Sometimes navigating workplace health and safety can feel like decoding a secret language. So many acronyms! Understanding these acronyms can often be essential for compliance and safety. Below are a few of the most popular workplace health and safety acronyms and their meanings.
COSHH
(Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health)
Every UK workplace has to follow COSHH regulations when it comes to the handling of chemicals, fumes and biological agents. These regulations are particularly important for labs and factories where such substances are most commonly found – they include laws like supplying gloves and providing adequate ventilation.
HAVS
(Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome)
HAVS is a painful condition caused by using vibrating tools like drills and chainsaws for long periods. In many trades, it is important to take steps to prevent HAVS such as choosing low vibration tools and enforcing regular breaks when using vibrating tools to prevent injuries.
HSE
(Health and Safety Executive)
The HSE is the UK’s national regulator for workplace health, safety and welfare. This body is in charge of setting and enforcing the law – carrying out inspections when injuries are reported and giving out fines to workplaces that don’t abide by the rules. The hse.gov.uk/ website is worth visiting as it provides information on pretty much all workplace health and safety regulations.
LOLER
(Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations)
LOLER outlines rules for safe use of equipment used for lifting (such as forklifts, cranes and hoists). Following these health and safety rules is key for preventing injuries. Failure to comply may result in hefty fines.
PPE
(Personal Protective Equipment)
PPE includes various different types of wearable equipment used to protect employees from injury. This includes facemasks, gloves, hi-vis jackets and hard hats. Certain work environments must supply certain types of PPE by law. There are online personal safety equipment suppliers that you can order PPE from.
RACE and PASS
(Rescue, Alarm, Confine, Extinguish/Evacuate) and (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep)
RACE and PASS are two acronyms used in fire safety. RACE (rescue, alarm, confine, extinguish/evacuate) provides a useful way of remembering the various steps when responding to a fire. PASS (pull, aim, squeeze, sweep) meanwhile instructs individuals how to use a fire extinguisher. There are posters you can buy for your workplace with these acronyms on.
RIDDOR
(Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations)
RIDDOR is a safety legislation that requires employers to report work-related accidents or disease outbreaks to the HSE. This is done via a RIDDOR form, which you can find on the HSE website. There are different RIDDOR forms for different types of incident. Not all incidents may require filing a report.
Conclusion
These are some of the main acronyms that you are likely to encounter, but there could be others that are relevant to certain niche industries. If you are unsure of what an acronym means, always look it up online. You can also outsource health and safety consultants to help explain certain acronyms if you are unsure of what they mean.
