Color-Coded Safety Glossary

First Aid/CPR - Health/Well-being - Home and Workplace Safety - Lifeguarding/Water Safety - Swimming/Aquatics

A-B C-D E-F G-H I-J K-L M-N O-P Q-R S-T U-V W-X-Y-Z

K

K valve

A simple valve found on scuba tanks designed to regulate air flow using an on/off knob.

keel

A beam around which the hull of a ship is built. The keel runs in the middle of the ship, from the bow to the stern, and serves as a basic foundation or spine of the structure, providing the major source of structural strength of the hull.

ketoacidosis

A serious complication of diabetes that occurs when your body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones. The condition develops when your body can’t produce enough insulin. Insulin normally plays a key role in helping sugar (glucose)—a major source of energy for your muscles and other tissues—enter your cells. Without enough insulin, your body begins to break down fat as fuel. This process produces a buildup of acids in the bloodstream, eventually leading to diabetic ketoacidosis if untreated.

The signs and symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis often develop quickly, sometimes within 24 hours. For some, these signs and symptoms may be the first sign of having diabetes. They include:

Excessive thirst
Frequent urination
Nausea and vomiting
Abdominal pain
Weakness or fatigue
Shortness of breath
Fruity-scented breath
Confusion

More-specific signs of diabetic ketoacidosis, which can be detected through home blood and urine testing kits, include:

High blood sugar level (hyperglycemia)
High ketone levels in your urine

knot

A method of fastening or securing linear material such as rope by tying or interweaving. It may consist of a length of one or several segments of rope, string, webbing, twine, strap, or even chain interwoven such that the line can bind to itself or to some other object (the “load”).

knot (unit)

A unit of speed equal to 1 nautical mile per hour. This is about 1.151 mph or 1.852 km per hour.

L

labor

The birth process, beginning with the dilation of the cervix and contractions of the uterus (stage 1) and continuing with the birth of the baby (stage 2) and the expulsion of the placenta (stage 3). Some authorities include a fourth stage: the stabilization and recovery of the mother. For a great web site on pregnancy, labor, and motherhood, check out BabyCenter.com.

laceration

A wound caused by the slicing, cutting, or tearing of soft body tissue. This type of wound is often irregular, jagged, and contaminated with bacteria and debris from whatever object caused the cut.

laryngospasm

A brief spasm of the vocal cords that temporarily makes it difficult to speak or breathe. The onset of vocal cord spasms is usually sudden, and the breathing difficulty can be alarming. However, the problem is not life-threatening, and it’s generally brief and self-correcting.

Laryngospasm can occur when a drowning victim begins to swallow water. As soon as the voice box or the area of the windpipe below the voice box detect the entry of water or other substance, the vocal folds spasm shut. Evolutionarily speaking, this works very well to keep water out of the lungs—if you start to drown or a bug flies down your throat while you were starting to inhale, or you inhale that glass of water—then the vocal cords very immediately and very effectively close.

larynx

The voice box.

lateral

To the side of, or away from, the middle of the body. The opposite of medial.

LDL

Low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol). When too much LDL circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances, it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms from the rupture of plaque in the wall of a blood vessel, the clot can blocks or narrow blood flow in tpersonal flotation device (PFD) approved by the United States Coast Guard for use during activities in, on or around water.

leading arm

When a swimmer’s arms work in opposition, the arm reaching farthest beyond the head. For the sidestroke, the leading arm is the bottom arm extended out beyond the head during the glide phase of the stroke.

lesion

A region in an organ or tissue that has suffered damage through injury or disease, such as a wound, ulcer, abscess, tumor, etc.

lethargy

A state of inactivity, sluggishness, or excessive drowsiness.

leveling off

An important safety skill in which the swimmer moves from a vertical position in the water to horizontal for swimming on the front or back. Also known as changing position.

life before limb

An axiom used as a general way to prioritize first aid care by recommending that life-threatening conditions take priority over less serious injuries. “Life over limb” is often given as an answer to the situation where a nonbreathing, pulseless victim in the water is also suspected of having a spinal injury. The use of this axiom in this case suggests that quick removal of the victim so that CPR can be started takes priority over taking the time to place the victim on a backboard and to remove the victim carefully from the water. Many lifeguard teams have a “quick out” protocol for handling nonbreathing, pulseless victims that are suspected of having a spinal injury.

life jacket

A wearable personal flotation device (PFD) approved by the United States Coast Guard for use during activities in, on, or around water. Wearable life jacket types are Types I (off shore), II (near shore), III (flotation aid), and V (special use); Type IV are throwable devices like the ring buoy or seat cushion.

Modern life jackets are available in a wide variety of shapes, colors, and sizes. Many are thin and flexible. Some are built right into fishing vests or hunter coats. Others are inflatable — as compact as a scarf or fanny pack until they hit water, when they automatically fill with air.

For more information about life jackets, go to the USCG website. Click here for a US Coast Guard brochure on selecting the right life jacket.

lifesaving-ringbuoy 222 — Life ring (aka ring buoy)

life ring

Another name for a ring buoy, a rescue device used to make throwing assists to victims in deep water.

lifeguard

An expert swimmer trained in water rescue skills, CPR, and first aid and employed to watch over other swimmers, as at a beach or swimming pool.

Lifeguards are employed throughout the United States and around the world at swimming pools, water parks, beaches, and waterfront facilities. Their presence is often mandated by national, state, or local regulations.

In the United States, ocean lifeguarding is administered by the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA). Lifeguards are swimming pools, nonsurf waterfronts, and waterparks are certified by the following organizations: American Red Cross, YMCA of the USA, Ellis & Associates IASRMC, Starfish Aquatics Institute, National Aquatic Safety Company (NASCO), Boy Scouts of America, American lifeguard Association, and others.

Internationally, there is an International Life Saving Federation with a certification program, and there are national programs that cover surf lifeguarding and aquatics facility lifesaving. Examples include:

lifeguard competitions

Contests designed to evaluate the skills and knowledge of lifeguards and lifeguard teams who compete against each other.

lifeguard team

A group of two or more lifeguards that work at the same facility and train together or that are on duty at a facility at the same time. The lifeguard team makes it possible to have zone coverage, rotation and breaks, backup coverage during rescues, support and teamwork during emergencies and first aid administration, etc.

lift

(1) The force of the springboard pushing the diver into the air, or (2) a minor propulsive force in swimming caused by a speeding up of water molecules around the hand on the side opposite to that experiencing drag forces.

light duty

A temporary change to a person’s duties or job assignment to accommodate work restrictions.

lipoprotein

Lipoprotein is a lipid surrounded by a protein; the protein allows the lipid to travel in the blood. Cholesterol is transported through the blood by lipoproteins.

liquid soap

A cleansing agent in liquid form, usually dispensed by a pump. Liquid soap dispensers should be available in the locker rooms at public swimming pools so swimmers can properly shower before entering the pool and wash hands after using the rest room.

litigation

The process of bringing or contesting a lawsuit.

longshore drift

A current at the beach that runs parallel to the shore.

loss

Personal injury, death, or asset damage/destruction.

low blood pressure

Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 (systolic pressure is 120 AND diastolic pressure is less than 80). Within certain limits, the lower your blood pressure, the better. There is no specific number at which day-to-day blood pressure is considered too low, as long as no symptoms of trouble are present. Most doctors consider chronically low blood pressure dangerous only if it causes noticeable signs and symptoms, such as dizziness or light-headedness, fainting, dehydration, lack of concentration and blurred vision. Severely low blood pressure can indicate a serious heart, endocrine or neurological disorder.

lumen

The open space within a tube-shaped body part, such as a blood vessel. Blood flows through the lumen.

Lyme disease

A bacterial infection spread through the bite of blacklegged ticks. The blacklegged tick (or deer tick, Ixodes scapularis) spreads the disease in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central United States. The western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) spreads the disease on the Pacific Coast. An estimated 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease every year.

Ticks can attach to any part of the human body but are often found in hard-to-see areas such as the groin, armpits, and scalp. In most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before Lyme disease bacteria can be transmitted.

Most humans are infected through the bites of immature ticks called nymphs. Nymphs are tiny-less than 8/100 of an inch (2 mm)-and difficult to see; they feed during the spring and summer months. Adult ticks can also transmit Lyme disease bacteria, but they are much larger and are more likely to be discovered and removed before they have had time to transmit the bacteria. Adult Ixodes ticks are most active during the cooler months of the year.

Early signs and symptoms of untreated Lyme disease include:

Fever
Headache
Fatigue
Characteristic “bull’s-eye” skin rash called erythema migrans

Later signs and symptoms include:

Severe headaches and neck stiffness
Rashes on other parts of the body
Severe joint pain and swelling
Loss of muscle tone on one or both sides of the face
Heart palpitations or an irregular heart beat
Episodes of dizziness and shortness of breath
Nerve pain
Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands and feet
Problems with short-term memory

To learn more about Lyme disease, go to Lyme Disease on the CDC website and LymeDisease.org. There is also medical information about Lyme disease on the Mayo Clinic and WebMD websites.

lymph

The almost colorless fluid that travels through the lymphatic system, carrying white blood cells that help fight infection and disease.

lymph node

Any of the oval-shaped organs of the lymphatic system, distributed widely throughout the body including the armpit and stomach and linked by lymphatic vessels. Lymph nodes are major sites of B, T, and other immune cells. Lymph nodes are important for the proper functioning of the immune system, acting as filters for foreign particles and cancer cells. Lymph nodes do not deal with toxicity, which is primarily dealt with by the liver and kidneys.

Lymph nodes also have clinical significance. They become inflamed or enlarged in various infections and diseases which may range from trivial throat infections, to life-threatening cancers. The condition of the lymph nodes is very important in cancer staging, which decides the treatment to be used, and determines the prognosis. When swollen, inflamed or enlarged, lymph nodes can be hard, firm or tender.

lymphatic system

A network of organs, nodes, ducts, and vessels that produce and carry lymph from these tissues to the bloodstream.