Health & Safety Glossary A–Z

A comprehensive reference of key health and safety terms used in UK workplaces. Jump to a letter:

A

ACM (Asbestos-Containing Material)

Any building material that contains asbestos fibres. Common in UK buildings constructed before 2000. Must be identified, managed, and not disturbed without proper precautions. Learn more

AED (Automated External Defibrillator)

A portable device that delivers an electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm during cardiac arrest. Designed for use by non-medical personnel with voice-guided instructions.

Asbestos

A group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals formerly used in building materials for insulation and fire resistance. All forms banned in the UK since 1999 due to severe health risks including mesothelioma. Asbestos Awareness Course

C

CDM (Construction Design and Management) Regulations 2015

UK regulations that set out the roles and responsibilities for managing health and safety on construction projects, from design through to completion.

Competent Person

Someone who has sufficient training, experience, knowledge, and qualities to carry out a particular task safely. Required under multiple H&S regulations for tasks like risk assessment and equipment inspection.

COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health)

UK regulations (2002) requiring employers to assess and control exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace. Covers chemicals, fumes, dusts, vapours, and biological agents. What is COSHH?

CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)

An emergency life-saving procedure combining chest compressions and rescue breaths to maintain blood flow and oxygen delivery when someone's heart has stopped.

D

DSE (Display Screen Equipment)

Any device with a screen used for work, including computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 require employers to assess and reduce DSE-related risks.

Duty of Care

The legal obligation to take reasonable steps to avoid acts or omissions that could foreseeably harm others. Applies to employers toward employees, and to anyone handling waste under environmental law.

E

EFAW (Emergency First Aid at Work)

A one-day first aid qualification covering basic life-saving skills. The minimum first aid provision for low-risk workplaces. Compare EFAW vs FAW

Enforcement Notice

A formal notice issued by the HSE or local authority requiring an employer to remedy a breach of health and safety law within a specified time period.

ERP (Emergency Response Plan)

A documented set of procedures to follow in the event of an emergency, covering evacuation, first aid, fire response, and communication with emergency services.

F

FAW (First Aid at Work)

A three-day comprehensive first aid qualification covering a wide range of injuries and illnesses. Required for higher-risk workplaces or those with 25+ employees.

Fire Risk Assessment

A systematic evaluation of fire hazards, people at risk, and existing fire safety measures in a premises. Legal requirement under the Fire Safety Order 2005. Learn more

Fire Triangle

The three elements needed for fire: heat (ignition source), fuel (combustible material), and oxygen. Remove any one element and the fire goes out.

FSO (Fire Safety Order) 2005

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — the primary fire safety legislation for non-domestic premises in England and Wales. Places duties on the "responsible person."

H

Hazard

Anything with the potential to cause harm — a substance, a piece of equipment, a work method, or an environmental condition. Distinguished from "risk," which is the likelihood and severity of that harm occurring.

HAVS (Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome)

A condition caused by regular use of vibrating hand-held tools. Symptoms include tingling, numbness, and loss of grip strength. Covered by the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005.

HSE (Health and Safety Executive)

The UK government body responsible for regulating and enforcing workplace health and safety law. Provides guidance, conducts inspections, and investigates serious incidents.

HSWA (Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974)

The primary piece of UK health and safety legislation. Places a general duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of all employees.

I

Improvement Notice

A notice served by the HSE requiring a duty holder to remedy a contravention of health and safety law within a specified time period. Less severe than a Prohibition Notice.

Incident

Any unplanned event that could or did result in injury, illness, or damage. Includes accidents (causing harm), near misses (no harm but could have), and dangerous occurrences.

L

LEV (Local Exhaust Ventilation)

An engineering control that captures airborne contaminants (dust, fumes, vapour) at or near the source before they spread into the workplace. A key COSHH control measure.

LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998)

Regulations requiring that all lifting equipment is fit for purpose, regularly inspected by a competent person, and used safely.

M

Manual Handling

Any transporting or supporting of a load by hand or bodily force, including lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, and carrying. What is manual handling?

Method Statement

A document describing how a particular task or activity will be carried out safely, step by step. Often paired with a risk assessment as a "RAMS" (Risk Assessment and Method Statement).

MSD (Musculoskeletal Disorder)

Injuries or conditions affecting muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, and nerves — often caused by poor manual handling, repetitive movements, or awkward postures.

N

Near Miss

An unplanned event that did not result in injury or damage but had the potential to do so. Recording and investigating near misses helps prevent future accidents.

O

OEL (Occupational Exposure Limit)

The maximum concentration of a hazardous substance that a worker should be exposed to over a specified time period. Known as Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) in the UK.

P

PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan)

A tailored evacuation plan for an individual who may need assistance during an emergency, such as a person with mobility issues, visual impairment, or hearing loss.

Permit to Work

A formal written system for controlling certain types of high-risk work (e.g. hot work, confined space entry, electrical work). Ensures all safety precautions are in place before work begins.

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

Equipment worn or held to protect against health and safety risks — includes hard hats, gloves, safety glasses, ear defenders, respirators, high-visibility clothing, and safety footwear. Always the last resort in the hierarchy of controls.

Prohibition Notice

A notice issued by the HSE requiring an activity to stop immediately because it poses a risk of serious personal injury. More severe than an Improvement Notice.

PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998)

Regulations requiring that all work equipment is suitable, maintained, inspected, and that users are trained and informed.

R

RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013)

Regulations requiring employers to report certain types of workplace incidents to the HSE, including fatalities, specified injuries, over-7-day incapacitation, occupational diseases, and dangerous occurrences.

Risk

The likelihood that a hazard will cause harm, combined with the severity of that harm. Risk = Likelihood x Severity. Not the same as a hazard — a hazard is the source of potential harm; risk is the chance it will actually cause harm.

Risk Assessment

A systematic process of identifying hazards, evaluating risks, and determining appropriate control measures. Required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

S

Safety Data Sheet (SDS)

A document provided by the manufacturer or supplier of a hazardous substance, giving detailed information about its properties, hazards, handling, storage, and emergency measures. Required under COSHH.

SFARP / ALARP (So Far As Reasonably Practicable / As Low As Reasonably Practicable)

The legal standard for risk management in UK health and safety. Risks must be reduced until the cost (time, money, effort) of further reduction is grossly disproportionate to the benefit gained.

T

TILE

A risk assessment framework for manual handling: Task, Individual, Load, Environment. Used to evaluate and reduce the risk of injury from manual handling operations. Learn about TILE

Toolbox Talk

A short, informal safety briefing given on-site, typically lasting 5-15 minutes. Covers a specific safety topic relevant to the current work activities.

W

WEL (Workplace Exposure Limit)

The maximum concentration of an airborne substance, averaged over a reference period, to which employees may be exposed by inhalation. Listed in HSE publication EH40.

Working at Height

Any work where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. Regulated by the Work at Height Regulations 2005. What is working at height?