Explanation of Terms

TermExplanation
CDM Regulations 2015Regulations updated in April 2015 to ensure construction projects are designed & managed safely. Designers must follow the “General Principles of Prevention” and Contractors must have a Construction Phase Plan in place and suitable Welfare Facilities for the duration of the Construction Phase
Health and Safety Executive (HSE)Agency responsible for regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare
Local Authority (LA)Local Council who also have same responsibilities as the HSE
ClientThe person or organisation that requests construction work to be carried out
Domestic ClientPeople who have construction work carried out on their own home, or the home of a family member that is not done as part of a business, whether for profit or not
Notifiable ProjectProject that lasts more than 30 working days and have more than 20 workers working simultaneously at any point or the project exceeds 500 person days
ContractorA company or individual that carries out any construction work
Principal Contractor (PC)Main contractor on a project (If 2 or more contractors are on a project, 1 must be a Principal Contractor)
Principal Designer (PD)The Principal Designer has responsibility for co-ordination of health and safety during the pre-construction phase. A Principal Designer must be appointed for projects with more than 1 contractor
European Directive 92/57/EECEuropean Directive which prompted a change to the CDM Regulations to include Domestic Clients
Construction Phase PlanPlan created to document how health, safety and welfare is managed & controlled during the construction work.
DesignAny drawings, information or specification produced to enable the project to be built
Tool Box TalkA small duration talk carried out on site with a relevant topic (e.g. working at height). Signatures of attendance to be recorded
Policy StatementA short statement on your company’s intention and commitment to ensuring work is carried out safely
ConsultantA person or organisation that offers advice on health, safety, welfare or environmental issues
Professional IndemnityInsurance required by a consultant / designer to protect the consultant / designer from claims due to poor advice leading to incidents / design problems
IOSHInstitution of Occupational Safety and Health – Organisation that health & safety consultants should be members
Management of H&S at Work Reg 1999Places a duty on employers to assess & manage risks to their employees and others arising from work activities
Site InductionA talk (which is based on the site rules) given by the most senior person on site before anyone starts work on site
Risk AssessmentAn assessment of the hazards on site and how they are to be controlled to eliminate or reduce the risk
Noise AssessmentAn assessment of noisy activities to ensure that long term hearing loss is avoided
Manual Handling AssessmentAn assessment of any handling / lifting of heavy objects on site to ensure no harm is done when manually moving the objects
Vibration AssessmentAn assessment of any vibrating hand tool that can lead to nerve damage to the finger tips (white finger)
COSHH AssessmentAn assessment of any materials / chemicals on site that can physically harm you or cause long term effects
Method StatementA document which sets out how a job will be carried out (a step by step method)
AccidentAn incident on site that injures a person or persons (accidents can also be fatalities)
Near MissAny incident on site that had the potential to injure someone, but nobody was actually physically injured. We can learn from Near Miss Reports to prevent accidents in future
PermitA safe system of work to control a particularly hazardous job. (e.g. permit to work at height, permit to dig.etc)
Waste Transfer NoteA legal document required when transferring waste from site to another location
Working at HeightAny work where there is a potential to fall causing injury
Edge ProtectionHand rails required where practicable to stop any falls from height by persons
DemolitionAny work where a part of a building / structure is removed
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Work wear required to help protect the workers from potential injury (e.g. hard hat to avoid head injuries) – PPE is always a last resort when it comes to controlling hazards
Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE)e.g. Dust Masks. Required when working in areas where harmful dust or fumes etc can enter the lungs
Face Fit TestTest carried out on RPE to ensure it fits properly on the face. Legal requirement. All different RPE worn must be face fit tested. Note: Having a beard or stubble can affect the fit of the RPE and limit its use for protection from dust / fumes.etc
CITBConstruction Industry Training Board – Organisation that helps construction works achieve training & qualifications
CSCS CardMost common card required to prove that an operative has received some basic health and safety training
CPCS CardSimilar to CSCS Card but for plant operatives (card will show which plant they can operate, e.g. Dumper)
CCDO CardSimilar to CSCS Card but specifically for operatives carrying out demolition works
CISRS CardSimilar to CSCS Card but specifically for scaffolding erection operatives
ECS CardSimilar to CSCS Card but specifically for electricians
JIB-PMES CardSimilar to CSCS Card but specifically for plumbers and mechanical engineering operatives