Glossaries

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Glossary of safety and health terms

Act	The Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. (84 Stat. 1590 et seq., 29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.)
Action level	The exposure level (concentration in the air) at which OSHA regulations to protect employees take effect. Exposure at or above action level is termed occupational exposure.
Acute effect	An adverse effect on the human body with symptoms of high severity coming quickly to a crisis.
Acute exposure	An exposure to a toxic substance which occurs in a short or single time period.
Acute toxicity	Acute effects resulting from a single dose of, or exposure to, a substance. Originally used to denote effects in experimental animals.
Adjacent spaces	When describing confined space, those spaces bordering a subject space in all directions, including all points of contact, corners, diagonals, decks, tank tops, and bulkheads.
Aerosol	A solid particle or liquid droplet suspended in the air. An aerosol is larger than a molecule and can be filtered from the air.
Affected employee	An employee who works in an area in which energy control procedures are implemented, as in lockout/tagout. An affected employee and an authorized employee may be the same person.
Applied load	The working loads to which mechanical equipment are subjected when lifting and/or moving lines or other materials.
Area director	The employee or officer regularly or temporarily in charge of an Area Office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, or any other person or persons who are authorized to act for such employee or officer.
Article	As used in the Hazard Communication standard, an article is a manufactured item other than a fluid or particle: (i) which is formed to a specific shape or design during manufacture; (ii) which has end use function(s) dependent in whole or in part upon its shape or design during end use; and (iii) which under normal conditions of use does not release more than very small quantities, e.g., minute or trace amounts of a hazardous chemical, and does not pose a physical hazard or health risk to employees.
Asphyxiant	A gas that is essentially non-toxic, but can cause unconsciousness or death by lowering the concentration of oxygen in the air or by totally replacing the oxygen in breathing air.
Authorized person	One to whom the authority and responsibility to perform a specific assignment has been given by the employer.
Auto-ignition temperature	Temperature at which a material will self-ignite and sustain combustion without an outside ignition source.
Biomechanical stressor	The physical conditions of a workstation, tool setup, and work processes that place stress on the body.
Carcinogen	A substance capable of causing cancer.
Carpal tunnel	An anatomic feature in the wrist formed by the wrist bones and the trans-carpal ligament through which the median nerve and the nine digital flexor tendons pass.
Carpal tunnel syndrome	A repetitive motion injury caused by the compression and entrapment of the median nerve where it passes through the wrist into the hand — in the carpal tunnel.
CAS number	A CAS number is used to accurately identify chemicals through the use of a unique Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry number.
Ceiling limit	The maximum amount of a toxic substance allowed being in workroom air at any time during the day.
Certified Industrial Hygienist	A certification awarded by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene to individuals meeting established criteria.
Certified Safety Professional®	A certification awarded by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals to individuals meeting established criteria.
Chemical pneumonitis	Inflammation of the lungs caused by accumulation of fluids due to chemical irritation.
Chronic effect	An adverse effect on the human body with symptoms that develop slowly over a long period of time or which recur frequently.
Chronic exposure	Long-term contact with a substance.
Combustible	Able to catch on fire and burn.
Compliance safety and health officer	A person trained and authorized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor to conduct inspections.
Confined space	A space that: (1) Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; (2) Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit; and (3) Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.
Conjunctivitis	Inflammation of the conjunctiva, the delicate membrane that lines the eyelids and covers the eyeballs.
Cumulative trauma disorder	(CTD) A disorder of the musculoskeletal and nervous system that may be caused or aggravated by repetitive motions, forceful exertions, vibration, mechanical compressions, sustained or awkward postures, or by exposure to noise over extended periods of time.
Dangerous atmosphere	An atmosphere that may expose employees to the risk of death, incapacitation, impairment of ability to self-rescue, injury, or acute illness.
De minimus	Violations of existing OSHA standards which have no direct or immediate relationship to safety or health. Such violations of the OSHA standards result in no penalty and no requirement for abatement.
Dyspnea	A sense of difficulty in breathing; shortness of breath.
Emergency action plan	A plan for a workplace, or parts thereof, describing what procedures the employer and employees must take to ensure employee safety from fire or other emergencies.
Emergency release	An emergency spill or release refers to the after effects of an unintended release of hazardous, toxic, or explosive substances.
Employee	A person who is employed in a business of an employer which affects commerce.
Employer	A person engaged in a business affecting commerce who has employees, but does not include the United States or any State or political subdivision of a State.
Energy-isolating device	Any mechanical device that physically prevents the transmission or release of energy. These include, but are not limited to, manually-operated electrical circuit breakers, disconnect switches, line valves, and blocks.
Exit route	A continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel from any point within a workplace to a place of safety (including refuge areas). An exit route consists of three parts: the exit access; the exit; and the exit discharge. (An exit route includes all vertical and horizontal areas along the route.)
Extremely hazardous substance	Any one of over 300 hazardous chemicals on a list compiled by EPA to provide a focus for State and local emergency planning activities.
First aid	For the purposes of 29 CFR 1904, “first aid” means: (A) Using a non-prescription medication at nonprescription strength (for medications available in both prescription and non-prescription form, a recommendation by a physician or other licensed health care professional to use a non-prescription medication at prescription strength is considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes); (B) Administering tetanus immunizations (other immunizations, such as Hepatitis B vaccine or rabies vaccine, are considered medical treatment); (C) Cleaning, flushing or soaking wounds on the surface of the skin; (D) Using wound coverings such as bandages, Band-Aids®, gauze pads, etc.; or using butterfly bandages or Steri-Strips™ (other wound closing devices such as sutures, staples, etc., are considered medical treatment); (E) Using hot or cold therapy; (F) Using any non-rigid means of support, such as elastic bandages, wraps, non-rigid back belts, etc. (devices with rigid stays or other systems designed to immobilize parts of the body are considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes); (G) Using temporary immobilization devices while transporting an accident victim (e.g., splints, slings, neck collars, back boards, etc.); (H) Drilling of a fingernail or toenail to relieve pressure, or draining fluid from a blister; (I) Using eye patches; (J) Removing foreign bodies from the eye using only irrigation or a cotton swab; (K) Removing splinters or foreign material from areas other than the eye by irrigation, tweezers, cotton swabs or other simple means; (L) Using finger guards; (M) Using massages (physical therapy or chiropractic treatment are considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes); (N) Drinking fluids for relief ofheat stress.
Flammable liquid	As defined in OSHA’s 1910.106 standard, a flammable liquid means any liquid having a flashpoint at or below 199.4°F (93°C). Flammable liquids are divided into four categories.
Flashpoint	The minimum temperature at which a liquid gives off vapor within a test vessel in sufficient concentration to form an ignitable mixture with air near the surface of the liquid.
Floor hole	An opening measuring less than 12 inches but more than one inch in its least dimension, in any floor, platform, pavement, or yard, through which materials but not persons may fall; such as a belt hole, pipe opening, or slot opening.
Floor opening	An opening measuring 12 inches or more in its least dimension, in any floor, platform, pavement, or yard through which persons may fall; such as a hatchway, stair or ladder opening, pit, or large manhole. Floor openings occupied by elevators, dumb waiters, conveyors, machinery, or containers are excluded from this subpart.
General Duty Clause	Section 5.a.1 of the OSH Act which states, “Each employer shall furnish to each ... employee ... employment and a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to ... employees.”
Guard	A barrier that prevents entry of the operator’s hands or fingers into the point of operation.
Hazard not otherwise classified (HNOC)	As defined in OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard, a “Hazard not otherwise classified (HNOC)” means an adverse physical or health effect identified through evaluation of scientific evidence during the classification process that does not meet the specified criteria for the physical and health hazard classes addressed in 1910.1200. This does not extend coverage to adverse physical and health effects for which there is a hazard class addressed in 1910.1200, but the effect either falls below the cut-off value/concentration limit of the hazard class or is under a GHS hazard category that has not been adopted by OSHA (e.g., acute toxicity Category 5).
HAZWOPER	Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response, regulated under 1910.120.
Healthcare professional	Physicians (PHCPs) or other licensed healthcare professionals (LHCPs) with the appropriate license, registration or certificate that allows them to provide a relevant opinion.
Health hazard	A chemical which is classified as posing one of the following hazardous effects: acute toxicity (any route of exposure); skin corrosion or irritation; serious eye damage or eye irritation; respiratory or skin sensitization; germ cell mutagenicity; carcinogenicity; reproductive toxicity; specific target organ toxicity (single or repeated exposure); or aspiration hazard. The criteria for determining whether a chemical is classified as a health hazard are detailed in Appendix A to 1910.1200—Health Hazard Criteria.
Immediate release area	The area, process, or machine which is creating the hazardous spill.
Incidental release	An “incidental release” is a release of a hazardous substance which does not pose a significant safety or health hazard to employees in the immediate vicinity or to the worker cleaning it up, nor does it have the potential to become an emergency.
Inspection	Any inspection of an employer’s factory, plant, establishment, construction site, or other area, workplace or environment where work is performed by an employee of an employer, and includes any inspection conducted pursuant to a complaint filed under 1903.11(a) and (c), any re-inspection, follow-up inspection, accident investigation or other inspection conducted under section 8(a) of the Act.
Ischemia	Insufficient blood flow to an area, resulting in lack of oxygen and nutrients for tissue to function properly.
Ladder	A ladder is an appliance usually consisting of two side rails joined at regular intervals by cross-pieces called steps, rungs, or cleats, on which a person may step in ascending or descending.
Lockout/tagout	Procedures using an energy isolating device which prevents machinery from energizing and/or a tag that alerts employees about the need for equipment to not be started.
Lost workdays	The number of calendar days (consecutive or not) after, but not including, the day of the injury or illness during which the employee was unable to work, whether or not the employee was scheduled to work.
Lower flammable limit	The minimum concentration of gas or vapor in air below which it is not possible to ignite the vapors.
Medical treatment	Includes treatment administered by physician or by registered professional personnel under the standing orders of a physician. Medical treatment does not include first aid treatment even though provided by a physician or registered professional personnel.
Musculoskeletal disorder	(MSD) An illness of the soft tissues of the upper extremities, shoulders, neck, back, hips, legs or feet and toes cause primarily by workplace risk factors, such as sustained or repeated exertions or awkward postures and manipulations.
Nephrotoxin	A substance that causes injury to the kidneys.
Neurotoxin	A material that affects the nerve cells and may produce emotional or behavioral abnormalities.
Occupational exposure limits	Maximum allowable concentrations of toxic substances in workroom air to protect workers who are exposed to toxic substances over a working lifetime.
Odor threshold	The lowest concentration of a substance’s vapor, in air, that can be smelled.
Paresthesias	An abnormal sensation of tingling and numbness.
Percent volatile	The percentage of a chemical that will evaporate at ordinary temperatures. A high volatile percentage may mean there is more risk of explosion, or that dangerous fumes can be released. Evaporation rates are a better measure of the danger than the percent volatile measure.
Physical hazard	A chemical that is classified as posing one of the following hazardous effects: explosive; flammable (gases, aerosols, liquids, or solids); oxidizer (liquid, solid or gas); self-reactive; pyrophoric (liquid or solid); self-heating; organic peroxide; corrosive to metal; gas under pressure; or in contact with water emits flammable gas. See Appendix B to 1910.1200—Physical Hazard Criteria.
Pinch point	Any point other than the point of operation at which it is possible for a part of the body to be caught between the moving parts of a press or auxiliary equipment, or between moving and stationary parts of a press or auxiliary equipment or between the material and moving part or parts of the press or auxiliary equipment.
Point of operation	That point at which cutting, shaping, boring, or forming is accomplished upon the stock.
Pyrophoric gas	A chemical in a gaseous state that will ignite spontaneously in air at a temperature of 130 degrees F (54.4 degrees C) or below.
Raynaud’s syndrome	A painful condition affecting the fingers or toes, caused by compromised circulation.
Recordable work-related injuries or illnesses	Any work-related injury or illness which results in: Death, Days away from work, Restricted work or transfer to another job, Medical treatment beyond first aid, or Loss of consciousness. An injury is also recordable if it involves a significant injury or illness diagnosed by a physician or other licensed healthcare professional, even if it does not result in any of the above conditions.
Repetitive strain injury	Injuries resulting to soft tissues from repeating the injurious activity beyond the body’s ability to heal itself.
Reproductive effects	Exposure that results in infertility, impotence, loss of sex drive and birth defects.
Restricted work	For the purposes of 29 CFR Part 1904, restricted work occurs when, as the result of a work-related injury or illness: You keep the employee from performing one or more of the routine functions of his or her job, or from working the full workday that he or she would otherwise have been scheduled to work; or A physician or other licensed health care professional recommends that the employee not perform one or more of the routine functions of his or her job, or not work the full workday that he or she would otherwise have been scheduled to work.
Safety data sheet (SDS)	Written or printed material concerning a hazardous chemical that is prepared in accordance with specifications in the Hazard Communication standard.
Short-term exposure limits	The airborne concentration of a material to which it is believed that workers can be exposed continuously for a short period of time without suffering from harm.
Solvent	Usually a liquid in which other substances are dissolved. The most common solvent is water.
Standard	A standard that requires conditions, or the adoption or use of one or more practices, means, methods, operations, or processes, reasonably necessary or appropriate to provide safe or healthful employment and places of employment.
Standard threshold shift	As used in 1910.95, a standard threshold shift is a change in hearing threshold relative to the baseline audiogram of an average of 10 dB or more at 2000, 3000, and 4,000 Hz in either ear.
Subpart Z	Toxic and Hazardous Substances, the last Subpart of 29 CFR 1910. Contains permissible exposure limits for air contaminants, Tables Z-1, Z-2, and Z-3.
Tagout device	Any prominent warning device, such as tag and a means of attachment, which can be securely fastened to an energy-isolating device in accordance with an established procedure. The tag indicates that the machine or equipment to which it is attached is not to be operated until the tag-out device is removed in accordance with the energy control procedure.
Teratogenic	Capable of causing birth defects.
Threshold limit value	The airborne concentration of a material, representing conditions under which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed without adverse health effects.
Toxic substance	Any substance that has the capacity to produce personal injury or illness through ingestion, inhalation, or absorption through any body surface.
Uncontrolled release	The accidental release of a hazardous substance from its container. If not contained, stopped, and removed, the release would pose a hazard to employees in the immediate area or in areas in the path of the release, or from its by-products or its effects.
Upper explosive limit	The maximum concentration of a flammable vapor above which ignition will not occur even on contact with a source of ignition.
Upper flammable limit	The maximum concentration of gas or vapor in air above which it is not possible to ignite the vapors.
Volatile organic compound	A fast evaporating substance used in coatings and in paints as they evaporate very quickly.
WHMIS	A Canadian workplace safety rule that requires the creation and availability of material safety data sheets, warning labels on hazardous materials, and employee education and training.
Z List	The OSHA tables of permissible exposure limits (PELs) for air contaminants, found in Subpart Z, Toxic and Hazardous Substances, 1910.1000. Contains Tables Z-1, Z-2, and Z-3.

Glossary of safety and health acronyms

AA	Atomic Absorption Absorption of electromagnetic radiation at discrete wavelengths by atoms. The quantity of absorbed radiation is a measure of the concentration or amount of that atom in the sample.
AAS	Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Performed by stimulating a filament of a chosen element and using the light emitted by the filament to detect the amount of that element in a sample by measuring the absorption of the light.
AAOHN	American Association of Occupational Health Nurses
ABSA	American Biological Safety Association A professional association for the exchange of biosafety information.
ACGIH	American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists A professional association well known for establishing and publishing the TLVs, for publishing the Industrial Ventilation Manual, and as one of the sponsors of the ABIH and AIHCE.
ACM	Asbestos Containing Material
ACS	American Chemical Society
ADA	Americans with Disabilities Act
ADAAG	Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines
AE	Atomic Emission The emission of electromagnetic radiation at discrete wavelengths by exited atoms. Quantity of emitted light is a measure of the concentration or amount of that atom present in a sample.
AES	Atomic Emission Spectrophotometry Analysis by detection and quantification of the characteristic electromagnetic emissions from atoms in a sample.
AFL-CIO	American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
AGA	American Gas Association
AHERA	Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986 (Title II of TSCA) U.S. Federal legislation requiring all schools to determine the location and condition of asbestos containing material, and setting up procedures for issuing credentials to those who disturb asbestos for testing or removal.
AIHA	American Industrial Hygiene Association The broad professional association for industrial hygienists in the U.S. and Canada, with local sections also in parts of Europe. This association is the largest professional industrial hygiene/occupational hygiene association in the world.
AIHCE	American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition Annual, week long, professional conference jointly sponsored by the AIHA and the ACGIH in the spring.
ALARA	As Low As Reasonably Achievable A philosophy applied to the control of exposure to ionizing radiation.
ALCM	Associate in Loss Control Management A credential issued by the Insurance Institute of America.
ANSI	American National Standards Institute Oversees organizations who publish consensus standards on a wide variety of subjects, including safety equipment, procedures, etc.
APF	Assigned Protection Factor Used in the context of respiratory protection.
API	American Petroleum Institute
APR	Air Purifying Respirator
AQTX	Aquatic Toxicity
ASA	Accredited Safety Auditor
ASAE	American Society of Agricultural Engineers
ASHRAE	American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers A group that publishes a well regarded multi-volume handbook which includes ventilation guidance, and standards on IAQ and other ventilation related issues.
ASME	American Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASOII	Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses
ASP	Associate Safety Professional Designation given to someone who has successfully completed the first half of the examination processes for CSP®.
ASSP	American Society of Safety Professionals A global association for occupational safety and health professionals.
AST	Aboveground Storage Tank
ASTM	American Society for Testing and Materials
ATSDR	Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry An agency of the Public Health Service in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
AWS	American Welding Society
AWT	Advanced Wastewater Treatment
BACT	Best Available Control Technology A term used in U.S. environmental control regulations.
BAT	Best Available Technology
BATEA	Best Available Technology Economically Achievable Terminology for sewage cleanup technology to be applied under Canadian Municipal-Industrial Strategy for Abatement, for cleanup of Great Lakes water sources.
BBP	Bloodborne Pathogens Pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
BBS	Behavior-Based Safety A safety-oriented philosophy that focuses on the observable actions of employees, as well as the objective environmental or cultural factors that influence behavior
BCSP	Board of Certified Safety Professionals The certifying organization that issues the ASP, CSP, and COHST credentials following review of experience and successful completion of written tests.
BD	1,2-Butadiene
BEI	Biological Exposure Indices
BLEVE	Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion
BLS	Bureau of Labor Statistics An agency of the U.S. government which gathers statistical information on labor issues, employment data, and accident rates.
BMI	Body Mass Index
BOD	Basic Oxygen Demand; Biological Oxygen Demand The oxygen demand if a water sample is biologically oxidized.
BOHS	British Occupational Hygiene Society The national professional society of Occupational Hygienists in the United Kingdom.
BOMA	Building Owners and Managers Association International
BPT	Best Practicable Control Technology
BSC	Biological Safety Cabinet
BTU	British Thermal Unit A traditional unit of measure for heat.
CAA	Clean Air Act
CAP	College of American Pathologists
CAS	Chemical Abstracts Service Publisher of Chemical Abstracts and other publications and services.
CBC	Complete Blood Count
CCC	Compromised Container Caps Cracked or otherwise damaged screw-on caps for chemical containers.
CCOHS	Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Promotes workplace health and safety in Canada.
CCPS	Center for Chemical Process Safety An organization established by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) to focus on engineering practices to help prevent and mitigate catastrophic hazardous chemical accidents.
CDC	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention An organization within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that specializes in recognition, evaluation, and control of communicable diseases. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is part of CDC.
CDL	Commercial Driver’s License
CEEL	Community Emergency Exposure Level A sort of PEL for a whole community; intended as a guideline for when evacuations are necessary in case of accidental releases.
CEPP	Chemical Emergency Preparedness Program
CERCLA	Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund) U.S. Federal legislation establishing a huge EPA project to clean up hazardous material dumps. It requires generators to be responsible for how waste is ultimately disposed.
CFC	Chlorofluorocarbons Any of several compounds composed of carbon, fluorine, chlorine, and hydrogen used primarily as refrigerants CFCs are thought to be ozone-depleting chemicals.
CFM	Cubic Feet per Minute A unit of measure for things such as airflow that is used in evaluating ventilation systems.
CFR	Code of Federal Regulations The compilation of all regulations issued by U.S. Federal Government agencies.
CGA	Compressed Gas Association
CGI	Combustible Gas Indicator
CHMM	Certified Hazardous Materials Manager A credential awarded by the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management.
CHO	Chemical Hygiene Officer The Administrator of a Chemical Hygiene Plan under OSHA regulations.
CHP	Chemical Hygiene Plan Required by OSHA’s laboratory standard, a statement of laboratory work practices written by each employer.
CIH	Certified Industrial Hygienist Someone who is educated and experienced in evaluating and controlling health hazards in the workplace and community.
CHP	Chemical Hygiene Plan
CMAA	Crane Manufacturers Association of America, Inc.
CNS	Central Nervous System
COD	Chemical Oxygen Demand Oxygen demand if a substance is chemically oxidized.
CPL	Compliance Directive A published document that offers deeper insight on an OSHA standard.
CPR	Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
CPSC	Consumer Product Safety Commission A U.S. Federal agency geared to protect the public from unsafe products.
CSA Group	Canadian Standards Association The national consensus standards association for Canada. It is roughly equivalent to ANSI.
CSHO	Compliance Safety and Health Officer An officer of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
CSP®	Certified Safety Professional® A certification awarded by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals to individuals meeting stated criteria.
CTD	Cumulative Trauma Disorder A disorder of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be caused or aggravated by repetitive motions, forceful exertions, vibration, mechanical compressions, sustained or awkward postures, or by exposure to noise over extended periods of time.
CTS	Carpal Tunnel Syndrome The compression and entrapment of the median nerve where it passes through the wrist into the hand via the carpal tunnel.
CWA	Clean Water Act
DAFWII	Days Away from Work Injury Illness Refers to an incident rate calculated using cases that involve days away from work per 100 full-time equivalent employees.
DART	Days Away Restricted and Job Transfer Rate of Injuries and Illnesses Refers to an incident rate calculated using cases that involve days away from work, restricted work activity, and transfers to another job.
dB	Decibels A unit of measure of sound intensity.
dBA	Decibels on the A scale
DEP	Diethyl Phthalate
DFM	Dust, Fume, and Mist This refers to a respirator filter cartridge suitable for use against dusts, fumes, or mists, and is used in the NIOSH regulation on Respirator Certification.
DHMM	Director of Hazardous Materials Management The person in charge of handling hazardous materials.
DM	Dust and Mist This refers to a respirator filter cartridge suitable for use against dusts and mists, and is used in the NIOSH regulation on Respirator Certification.
DOE	Department of Energy
DOL	Department of Labor
DOP	Dioctyl Phthalate The traditional test aerosol used for determining HEPA filter efficiency was an aerosolized form of warm DOP, selected because, when generated in the specified manner, the aerosol had a very narrow size distribution.
DOT	Department of Transportation
EAP	Emergency Action Plan A plan for a workplace, or parts thereof, describing what procedures the employer and employees must take to ensure employee safety from fire or other emergencies.
EHS	Extremely Hazardous Substance; also Environmental Health and Safety
EMR	Electro-Magnetic Radiation Radiation caused by electromagnetism.
EMS	Emergency Medical Service
EPA	Environmental Protection Agency
EPCRA	Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Title III of SARA that requires facilities that store reportable quantities of hazardous materials to report to the LEPC.
ERG	Emergency Response Guide A document that provides guidance on emergency response in a transportation incident involving chemicals.
ERP	Emergency Response Plan A planned response effort by employees from outside the immediate release area or by other designated responders to an occurrence that results, or is likely to result, in an uncontrolled release of a hazardous substance.
ERT	Emergency Response Team The team responsible for responding to an emergency.
ESLI	End-of-Service-Life Indicator
f/cc	Fibers per cubic centimeter of air
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency
FID	Flame Ionization Detector
FIFRA	Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
FOIA	Freedom of Information Act
FOM	Field Operations Manual An OSHA publication providing direction and guidance to Compliance Officers concerning all phases of compliance inspections.
FOPS	Falling Object Protective Structure
FR	Federal Register A federal publication published each business day recounting all federal agency activity.
GC	Gas Chromography
GHS	Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals A system for standardizing and harmonizing the classification and labeling of chemicals.
GSA	General Services Administration
HAVS	Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome
HazCom	Hazard Communication
HAZMAT	Hazardous Materials
HAZOP	Hazard and Operability (study) A structured means of evaluating a complex process to determine problems associated with its operability or safety.
HAZWOPER	Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response
HBV	Hepatitis B Virus
HCP	Healthcare Professional
HCS	Hazard Communication Standard A Federal standard requiring employers to communicate potential hazards to employees.
HCV	Hepatitis C Virus
HEPA	High Efficiency Particulate Air (filter) A filter that is at least 99.97% efficient in the filtration of airborne particles that are at least 0.3 microns in diameter.
HHS	Department of Health and Human Services A federal agency which contains the CDC and NIOSH.
HIV	Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HMIS	Hazardous Materials Identification System
HMTA	Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
HPD	Hearing Protection Device
IAQ	Indoor Air Quality The level of air quality inside of a building. Refers to situations where building occupants experience health and discomfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building.
IARC	International Agency for Research on Cancer
ICS	Incident Command System Procedure for emergency management used by fire departments and other emergency response teams.
IDLH	Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health
IIPP	Injury and Illness Prevention Program (also referred to as I2P2).
I2P2	A term OSHA uses to describe its Injury and Illness Prevention Program rulemaking. Also referred to as IIPP.
IOHA	International Occupational Hygiene Association
IR	Infrared
ISEA	Industrial Safety Equipment Association
ISO	International Organization for Standardization
LC-50	Low Concentrate - 50 percent The concentration in air which is lethal to 50 percent of the test animals in a study.
LD-50	Lethal Dose - 50 percent The experimental dose that is lethal to 50 percent of the test animals in a study.
LEL	Lower Explosive Limit The minimum percent by volume of a gas or vapor, that when mixed with air, will form a flammable mixture.
LEPC	Local Emergency Planning Committee
LFL	Lower Flammable Limit
LOAEL	Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level The lowest dose which produces an observable adverse effect.
LOI	Letter of Interpretation OSHA’s interpretation of current requirements as they relate to a specific set of circumstances.
LOTO	Lock Out/Tag Out Procedures using an energy isolating device or a tag that alerts employees about the need for equipment to not be started.
LPG	Liquid Propane Gas
LUST	Leaking Underground Storage Tank
MC	Methylene Chloride
MDA	4,4’ Methylenedianiline
MRI	Magnetic Resonance Imagery
MSD	Musculoskeletal Disorders
MSHA	Mine Safety and Health Administration
MWF	Metalworking Fluids Fluids that are involved in metalworking procedures, including straight oil, soluble oil, semisynthetic oil, and synthetic oil.
NAICS	North American Industry Classification Standard
NAS	National Academy of Sciences
NATE	National Association of Tower Erectors
NDA	National Demolition Association
NEMA	National Electrical Manufacturers Association
NEP	National Emphasis Program An enforcement program whereby OSHA focuses on a specific issue of national importance, e.g., combustible dust.
NESHAP	National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
NFPA	National Fire Protection Association
NHCA	National Hearing Conservation Association
NHTSA	National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
NIEHS	National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
NIH	National Institutes of Health
NIHL	Noise Induced Hearing Loss
NIOSH	National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
NIST	National Institute of Standards and Technology
NOAEL	No Observed Adverse Effect Level
NPR	Notice of Proposed Rulemaking A step in the formal process of issuing regulations by U.S. agencies.
NRC	Nuclear Regulatory Commission The U.S. Federal Regulatory Agency which deals with radiation and radioactive materials.
NRR	Noise Reduction Rating A rating given as a laboratory based indicator of the relative effectiveness of hearing protectors.
NRTL	Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory
NSC	National Safety Council
NTP	National Toxicology Program A program of the U.S. Government that tests chemical agents for long-term toxic effects.
OMB	Office of Management and Budget
ORM	Other Regulated Material Term used in HAZMAT shipping.
OSH Act	Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
OSHA	Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSHRC	Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission The branch of the federal government under the Department of Labor that oversees occupational safety and health litigation decisions.
OVA	Organic Vapor Analyzer
PAPR	Powered Air-Purified Respirator
PCB	Polychlorinated Biphenyl
PDS	Personnel Decontamination Station
PEL	Permissible Exposure Limits The maximum occupational exposure permitted under the OSHA regulations.
PLHCP	Physician or Other Licensed Healthcare Provider
PMA	Petition for Modification of the Abatement
PPB	Parts Per Billion Parts of a contaminant per billion parts of air or fluid.
PPE	Personal Protective Equipment Equipment used to protect employees that they wear upon their person. Includes gloves, hard hats, respirators, shoes, etc.
PPM	Parts Per Million Parts of a contaminant per million parts of air or fluid.
PSM	Process Safety Management OSHA’s 1910.119 standard containing requirements for managing highly hazardous chemicals.
PVC	Polyvinyl Chloride
RCRA	Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
REL	Recommended Exposure Limit A recommended exposure level for a particular agent or category of agents.
RMA	Rubber Manufacturers Association
RMI	Repetitive Motion Injuries Injuries caused by continued repetitive motions.
RMP	Risk Management Plan A written program that is required by the Clean Air Act. It is designed to prevent accidental releases into the environment.
ROPS	Rollover Protective Structure A structure designed to protect an occupant of a vehicle if it should roll over, such as a roll bar or a roll cage on a forklift.
RPM	Revolution Per Minute
RSI	Repetitive Strain Injury Injury caused by repeated strains.
RTECS	The Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances
RTK	Right To Know The right of employees to know about the nature and hazards of agents used in the work place, and/or to the right of communities and their members to know about materials used and wastes generated by workplaces situated within or adjacent to the community.
SAR	Supplied Air Respirator A respirator that has a direct supply of breathable air.
SARA	Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act A federal fund set aside to clean up existing hazardous waste sites.
SCBA	Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus An atmosphere supplying respirator for which the breathing air source is designed to be carried by the user.
SDS	Safety Data Sheet Written or printed material concerning a hazardous chemical. It is prepared by the manufacturer in accordance with 1910.1200.
SERC	State Emergency Response Committee
SIC	Standard Industrial Classification
SOP	Standard Operating Procedure
STEL	Short Term Exposure Limit
TB	Tuberculosis An infectious disease caused by the tubercle bacillus and characterized by the formation of tubercles in various tissues of the body.
TLV	Threshold Limit Value An exposure limit recommended by the ACGIH. It is believed that, at this level, nearly all workers can be exposed day after day for a working lifetime without ill effect.
TLV-STEL	Threshold Limit Value — Short-term Exposure Limit
TSCA	Toxic Substance Control Act
TWA	Time-Weighted Average
UBC	Uniform Building Code
UEL	Upper Explosive Limit
UFC	Uniform Fire Code
UFL	Upper Flammable Limit
UL	Underwriters Laboratories
USC	United States Code
USCG	U. S. Coast Guard
UST	Underground Storage Tank
UV	Ultraviolet
VOC	Volatile Organic Compound
VPP	Voluntary Protection Program An OSHA program that promotes excellence in workplace safety and health programs in exchange for limitations on scheduled inspections by OSHA.
WHMIS	Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System The Canadian workplace safety rule, WHMIS requires the creation and availability of safety data sheets, warning labels on hazardous materials, and employee education and training.

['Safety and Health Programs and Training']

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