Beyond OSHA: Other Government Acronyms

OSHA isn't the only agency safety managers deal with. Depending on your operations, you may also need to meet EPA reporting requirements, follow DOT transportation rules, or consult NIOSH exposure guidance. Each brings its own terminology to understand. This guide explains common non-OSHA environmental health and safety acronyms and abbreviations, what they mean, and when you might encounter them in your work.

Looking for EHS terms or workplace health and safety organizations? Be sure to check out our blog posts:

• Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Terms and Acronyms
• Workplace Health and Safety Organizations

CERCLA – Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

CERCLA, commonly known as Superfund, is a federal law enacted in 1980 to address sites contaminated by hazardous substances. It gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authority to respond to releases or threatened releases and hold responsible parties liable for cleanup costs.

CERCLA can become relevant when a facility discovers historical contamination, experiences a reportable hazardous substance release, or faces environmental cleanup responsibilities.

EPCRA – Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act

The EPCRA was enacted in 1986 to improve chemical emergency planning and public access to hazardous chemical information.

EPCRA establishes requirements for facilities that handle or store certain chemicals, including emergency planning notifications, chemical inventory reporting, and toxic chemical release reporting. It also assigns emergency planning responsibilities to state and local organizations.

Form R – Toxics Release Inventory Reporting Form

Form R is a reporting form used under the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program to document releases and waste management activities involving certain toxic chemicals.

Covered facilities generally submit a separate Form R for each reportable chemical. The report includes information about chemical releases, waste management, and pollution prevention activities. Some facilities qualify to submit the shorter Form A instead.

IDLH – Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health

IDLH describes an atmospheric condition that poses an immediate threat to life, could cause irreversible health effects, or could prevent someone from escaping.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) develops IDLH values for hazardous substances to help guide respiratory protection selection and emergency-response planning. These values are particularly relevant when evaluating potentially dangerous atmospheres, including confined spaces and chemical release situations.

IDLH values are not intended to serve as acceptable limits for routine occupational exposure.

LEPC – Local Emergency Planning Committee

LEPCs develop and maintain local emergency response plans for hazardous chemical incidents. Established under EPCRA, these committees include representatives from emergency services, government agencies, industry, and community organizations.

Facilities subject to certain EPCRA requirements must provide hazardous chemical information to their LEPCs. Maintaining communication with the committee can also help businesses coordinate emergency planning with local responders.

NPDES – National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

NPDES is a permitting program established under the Clean Water Act to regulate pollutant discharges from point sources into waters of the United States.

The EPA and authorized state agencies administer the program. NPDES permits establish discharge limits, monitoring requirements, and reporting obligations.

Safety and environmental managers may encounter NPDES requirements at manufacturing facilities, wastewater treatment operations, and construction sites where regulated stormwater discharges occur.

PHMSA – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

PHMSA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) responsible for regulating pipeline safety and the transportation of hazardous materials.

PHMSA regulations address activities such as hazardous materials packaging, shipping documentation, labeling, and transportation safety.

For example, employees who prepare hazardous materials for shipment may need to follow DOT hazardous materials regulations even when another company physically transports the shipment.

Prop 65 – Proposition 65

Proposition 65, officially called the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, is a California law addressing exposure to chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

The law requires California to maintain a list of these chemicals. It also requires businesses to provide applicable exposure warnings and prohibits certain discharges into drinking water sources.

Proposition 65 requirements may affect manufacturers, employers, distributors, and other businesses whose operations or products create covered exposures in California.

RCRA – Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

RCRA establishes the federal framework for managing solid waste, including hazardous waste. For hazardous waste, the framework covers generation, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal. This approach is commonly called cradle-to-grave waste management.

For safety and environmental professionals, RCRA requirements become relevant when facilities generate regulated waste, such as certain spent solvents, contaminated materials, or discarded chemicals. Proper waste identification helps determine applicable handling, storage, and disposal requirements.

REL – Recommended Exposure Limit

A REL is an occupational exposure recommendation developed by NIOSH to help protect workers from hazardous substances and conditions.

NIOSH establishes RELs using available scientific and technical information about potential health effects. Unlike OSHA's permissible exposure limits (PELs), RELs are not themselves legally enforceable standards.

Safety professionals can reference RELs when conducting exposure assessments, reviewing air monitoring results, or evaluating workplace controls. The NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards provides exposure recommendations and other information for numerous workplace chemicals.

RSOL – Regional Solicitor of Labor

RSOLs oversee legal services and trial litigation for the Department of Labor within their assigned regions. The Office of the Solicitor (see SOL) has seven regional offices located in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco, each led by a Regional Solicitor. These offices recommend and prosecute cases at administrative and district trial levels, prepare legal interpretations and opinions, and assist the U.S. Attorney with criminal prosecutions.

SARA – Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act

SARA is a federal law enacted in 1986 that amended and expanded CERCLA, commonly known as Superfund. The legislation strengthened hazardous substance cleanup requirements and increased community involvement in environmental cleanup activities.

Title III of SARA also established EPCRA, which introduced emergency planning and hazardous chemical reporting requirements.

SARA 311/312 – SARA Title III, Sections 311 and 312

Sections 311 and 312 of EPCRA establish hazardous chemical information and inventory reporting requirements for covered facilities.

Section 311 generally requires facilities to submit safety data sheets or chemical lists for covered hazardous chemicals to designated state and local organizations. Section 312 requires annual chemical inventory reporting through Tier I or Tier II forms.

SARA 313 – SARA Title III, Section 313

Section 313 of EPCRA establishes toxic chemical reporting requirements under the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program.

Certain facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use listed chemicals above applicable thresholds must report information about chemical releases and waste management activities.

Unlike Sections 311 and 312, which address hazardous chemical inventories, Section 313 focuses on chemical releases and other waste management activities.

SERC – State Emergency Response Commission

SERCs coordinate hazardous chemical emergency planning and community right-to-know activities at the state level.

Their responsibilities include designating local emergency planning districts, overseeing LEPC activities, and reviewing local emergency response plans.

Facilities subject to certain EPCRA requirements must submit hazardous chemical information to their SERCs. These organizations also provide information about state-specific reporting procedures.

SOL – Solicitor of Labor

The Office of the Solicitor (SOL) serves as legal counsel to the U.S. Department of Labor and provides legal services, litigation support, and enforcement guidance for labor-related regulations and safety laws. The SOL is organized into 10 national divisions at the Washington, D.C., headquarters and 7 regional offices with 7 subregional branch offices, that serve as lower-court trial litigation centers and provide legal services and advice within their regions.

SPCC – Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure

SPCC refers to federal regulations designed to prevent oil discharges into navigable waters and adjoining shorelines.

The EPA's SPCC rule applies to qualifying non-transportation-related facilities based on factors including oil storage capacity and the potential for a discharge into covered waters.

Facilities subject to the rule generally must develop and implement an SPCC Plan addressing oil spill prevention and control measures. These requirements may be relevant to manufacturing plants, maintenance facilities, and other operations that store significant quantities of oils, fuels, or lubricants.

Tier II – Tier II Emergency and Hazardous Chemical Inventory Report

Tier II is an annual hazardous chemical inventory report required under EPCRA Section 312 for covered facilities.

It provides chemical-specific information, including quantities, storage locations, and associated hazards. Emergency planners and responders use this information to understand potential chemical emergencies at a facility.

Tier I reports provide more general information grouped by hazard category, while Tier II reports provide additional chemical-specific details. Most states require Tier II reporting, and individual states may impose additional requirements.

Tier II reports are generally due March 1 each year for the preceding calendar year.

TRI – Toxics Release Inventory

The TRI is an EPA program that collects and publishes information about how certain industrial facilities manage listed toxic chemicals.

Under EPCRA Section 313, covered facilities report chemical releases to the environment and quantities managed through recycling, energy recovery, or treatment.

TRI reporting depends on factors including industry classification, employee count, and chemical activity thresholds. Annual reports are due July 1 for the previous calendar year.

Unlike Tier II, which focuses on hazardous chemicals present at a facility, TRI focuses on releases and other waste management activities. Submitting one report does not satisfy the requirements of the other.

TSCA – Toxic Substances Control Act

TSCA is a federal law that gives the EPA authority to evaluate and regulate chemical substances and mixtures.

The law addresses activities such as chemical manufacturing, importing, processing, testing, reporting, and recordkeeping. It also authorizes EPA restrictions on chemicals that present unreasonable risks to health or the environment.

TSCA requirements are particularly relevant to chemical manufacturers, importers, and processors. Certain substances regulated under other federal laws, including many foods, drugs, cosmetics, and pesticides, are generally excluded.

HSI Can Help

HSI helps make workplace safety easier to manage with chemical management solutions, accessible safety training, and tools that support regulatory compliance. From maintaining accurate SDS records to preparing Tier II reports, we help safety teams stay organized, keep employees informed, and manage workplace risks.

Request a consultation to learn how HSI can help strengthen your safety and compliance programs.