Health and Safety Glossary
Get to know some of the most common terms of the industry with our ABCs of health and safety. Click a letter in the bar below to jump to that section.
Accident prevention is an umbrella term that focuses on the activities, plans, and steps taken by an organization to reduce the risk of accidents, or in some cases, completely eliminate it.
Acute exposure refers to excessive contact with a substance. Depending on a person’s own weight and health, exposure to different dosages may be harmful.
Asbestos has been historically used in all kinds of buildings and construction work throughout the best part of the 20th century.
ASTM International develops and publishes standards for a variety of different industries, with the overarching aim of improving performance and safety.
Behavioural safety is "the proactive identification and control of human factors that could lead to unsafe acts or conditions." In other words, it's about changing the behaviour of employees in order to create a safer work environment.
Biological hazards refer to any organism or substance that poses a threat to human health. Typically, they come from living organisms or byproducts of their activities.
The Bradley Curve, also known as the DuPont Bradley model, is a powerful tool that can be used to visualize and assess safety performance in the workplace.
Business continuity management is the process of developing a plan to ensure that your business can continue to operate in the event of an unexpected disruption.
The CE marking, also known as the Conformitè Europëenne Mark (which translates to European Conformity) is a mandatory conformity marking required in the European Union for regulating the sale of goods throughout the European Economic Area.
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 were introduced by the Health and Safety Executive and focus on the management of health, safety and the general welfare of individuals who work on construction projects.
A confined space is any space that offers limited entry and exit points, and is generally not designed to accommodate humans.
All construction projects require a Construction Phase Plan (CPP) before work begins. It's an important document for managing the project safely.
The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is a British company that offers training and qualification verification schemes that are commonly used throughout the construction industry in Britain.
Chemical identity is the concept that each chemical or substance has a distinct property that separates it from other chemicals.
“Corrosive” refers to materials which can destroy other materials they come into contact with. Most corrosives are bases, oxidizers, or acids.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are generally a mixture of chemicals that are commonly used as a refrigerant.
Chemical exposure occurs when a worker comes into contact with any substance that can cause harm to their health. These may include liquids, gases, solids, or even dusts that can be inhaled.
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has specified clear rules for shipping hazardous goods and materials.
Dynamic risk assessment (DRA) is a process for assessing risks that takes into account the constantly changing nature of the world around us.
Ergonomics is a holistic term that refers to the process of arranging a workplace in a way that makes it easy for people to use it.
An ergonomic hazard refers to any physical condition or factor found in the workplace that can cause injury or health concerns, both in the short and long term.
The ecological footprint is a method that determines how dependent humans are on natural resources.
Natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, and to anyone.
Emergencies can strike anytime and unexpectedly. Natural disasters, fires, chemical spills, and even terrorist attacks can cause situations where an immediate evacuation becomes necessary.
Electrical safety is crucial to ensure a secure and healthy working environment for employees who work with electronic equipment.
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a vital process used to determine the possible environmental effects of a proposed project and analyze ways to mitigate those effects.
EHSQ systems help businesses identify risks and take steps to mitigate them before they cause harm. An EHSQ system is a set of processes and procedures that aim to prevent workplace accidents, injuries and illnesses.
Environmental social governance, or ESG, is a set of standards for measuring the sustainability and ethical impact of businesses and organisations. In other words, it's a framework for ensuring that workplaces are doing their part to protect the environment and promote social responsibility.
Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), or commonly known as failure modes, is a method that involves evaluating various systems and components to identify how a failure might occur.
A fall arrest system is a safety system that consists of different components designed to protect workers from falls.
Accidents related to fall protection are one of the most common causes of non-fatal workplace accidents.
Flammability is a measure of how quickly a specific material is capable of catching fire and burning.
A fire safety plan is a document that outlines all aspects of fire prevention procedures, evacuation procedures, and policies for responding to a fire.
First aid is the term used for the immediate medical care provided to an individual after an injury occurs, usually at the same location where the event takes place.
A fire risk assessment is the systematic evaluation of a building, facility, or workplace to identify potential fire hazards, assess the likelihood of a fire occurring, and analyse the consequences in case a fire does break out
A hazard is defined as anything that can be a potential source of harm, or something that could have an adverse health effect on those who come into contact with it.
A health and safety audit is an assessment of a company’s systems, procedures, and policies related to employee health and safety to ensure compliance with current regulations. Such audits are carried out by independent, certified consultants.
A health hazard can mean many things, but when it comes to occupational health and safety, a health hazard simply refers to any substance or a chemical that might prove to be dangerous if exposed to individuals.
Heat exhaustion is a serious condition or illness that often manifests after an individual is exposed to extremely high temperatures. In most cases, heat exhaustion also often results in dehydration.
Hazardous waste is defined as waste that is hazardous to human health, mainly because it contains toxic chemicals or substances
The Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, also known as HAZPOWER, is a comprehensive series of guidelines that are regularly maintained by OSHA.
A hazardous event is described as any situation that leads to the creation of a hazard or exacerbates the impact of existing hazards.
Hydrofluoric acid is different from other types of acids because of the fluoride ion, which easily penetrates the skin and starts damaging body tissue.
Hazard communication is the process of identifying and communicating potential hazards and risks associated with chemicals and other hazardous materials in the workplace.
A hot work permit is a document that authorizes hot work in a controlled manner. The permit provides a systematic process that identifies and controls potential hazards from hot work.
Hazardous waste management is an essential but often overlooked aspect of environmental health and safety.
Hazardous materials are substances, materials, and products that can pose a risk to human health, safety, and the environment.
Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) is a multidisciplinary approach designed to manage and control workplace hazards, environmental risks, and employee well-being.
The HSEQ management system encompasses various policies, procedures, and protocols designed to address a wide range of issues, such as employee well-being, waste management, incident reporting, and quality control, among others.
An incident is described as a situation or an occurrence during the course of work that could result in an injury, illness, affliction, or prove to be fatal. Investigating such incidents and accurately reporting them is critically important.
Inhalation is the process by which other gases or air enter your lungs. Inhalation is a vital process in breathing that is critical for sustaining life.
The material safety data sheet provides handlers and employees with relevant information about the materials and what they can be exposed to.
Maintenance, repair, and operations, or MRO, includes all the activities performed by the facility to ensure that all equipment remains in good condition.
Management of change (MOC) is a method designed to deal with change in an organization, primarily in fast-paced entities such as industrial facilities.
Manual handling is a crucial aspect of many jobs, particularly in industrial workplaces, warehouses, construction sites, and healthcare facilities.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a set of disorders that cause serious pain, mainly in the musculoskeletal system, including the nerves, tendons, and the muscles. These disorders occur due to the excessive use of muscles over time.
A mutagen is defined as any chemical or physical agent that has the ability to permanently alter a victim’s DNA. This can lead to harmful consequences, often increasing the rate at which cells mutate, and usually causes some form of cancer.
A near miss is defined by the HSE as any event that doesn’t lead to harm but does have the potential to cause illness or injury.
A person’s ability to hear is one of five major senses. Hearing loss therefore, even minimal, can have a major impact on a person’s quality of life.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor.
Occupational health and safety (OHS) is an area of public medicine that primarily focuses on the safety, health, and welfare of employees at work.
An occupational illness is defined as a chronic illness or disease that is caused primarily due to exposure to a workplace hazard.
Occupational health (OH) primarily focuses on maintaining the physical, mental, and the social health of employees in different occupations.
Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) are guidelines developed by regulatory bodies to promote worker safety and prevent the harmful effects of chemical exposure in the workplace.
Permit to Work systems are commonly used in the Health and Safety industry and are designed to mitigate the risks of safety in high-risk tasks. In the following article, we discuss what a Permit to Work system is, why it’s important, and how it helps mitigate risk in the workplace.
Portable appliance testing (PAT) is a common term that refers to the inspection and examination of electrical machinery and equipment to determine if they are operating at maximum effectiveness and if they are safe to use.
A personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) is a dedicated plan for an individual who may require assistance or support to evacuate from the premises in case an emergency arises.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a term that defines any piece of clothing or equipment that’s worn by employees to minimize exposure to biological, chemical, or any physical hazards on the worksite.
Preventive maintenance (PM) is the routine maintenance of different assets, equipment and machinery to ensure smooth operations and reduce any unplanned equipment failures.
Polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs for short, are a category of synthetic organic chemicals that contain hydrogen, chlorine, and carbon atoms.
Process safety management is a vital element of employee and environmental protection in industrial processes.
If you are a part of an Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) team or a manager in your organization responsible for implementing EHS management systems, you may have come across the term “PDCA.”
The foundation of a successful and thriving business lies in an organization's ability to consistently deliver high-quality products and services.
Quality, Health, Safety, and Environment (QHSE) management is a critical aspect of any successful organization, ensuring that the different aspects of your business function together efficiently, responsibly, and safely.
RIDDOR, or the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, is health and safety law in the UK. It requires companies and all those deemed ‘responsible persons’ to both report and maintain records of any workplace accidents or work-related injury.
Risk-based inspection is a business process that’s used to examine equipment, ranging from pressure vessels to the pipes used in industrial plants.
In terms of Health & Safety, risk management refers to identifying workplace hazards and outlining the steps to be taken to eliminate or mitigate them.
REACH, which is an acronym for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals, is a regulation of the European Union from 2007.
Risk is defined as the possibility of a hazard actually causing harm. Risk refers to the uncertainty that something may result in a loss or injury.
Repetitive strain injuries (RSI), also known as repetitive stress injuries, are injuries that occur due to the gradual decline of muscle tissue, tendons, and the nerves caused by performing repeated strain.
A risk assessment matrix is essentially a table that contains different levels of severity and likelihood of potential hazards.
When it comes to ensuring the safety and well-being of employees in the workplace, particularly those in high-risk industries, a comprehensive understanding of all the necessary precautions and procedures is undeniably crucial.
EHS (Environment, Health and Safety) professionals play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of young workers in the workplace while also fostering their growth and development, especially in high-risk workplaces.
Safety Analysis Risk Assessment (SARA) is a powerful tool for reducing risk in the workplace. Safety is widely regarded as a joint responsibility of the employees and the management.
A safety instrumented system (SIS) is a system that contains control elements, sensors, and logic solvers to monitor parameters and values of processes within a plant and ensure that they remain within defined limits.
A safety management system (SMS) is the framework or management approach taken by an organization to mitigate and control safety risk in the workplace.
Mitigating safety risks in the workplace is the employer’s responsibility. Whether you own a business or are the manager of a plant in a company, it’s important to take proper actions to mitigate safety risks.
Safety compliance is defined as an ongoing process of complying with the health and safety standards established by regulatory legislators and bodies.
Severity is the degree of hardness of a specific thing. Severity indicates just how serious or harsh the effects of an incident can be.
A scissor lift is a commonly used piece of equipment often found on construction sites: An aerial platform with a lifting mechanism attached to it.
A solvent is any substance, usually liquid, which is capable of dissolving one or several substances, thus creating a solution.
A safety audit is a process through which businesses collect information about the company’s overall safety culture and protocols.
At its most basic level, safety equipment is any device or tool that is designed to protect workers from injury or illness.
Workplace safety is at the top of every employer's list of priorities, and for a good reason.
A safety PLC, also known as a safety programmable logic controller, is used to control machinery and equipment, and is designed to automate industrial processes.
A stress risk assessment is a detailed evaluation of different sources of stress in the workplace. Employers often conduct an assessment to determine if they can mitigate these risks to provide a safer working environment.
Working at heights refers to any work that is done above ground level, such as on a roof or up a ladder. It can also refer to work done near edges, such as working on scaffolding or putting up signage.
A workplace accident, also commonly known as an occupational accident, is an unforeseen event in the workplace that results in an injury to an employee.
Workplace stress can be defined as the mental and emotional response of the body when employees feel that they are under significant pressure due to their workplace conditions.