644 Understanding OSHA

OSHA Glossary

• Abatement. Actions taken by an employer to correct a hazard identified by OSHA during an inspection.
• Abatement Assistance. Support provided by OSHA to help employers comply with abatement requirements and ensure workplace safety.
• Administrative Controls. Procedures and policies implemented to reduce the risk of hazards in the workplace by changing the way work tasks are performed.
• Administrative Subpoena. A legal order requiring an individual to provide testimony or documents to OSHA during an investigation.
• Advance Notice. Notification given to an employer before an OSHA inspection occurs, which is generally prohibited except in special circumstances.
• Biological Hazard. Organisms or substances derived from organisms that pose a threat to human health, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other pathogens.
• Chemical Hazard. Any hazardous chemical that can cause harm to employees, including liquids, gases, fumes, and vapors.
• Citation. A formal notice issued by OSHA to an employer, indicating that the employer has violated OSHA standards or regulations.
• Closing Conference. A meeting held at the end of an OSHA inspection to discuss the findings, violations, and potential corrective actions with the employer.
• Comprehensive Inspection. A thorough OSHA inspection that examines all aspects of a workplace for safety and health hazards.
• Complaint. A formal allegation made by an employee or representative to OSHA about a workplace safety or health hazard.
• Competent Person. An individual who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions and has the authority to take corrective measures.
• Compliance Officer. An OSHA employee responsible for conducting workplace inspections to ensure compliance with OSHA standards and regulations.
• Comprehensive Inspection. An extensive OSHA inspection that covers all safety and health hazards at a workplace.
• Confined Space. An area that is not designed for continuous occupancy and has limited or restricted means for entry or exit, posing potential hazards.
• Consultation Services. Free services provided by OSHA to help employers identify and correct workplace hazards, comply with standards, and establish effective safety and health programs.
• Construction Inspections. OSHA inspections specifically focused on safety and health conditions at construction sites.
• De Minimis Citation. A notice issued by OSHA for violations that have no direct impact on health or safety, usually not resulting in a penalty.
• Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) Rate. A metric used to track workplace injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work, restricted work activities, or job transfers.
• Disruptive Conduct. Any behavior by employees or management that interferes with an OSHA inspection or disrupts normal operations.
• Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). A division within the Department of Labor responsible for occupational safety and health enforcement and standards.
• Emergency Response. Actions taken by OSHA and employers to address workplace incidents that require immediate attention, such as chemical spills or natural disasters.
• Employee Discrimination. Retaliation or adverse action taken against an employee for exercising their rights under the OSHA Act.
• Employee Participation in OSHA Inspections. The involvement of employees or their representatives during OSHA inspections, including walkarounds and interviews.
• Engineering Controls. Physical modifications to equipment, processes, or the work environment that reduce or eliminate hazards.
• Ergonomics. The study and design of equipment and processes to improve worker comfort and efficiency by minimizing physical strain and injury.
• Exposure. The state of being subjected to a hazardous substance or condition that can cause harm.
• Fatality. The death of an employee resulting from a workplace incident or exposure.
• Feasible Controls. Measures that can be implemented to effectively reduce or eliminate hazards, including engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment.
• Field Operations Manual (FOM). An OSHA guide that outlines the policies and procedures for conducting inspections, issuing citations, and enforcing regulations.
• Follow-Up Inspection. An OSHA inspection conducted to verify that previously cited violations have been corrected.
• General Duty Clause. The provision in the Occupational Safety and Health Act that requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.
• Gravity-Based Penalty (GBP) A GBP is a fine determined by the severity of an OSHA violation. The GBP reflects how serious the breach of safety regulations is, with the more severe the violation, the higher the penalty.
• Hazard Assessment. The process of identifying, evaluating, and controlling hazards in the workplace.
• Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). An OSHA regulation that ensures employees are informed about the hazardous chemicals they may be exposed to in the workplace.
• Health Inspections. OSHA inspections focused on evaluating workplace conditions that may affect employee health, such as exposure to hazardous substances.
• Imminent Danger. Any condition or practice in a workplace that poses a danger which could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm immediately or before the danger can be eliminated through normal enforcement procedures.
• Inspection. A thorough examination of a workplace conducted by an OSHA compliance officer to identify hazards, ensure compliance with standards, and assess workplace safety and health practices.
• Inspection Procedures. The specific methods and processes followed by OSHA compliance officers during workplace inspections.
• Inspection Priorities. The criteria used by OSHA to determine the order in which inspections are conducted, typically prioritizing imminent danger, severe injuries, worker complaints, and high-hazard industries.
• Lockout/Tagout (LOTO). Safety procedures used to ensure that machines are properly shut off and not started up again before the completion of maintenance or repair work.
• Medical Treatment Beyond First Aid. Any treatment administered by a healthcare professional that goes beyond basic first aid, indicating a more serious workplace injury or illness.
• National Emphasis Program (NEP). OSHA initiatives focusing on specific high-hazard industries or health issues to improve worker safety and health.
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). A federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations to prevent worker injury and illness.
• Notice of Contest. A formal declaration by an employer disagreeing with OSHA's citation, proposed penalty, or abatement date, initiating a review process.
• Notice of Violation. A formal notice issued by OSHA to an employer indicating that a violation of standards or regulations has been identified.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). A federal agency of the United States Department of Labor responsible for ensuring safe and healthy working conditions by setting and enforcing standards.
• On-Site Consultation Program. An OSHA program that provides free and confidential advice to small and medium-sized businesses to help them identify workplace hazards and improve safety and health management systems.
• Opening Conference. A meeting held at the beginning of an OSHA inspection to explain the purpose of the inspection and the procedures that will be followed.
• Organization. Refers to the structure of OSHA, including its regional and area offices, which work together to enforce workplace safety and health regulations.
• OSHA Act of 1970. The legislation that created OSHA and set forth its mission to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.
• OSHA Outreach Training Program. A voluntary program that provides training for workers and employers on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in workplaces.
• Partial Inspection. An OSHA inspection that is limited to specific areas or aspects of a workplace rather than a comprehensive review.
• Penalty. A monetary fine imposed on an employer by OSHA for violating safety and health regulations.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection.
• Preemption. The principle that federal OSHA standards take precedence over state regulations unless the state has an approved OSHA plan.
• Presenting Credentials. The act of an OSHA compliance officer showing official identification to the employer at the start of an inspection.
• Programmed Inspection. An OSHA inspection scheduled based on specific criteria, such as high-hazard industries or workplaces with high rates of injuries and illnesses.
• Qualified Person. An individual who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve or resolve problems relating to the subject matter, the work, or the project.
• Recordable Incident Rate (RIR). A metric used to compare the number of OSHA recordable incidents relative to the total hours worked by all employees.
• Referrals. Information about workplace hazards provided to OSHA by other government agencies, safety and health professionals, or the media.
• Refusal of Entry or Inspection. When an employer denies OSHA access to the workplace for an inspection, potentially leading to legal action to obtain entry.
• Regional Emphasis Program (REP). OSHA initiatives targeting specific hazards or industries within a particular region, aimed at reducing workplace injuries and illnesses.
• Retaliation. Adverse actions taken against an employee for exercising their rights under OSHA, such as reporting a safety violation.
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS). A document that provides information on the properties of hazardous chemicals and how they affect health and safety in the workplace.
• Section 5(b) Employee Responsibilities. Obligations of employees under the OSHA Act to comply with occupational safety and health standards and regulations applicable to their own actions and conduct.
• Serious Violation. A violation where there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and the employer knew or should have known of the hazard.
• Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP). An OSHA program focusing on employers who have demonstrated indifference to their OSH Act obligations by committing willful, repeated, or failure-to-abate violations.
• Settlement. An agreement reached between OSHA and an employer to resolve a citation, often involving corrective actions and sometimes reduced penalties.
• SHARP (Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program). An OSHA program that recognizes small business employers who have used OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program services and operate an exemplary safety and health program.
• Training. Instruction provided to employees and employers on how to recognize, avoid, and prevent safety and health hazards in the workplace.
• Trade Secrets. Confidential business information that may be protected from disclosure during an OSHA inspection to prevent harm to the company's competitive position.
• Unprogrammed Inspection. An OSHA inspection that is initiated in response to specific information such as employee complaints, referrals, or reports of imminent danger, fatalities, or catastrophes.
• Variance. A regulatory relief mechanism that allows an employer to deviate from a specific OSHA standard under certain conditions.
• Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP). OSHA programs that recognize and promote effective safety and health management systems, encouraging cooperative relationships between labor, management, and OSHA.
• Walkaround Inspection. The physical inspection of a workplace conducted by an OSHA compliance officer, often accompanied by employer and employee representatives.
• Walkaround Representatives. Individuals, typically employees or their representatives, who accompany OSHA compliance officers during a workplace inspection.
• Willful Violation. A violation where the employer either knowingly failed to comply with a legal requirement (purposeful disregard) or acted with plain indifference to employee safety.
• Work Practice Controls. Changes in the way tasks are performed to reduce exposure to hazards, often part of administrative controls.
• Workplace Violence. Any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site.