Accident
Undesired event that results in physical harm to a person or damage to property.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
Bloodborne pathogen transmitted through intimate contact.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Act that prohibits discrimination against a qualified individual with a disability because of his/her disability.
Bloodborne Pathogens
Microorganisms in human blood that can cause disease in humans.
Bloodborne Pathogens Standard
OSHA standard that requires employers to protect employees from potentially infectious materials.
Building-related Illness (BRI)
Situation in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that can be attributed directly to airborne building contaminants.
Business Continuity Planning
Management process that identifies potential threats and impacts to an organization and provides framework for ensuring that it is able to withstand disruption, interruption, or loss of normal business functions/operation.
Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)
Vision problems such as headaches and blurred vision that are associated with video display terminals.
Confined Space Entry Standard
OSHA standard that requires space-entry restrictions, rescue procedures, and a written safe-entry program to address concerns over adequate oxygen content in the air, toxic substance exposure, and physical exposures for workers in confined spaces.
Constructive Confrontation
Intervention strategy that focuses on job performance.
Control of Hazardous Energy Standard
OSHA standard that requires employers to protect employees from potentially infectious materials., OSHA standard that requires action so equipment cannot be activated (lockout) and signs or labels (tagout) attached to dangerous equipment that should not b
Counseling
Form of intervention in which the emphasis is on the cause of a problem rather than on job performance.
De Minimis Violation
Violation of an OSHA standard that does not have a direct impact on employees' safety and health on the job.
Directors' and Officers' (D&O) Liability Insurance
Protects directors, officers, and corporations from claims such as shareholder class actions and SEC violations for fraud and mismanagement.
Disaster Recovery Plan
Guidelines and procedures to be used by an organization for the recovery of data lost due to severe forces of neture such as earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, terrorism, or epidemics.
Drug-Free Workplace Act
Requires federal contractors with contracts of $100,000 or more as well as recipients of grants from federal government to certify they are maintaining a drug-free workplace., Requires federal contractors with contracts of $100,000 or more to certify that
Early-Return-To-Work Program
When an employer offers an employee a less strenuous job until he or she is fit to return to their regular job; also known as modified-duty program.
Emergency Exit Procedures (Means of Egress) Standard
OSHA standard that provides guidelines for preparing an emergency action plan and includes specifications regarding exits and maintenance of emergency systems.
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
Company-sponsored programs that deliver a variety of health-related services, which are provided by licensed professionals or organizations and offer employees a high degree of confidentiality.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
Insurance that provides employers with protection against claims of discrimination, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, or other employment-related issues.
Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)
Software systems that help identify and manage operational risk across an organization.
Epidemiology
Branch of medicine that investigates the causes and control of diseases in a population.
Ergonomics
Design of the work environment to address the physical demands experienced by employees.
Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance
Form of professional liability coverage that protects against employment claims.
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Act that regulates employee overtime status, overtime pay, child labor, minimum wage, record keeping, and other administrative concerns.
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)
Act that prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of their genetic information in both employment and health care.
Hazard
Incident without adequate controls applied.
Hazard Communication Standard (Employee Right-to-Know Law)
OSHA standard that requires labeling, Material Safety Data Sheets, training, orientation for new and transferred employees, and hazard communication programs to inform employees of hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
Health
State of well-being, free of illness or disease.
Homeland Security Act
Act designed to secure the United States against terrorist attacks and other threats and hazards and ensure safe and secure borders.
Human immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Virus that may lead to the development of the acquired immune deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
Incident
Any deviation from an acceptable standard
Job Burnout
Depletion of physical/mental resources caused by excessive striving to reach an unrealistic work-related goal.
Lockout
Refers to installing a lock, disconnect switch, or shutoff valve so equipment cannot be activated by mistake.
Machine Guarding Standard
OSHA standard that provides general requirements for all machinery to protect operator and other employees.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
Must be provided by manufactures for every hazardous substance; employers must evaluate chemicals and inform employees of hazardous properties.
Mine Safety and Health Act
Established mandatory safety and health standards for underground and surface mines.
Modified-Duty Program
When an employer offers an employee a less strenuous job until he or she is fit to return to their regular job; also known as early-return-to-work program.
Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB)
Form of tuberculosis that is resistant to current drug therapy.
Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD)
Disease caused by repetitive motion that affects muscles, nerves, tendon, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels, and spinal disks; also called cumulative trauma syndrome (CTS), cumulative trauma disorder (CTD), or repetitive stress injury.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Agency that provides health and safety information.
Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act
Revision to Bloodborne Pathogens standard that requires employers to minimize employees' exposure to blood through sharps injuries., Revision to Bloodborne Pathogens standard that requires employers to minimize employees' exposure to blood through needles
Occupational Illness
Medical condition or disorder, other than one resulting from an occupational injury, caused by exposure to environmental factors associated with employment.
Occupational Injury
Injury that results from a work-related accident or exposure involving a single incident in the work environment.
Occupational Noise Exposure (Hearing Conservation) Standard
OSHA standard that requires employers to provide controls to reduce unsafe noise levels in the workplace., OSHA standard that requires employers to reduce unsafe noise levels in the workplace.
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
Act that established the first national policy for safety and health and continues to deliver standards that employers mus meet to guarantee the health and safety of their employees.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Agency that administers and enforces the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC)
Group that rules on contested OSHA citations.
OSHA's Form 300
Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses; used to classify work-related injuries and illnesses and to note the extent and severity of each case.
OSHA's Form 300A
Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses; shows the totals of work-related injuries and illnesses for the year in each category.
OSHA's Form 301
Injury and Illness Incident Report; supplemental record that covers the details of each occupational injury and illness.
Other-than-serious violation
Violation of an OSHA standard that would probably not cause serious physical harm or death.
Pandemic
Emergence of a disease new to the population; the agent infects humans, causing serious illness, and spreads easily and sustainably among humans.
Personal Protective Equipment Standard
OSHA standard that protects employees from environmental, process, chemical, mechanical, or radiological hazards capable of causing injury or impairment and sets criteria for acceptable equipment designs.
Process Safety Management Standard
OSHA standard aimed at preventing or minimizing the effect of catastrophic releases of toxic, reactive, flammable, or explosive chemicals.
Professional Liability Insurance
Insurance that protects directors, officers, employees, and organizations against claims of negligence in the performance of professional services.
Proprietary Information
Sensitive information owned by a company that gives the company certain competitive advantages.
Repeat Violation
Violation of an OSHA standard that is a repeat of a violation found under a previous inspection.
Risk Management
Use of Insurance and other strategies in an effort to prevent or minimize an organization's exposure to liability in the event a loss or injury occurs.
Risk management Scorecard
Tool used to make calculated judgments based on the probability that a circumstance will occur and the potential consequences.
Safety
Freedom from hazard, risk, or injury.
Safety Committees
Composed of workers from different levels and departments who are involved in safety planning and programs.
Security
Physical/procedural measures used to protect people, property, and information in the workplace.
Serious Violation
Violation of an OSHA standard that is likely to cause death or serious injury on the job.
Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)
Situation in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building but no specific illness or cause can be identified.
State Plans
Safety and health policies and procedures that states have adopted and that have been approved by OSHA.
Stress
Mental and physical condition that results from a real or perceived threat and the inability to remove it or cope with it.
Tagout
Signs or labels attached to equipment to warn others not to activate it.
Teratogens
Products that affect a fetus but not the pregnant mother.
Terrorism
Use of force or violence against persons or property in violation of the criminal laws of the United States for purposes of intimidation, or ransom.
Tuberculosis (TB)
Airborne contagious disease caused by a bacterial infection.
Unsafe Acts
Incidents that result from unsafe behavior on the part of the employee, such as operating equipment at high speeds.
Unsafe Conditions
Mechanical or physical hazards that may lead to injury, such as defective equipment or improper lighting.
USA PATRIOT Act
Act that gives federal officials greater authority to take measures to combat terrorism. (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism)
Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)
Voluntary group of employers that promotes and recognizes effective safety and health programs.
Vulnerabilities
Security risk factors.
Wellness Programs
Preventive health programs offered by employers designed to improve the health and physical well-being of employees both on and off the job.
Willful Violation
Violation of an OSHA standard that is considered intentional.
Stored Communications Act
Act that protectsprivacy of e-mail in storage.
Wiretap Act
Act that prohibits the interception of e-mails in transmission.
Administrative Law Judge (ALJ)
Judge who conducts the formal procedures for OSHA citations.
Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA)
Act that sets forth provisions for access, use, disclosure, interception, and privacy protections of electronic communications.
General Duty Clause
Statement in Occupational Safety and Health Act that requires employers subject to OSHA to provide employees with a safe and healthy work environment.
Fetal protection policies
Attempts to protect the fetus from workplace hazards.
International employee assistance programs (IEAPs)
EAP program benefits offered to international employees and the non-U.S.-based workforce to support their unique cultural adjustment needs.