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

• Abnormal Event - An unplanned or unusual event or occurrence.
• Absolute - A non negotiable duty imposed by a regulation when it uses the term 'shall' or 'must' without the qualification of 'reasonably practicable'.
• Absorption - The entry of a substance into the body through broken or unbroken skin.
• Accident - An undesired event or series of events causing (or with the potential to cause) injury, ill-health or damage.
• Accident Investigation - A systematic investigation of an accident to find out what happened and determine immediate and underlying causes as well as reviewing existing risk assessments, safety procedures and control measures with a view to introducing measures to prevent recurrence. Oasys TSS Accident Investigation Course.
• Accident Prevention - Measures taken to prevent accidents from happening. Can be either pro-active, i.e. implemented before an accident happens, or re-active, i.e. taken in response to an accident that has already happened.
• Accident Rate - A normalisation of the number of accidents taking into account the number of workers employed and the hours worked. Generally accepted as No. of Accidents x 100,000/No. of Hours Worked.
• Acid - An organic or inorganic compound, usually a liquid with a pH of less than 7. Acidic materials are corrosive to human tissue.
• ACOP - Approved Code of Practice.
• Action Level - The level above which action should be taken. For example the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 define two actions levels. The lower level 80dB(A) at which the employer must provide information and training and make hearing protection available. The upper exposure action level of 85dB(A) above which the employer should take reasonably practicable steps to reduce noise and the wearing of hearing protection becomes mandatory.
• Acute Effect - An effect arising from exposure to a hazardous substance which happens immediately on exposure.
• Acute Exposure - Single exposure to a hazardous substance over a short period of time. The seriousness of this exposure will depend on the toxicity of the substance.
• Adaptation - The ability of people to cope with situations that are less than perfect.
• Aerosols - Aerosols are tiny liquid and solid particles suspended in the air.
• AIB - Asbestos Insulation Board.
• AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
• Air Exchange Rate - The rate at which outdoor air replaces indoor air. Often stated as the number of changes per hour.
• ALARA - As Low As Reasonably Achievable. An approach initially developed in the nuclear industry to ensure that facilities and practices were designed to keep risks As Low As Reasonably Achievable.
• ALARP - As Low As Reasonably Practicable. An approach initially developed in the nuclear industry to ensure that facilities and practices were designed to keep risks As Low As Reasonably Practicable.
• Alkali - Chemical compounds that have a pH value of more than 7. Alkali's are also known as Base or Caustic materials. These materials can be corrosive to human tissue.
• Allergen - Any material which produces an allergic reaction in an individual.
• ALU - Asbestos Licensing Unit.
• Anti-glare Screen - A monitor screen that is treated to reduce glare from light sources. This can be achieved as part of the manufacturing process or by fitting a separate screen filter. LCD screens may completely eliminate glare.
• Apparent Loudness - An increase or decrease of three decibels will double or halve the loudness
• Appointed Person - This is a defined role from the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. If the workplace is a low risk workplace (office, shop, library,etc.) and employs less than 50 employees there is only a requirement for one Appointed Person. This person will have undergone a one day training course covering CPR and very basic first aid. They will also be responsible for maintaining the first aid box for the organisation.
• Approved Code of Practice - Approved Codes of Practice are published by the HSE to cover many regulations. Approved Codes of Practice although not law themselves do give guidance on how to comply with the law and as such have a special legal status, similar to the Highway Code. If you comply with an Approved Code of Practice it is likely that you will be doing enough to comply with the law.
• As far as reasonably practicable - The degree of risk in a particular situation can be balanced against the cost, in terms of time, trouble, money and physical difficulty of taking measures to avoid the risk. If this cost is disproportionate to the risk it would be unreasonable to expect any employer to incur those costs to avoid the risk.
• Asbestos - Asbestos is the name used for a group of natural minerals, which comprises three main types. Crocidolite (Blue Asbestos), Amosite (Brown Asbestos) and Chrysotile (White Asbestos). The type of asbestos cannot be identified just by its colour. Although these fibres have many good properties such as being fire retardant, the fibres are very very small and once airborne are easily breathed in and can become stuck in the lungs, causing debilitating and fatal diseases such as Asbestosis and Lung Cancer. Asbestos Awareness training course
• Asbestosis - Asbestosis is the scarring of the lung tissue by asbestos fibres which stops the lungs from working properly causing a shortness of breath.
• Asphyxiant - A material capable of displacing the level of oxygen in the body. This happens most commonly when the substance displaces air in an enclosed environment. Some asphyxiants can act directly on the oxygen carrying capability of the blood, such as Carbon Monoxide, which will be taken up by the body in preference to oxygen and can lead to unconsciousness and even death. This is a particular hazard from incomplete combustion in a faulty appliance.
• ATEX - Explosion Protection Directive. Derives its name from the original working title "ATmosphère EXplosible".
• Audible Range - Audible range is the range of frequencies which can be detected by the human ear. For a normal adult this is between 20 & 20,000 Hz. Ultrasound is a sound whose frequency is too high for hearing. Infrasound is a sound whose frequency is too low for hearing.
• Audiometry - Audiometry is a screening technique used to detect early damage to hearing as a result of exposure to noise.