Mucous Membrane: membrane that lines the body cavities and canals that lead to the outside (ie: eyes, mouth, inside the nose). The membranes function is to stop pathogens and dirt from entering the body and to prevent bodily tissues from becoming dehydrated.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID): an organization that supports research to understand, treat and ultimately prevent infectious diseases.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): The federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related disease and injury.

Non-contact Vehicle Transmission: Occurs when an infection spreads from a contaminated source to the individual. Often the contaminate is ingested.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Labor responsible for enforcing national safety and health standards.

OPIM: other potentially infectious material

Pandemic: widespread across the whole country or the world.

Parenteral: taken or administered in a manner other than through the digestive tract (ie: through intravenous or intramuscular injection).

Pathogen: Bacteria, virus or other microorganism that can cause disease.

Pathogenicity: Refers to the ability of an organism to cause disease.

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL): Exposure guidelines set by OSHA for airborne concentrations of regulated substances that set limits upon a worker’s inhalation exposure.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): includes gloves, protective clothing, hard hats, safety glasses, safety footwear and respirators.

PPM: Parts per million

Prophylaxis: prevention of disease.

Psychosocial Hazards: affect the workers emotional or psychological well-being. These hazards may relate to the way work is conducted and managed, the nature of the work, or social context. These hazards are often linked to workplace stress, absenteeism, difficulties at home and even workplace violence.

Pulmonary Function Test (PFT): a diagnostic test that is used in conjunction with a medical exam to determine physical fitness of the respirators wearer’s upper body systems, including lung and heart functions.

Respirator: a piece of protective equipment that is designed to protect you from exposures through inhalation.

Risks: The chance or probability that a person will be harmed or experience an adverse health effect if exposed to a hazard at work.

RMW: Regulated medical waste

Routes of Transmission: The different ways diseases are spread