Glossary
Safety words, in plain language.
60 terms that safety, training and operations leads get asked about. Short answers first, then what it looks like on a real site.
A
C
Competency verification
Competency verification is a check, by a qualified person, that a worker can do a task correctly and safely, not just that they sat through the training.
Competent person
A competent person is someone on site who can spot hazards in a specific kind of work and has the authority to stop it and fix them.
Computerized maintenance management systemCMMS
A CMMS is software that tracks equipment, schedules maintenance, and manages work orders from the first report to the finished repair.
Confined space
A confined space is an area with limited ways in and out that isn't made for regular occupancy, and it can hold hazards such as bad air.
Corrective actionCAPA
A corrective action is a specific fix, with an owner and a due date, that removes a hazard or the cause of an incident.
D
Days away, restricted or transferred rateDART
DART is the rate of recordable cases that caused days away from work, restricted work or a job transfer, scaled to 200,000 hours worked.
Digital checklist
A digital checklist is an inspection or task list filled out on a phone or tablet, with photos, signatures and a time-stamped record the lead can see.
Directory sync
Directory sync copies your people list from the company's directory into an app, adding, updating and removing users automatically as the list changes.
Driver vehicle inspection reportDVIR
A DVIR is the written record a driver makes after inspecting a commercial vehicle, listing any defects found or stating that none were.
E
EHS softwareEHS
EHS software is a system for managing environmental, health and safety work: incidents, inspections, training, audits, corrective actions and reports.
Emergency action planEAP
An emergency action plan is a written plan for how a site reports an emergency, gets people out and accounts for everyone.
Experience modification rateEMR
EMR is the workers' compensation rating that compares your claims history to similar companies and adjusts your insurance cost.
F
Fall protection
Fall protection is the set of guardrails, nets, covers and personal gear that stops a worker from falling from height or limits the fall if one happens.
First aid vs. medical treatment
First aid is minor, one-time care that isn't recordable. Medical treatment beyond first aid generally makes an injury recordable.
Foreign object debrisFOD
FOD is any loose object or material on a ramp, runway or production floor that can damage an aircraft, a machine or a product, or hurt someone.
H
Hazard assessment
A hazard assessment is a structured look at a task or place to find what could hurt someone and decide how to control it.
Hazard communicationHazCom
Hazard communication is the program that tells workers about the chemicals they use, through labels, safety data sheets and training.
Hot work permit
A hot work permit is written approval to do welding, cutting, grinding or other spark-making work, after the area is checked for fire risk.
J
Job hazard analysisJHA
A job hazard analysis looks at each step of a task, finds what could injure someone, and sets controls before the work begins.
Job safety analysisJSA
A job safety analysis breaks a task into steps, names the hazard in each step, and sets the control for it before the work starts.
L
Lagging indicator
A lagging indicator measures safety results after they happen, like injuries and lost days. It tells you what went wrong, not what's about to.
Leading indicator
A leading indicator measures safety activity before anyone gets hurt, like inspections done, hazards fixed and observations made.
Learning management systemLMS
An LMS is software that assigns training, delivers it, tracks who finished it and keeps the records, usually with courses, quizzes and reports.
Lockout/tagoutLOTO
Lockout/tagout is a program to keep machines from starting or releasing stored energy while someone services or repairs them.
Lost time incident rateLTIR
LTIR is the rate of injuries that kept a worker off the job for at least a day, scaled to 200,000 hours worked.
O
Offline-first
Offline-first means an app does its full job with no signal, saves work on the phone, and syncs to the server when a connection comes back.
OSHA 300 LogOSHA 300
The OSHA 300 Log is the form where an employer lists each recordable work-related injury and illness, one line per case.
OSHA 300A SummaryOSHA 300A
The OSHA 300A Summary is the year-end total of the cases on the 300 Log, certified by a company official and shared with employees.
P
Permit to workPTW
A permit to work is a written approval to do a specific high-risk job, with the hazards, controls and conditions checked before work begins.
Personal protective equipmentPPE
Personal protective equipment is gear worn to protect a worker, such as hard hats, glasses, gloves, hearing protection and boots.
Powered industrial truckPIT
A powered industrial truck is a motorized vehicle that lifts, carries or stacks loads, like a forklift, reach truck or powered pallet jack.
Pre-shift meeting
A pre-shift meeting is a short crew huddle at the start of a shift to go over the plan, the hazards and any changes since the last shift.
Pre-task planPTP
A pre-task plan is a short written check a crew does before a job starts, covering the task, the hazards, the controls and who does what.
Pre-trip inspection
A pre-trip inspection is the check a driver makes of a vehicle before it goes on the road, looking for defects that could make it unsafe to drive.
R
Recordable incident
A recordable incident is a work-related injury or illness that meets OSHA's criteria for the log, such as medical treatment beyond first aid.
Risk matrix
A risk matrix is a grid that rates a hazard by how likely it is to cause harm and how bad the harm could be.
Root cause analysisRCA
Root cause analysis is the method of asking why an incident happened until you reach the cause you can fix, not just the last step before it.
S
Safe work procedureSWP
A safe work procedure is a written, step-by-step way to do a task so the hazards stay controlled, kept where the crew can read it.
Safety culture
Safety culture is how a crew actually acts about safety day to day, especially when the schedule is tight and nobody is watching.
Safety data sheetSDS
A safety data sheet is a document from the maker of a chemical that lists its hazards, safe handling, first aid and what to do in a spill or fire.
Safety observation
A safety observation is a short, written note of what someone saw on the job, safe or unsafe, shared with the crew.
Scaffold
A scaffold is a temporary raised work platform, with its supports and guardrails, used to reach a work area that can't be reached safely from the ground.
Severity rate
Severity rate is the number of workdays lost to injuries, scaled to 200,000 hours worked, so it shows how serious cases were, not just how many.
Shift handover
A shift handover is the hand-off of status, hazards and open work from one crew to the next, so nothing known gets lost at shift change.
Single sign-onSSO
Single sign-on lets people use one company login to get into several apps, so the company controls who has access from one place.
Site orientation
Site orientation is the briefing a new worker or visitor gets before starting, covering site rules, hazards, emergency steps and who to ask.
Standard operating procedureSOP
An SOP is a written, step-by-step instruction for doing a routine task the same way every time, safely and correctly.
Stop work authoritySWA
Stop work authority is the right and duty of every worker to stop a job they believe is unsafe, with no penalty for doing it.
T
Tailgate meeting
A tailgate meeting is a quick crew briefing held at the truck or the work spot before a job, covering the task, the hazards and the plan.
Toolbox talk
A toolbox talk is a short safety talk a lead gives a crew, usually at the start of a shift, on one topic that matters to the work that day.
Total recordable incident rateTRIR
TRIR is the number of OSHA recordable injuries and illnesses, scaled to 200,000 hours worked, so sites of different sizes can be compared.
Training matrix
A training matrix is a grid of people against required training, showing who is qualified, who is due and who is missing a course or certification.