Southampton Occupational Safety Association Image
LEV, Local exhaust ventilation
LGA, Local Government Association
LOLER, Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations
LPG, Liquefied petroleum gas
LTA, Lost time accident
LV, Low voltage
LVD, Low voltage directive
MAFF, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
MDHS, Methods for the Determination of Hazardous Substances
MEL, Maximum Exposure Limit
MEWP, Mobile elevating work platform
MHSWR, Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
MSD, Musculoskeletal disorder
MSDS, Material Safety Data Sheet(s)
NASC, National Association of Scaffolding Contractors
NEBOSH, National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health
NFB, National Federation of Builders
NFDC, National Federation of Demolition Contractors
NFRC, National Federation of Roofing Contractors
NHBC, National House Building Council
NIHL, Noise induced hearing loss
NONS, Notification of New Substances Regulations
NPF, Nominal protection factor
PPE, Personal protective equipment
PSSR, Pressure Systems Safety Regulations
PUWER, Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
R phrase, Risk phrases (i.e. R40, R42) as defined by the Approved List of the CHIP Regulations
RCD, Residual current device
RDP, Registered disabled person
REACH, Registration Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals
RICS, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
RIDDOR, Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations
ROPS, Roll-over protection system
RoSPA, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
RPE, Respiratory protective equipment
RSI, Repetitive strain injury
RSC, Royal Society of Chemistry
RSP, Registered safety practitioner
S phrase, Safety phrases (i.e. S12, S16) as defined by the Approved List of the CHIP Regulations
SBS, Sick building syndrome
SFAIRP, So far as is reasonably practicable
SI, Systeme Internationale
SMART, Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timebound
SME, Small and medium-sized enterprises
SMSR, Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations
SRSC, Safety Representatives and Safety Committees
STEL, Short term exposure limit

SWL, Safe working load
SWORD, Surveillance of Work Related and Occupational Respiratory Disease
SWP, Safe working pressure
TWA, Time-Weighted Average
UEL Upper explosive limit or exposure
UKAS, United Kingdom Accreditation Service
VDU, Visual Display Unit
VWF, Vibration white finger
WATCH, Working Group for the Assessment of Toxic Chemicals (ACTS)
WBV, Whole body vibration
WRULD, Work related upper limb disorders
YP, Young Person
Link To How To Join SOSA
Southampton Occupational Safety Association Guide To Jargon

ACOP, Approved Code of Practice
ADR, Accord dangereux routier (European agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road)
AFFF, Aqueous film forming foam
ALARP, As low as reasonably practicable
ATEX, Atmosphere Explosiv (used in the context of two European Directives, 94/9/EC and 1999/92/EC)
BA, Breathing apparatus or Biological agent
BIOH, British Institute of Occupational Hygiene
BLEVE, Boiling liquid expanding vapour explosion
BOHS, British Occupational Hygiene Society
BSI, British Standards Institution
CD or ConDoc, Consultative Document
CDM, Construction Design and Management
CEHO, Chief Environmental Health Officer
CEN, Comite Europeen de Normalisation
CENELEC, Comite Europeen de Normalisation Electrotechnique Electronic Components Committee
CER, Carriage of Explosives Regulations
CFDRA, Campden Food and Drink Research Association
CHIP, Chemical (Hazard Information and Packaging) Regulations
CHSW, Construction (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations
CIB, Chartered Institute of Building or Construction Industry Board
CIBSE, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers
CIEH, Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
CIMAH, Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations
CITB, Construction Industry Training Board
CLAW, Control of Lead at Work Regulations 1980
CNC, Computer numerical control
COMAH, Control of Major Accident Hazards
CORGI, Council for Registered Gas Installers
COSHH, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations
CPS, Crown Prosecution Service
CTS, Carpal tunnel syndrome
dB, Decibels
dB(A), Decibels on the A weighted scale
DIN, Deutsches Institut fur Normung (German Standards Institute)
DSE, Display screen equipment
DSEAR, Dangerous Substances and Explosives Atmospheres Regulations
DTI, Department of Trade and IndustryEA, Environment Agency
EC, European Commission
EHO, Environmental health officer
EHSR, Essential health and safety requirement
EINECS, European Inventory of Existing Commercial Chemical Substances
ELCI, Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance
ELINCS, European list of new commercial chemical substances
EMAS, Employment Medical Advisory Service EMR , Electromagnetic radiation
EN, European Standard
FRA, Fire and Rescue Authority
FLT, Fork lift truck
FMB, Federation of Master Builders
FPO, Fire Prevention Officer
HACCP, Hazard analysis critical control point
HASAWA, Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
HAV(s), Hand-arm vibration syndrome
HFL, Highly flammable liquid
HGV, Heavy goods vehicle
HPA, Health Protection Authority
HSC, Health and Safety Commission
HSCER, Health and Safety (Consultation with Employers) Regulations
HSE, Health and Safety Executive
HSG or HS (G), Health and Safety Guidance Booklet
HSL, Health and Safety Laboratory
HV, High voltage
HVAC, Heating, ventilating and air conditioning

IAM, Institute of Advanced Motorists
ICE, Institute of Chartered Engineers
ICES, Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors
IEE, The Institution of Electrical Engineers
ILA, Individual learning account
IMECHE, Institution of Mechanical Engineers
INDG or IND(G), Industry Guidance
IOSH, Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
IP, Injured person or Institute of Physics
IP rating, Rating for how splash or dust resistant an item is
IPC, Integrated pollution control
IQS, Institute of Quantity Surveyors
IRM, Institute of Risk Management
ISO, International Organization for Standardization

LA, Local authority
LAAPS, Local Authority Accident Prevention and Safety Services
LAC, Local Authority Circular
LASER, Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation
LC5O, Lethal concentration 50
LD50, Lethal dose fifty
LEL, Lower explosive limit or lower exposure limit
LEQ, Equivalent continuous sound level
LEQ(8)hr, Equivalent Continuous Sound Level (normalised to 8 hours)