiness of water.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Chemical compounds that can evaporate into the air and cause serious environmental problems and chronic health conditions.