Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Acronyms

Take a look at any large, governmental institution and you will find jargon that can be intimidating to laymen and working professionals alike. One particular part of their jargon that can be overwhelming is the acronyms and abbreviations. While they make many people’s lives easier, they can be tricky if you aren’t seeing or using them every day.

Here we will introduce you to the acronyms for some of the most common acronyms and abbreviations surrounding Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We will also include a brief definition for each one to help you be better informed on OSHA-related matters, whether you are new to workplace health and safety or are a long-time professional.

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
  

Note that this list is in alphabetical order, by acronym.

5(a)(1) – General Duty Clause of the OSH Act

The General Duty Clause is a catch-all tool for enforcement of federal occupational safety and health standards, used by OSHA to issue citations or violations where enforcement is necessary, but specific standards may not be applicable. Essentially, it states that an employer’s responsibility is to audit work environments for hazards and hazard exposure, inform employees about those hazards, train them for safety, and mitigate risk across working environments.

AAD – Assistant Area Director

The AAD has first-level supervisory responsibility for the safety and health of employees within their team. AADs ensure that work is performed in accordance with OSHA's Safety and Health Management System (SHMS) by managing safe work practices, providing job-specific safety training, and monitoring workplace conditions for potential hazards. They are responsible for investigating unsafe acts or conditions, ensuring corrective actions are taken, promptly reporting incidents or safety concerns to leadership, and fostering clear communication through education and positive feedback. By leading through example and promoting a strong culture of safety, AADs play a critical role in protecting employees and maintaining excellence in occupational safety and health practices.

AD – Area Director

Each Area Office has an AD tasked with accomplishing the OSHA mission for covered employers within that jurisdiction. This includes administrative and technical support in the issuing of citations.

AO – Area Office

OSHA operates 10 Regional Offices (RO) across its jurisdiction. Within each of those regions are numerous Area Offices. The number will vary depending on many factors, such as population and if the state or territory operates an OSHA State Plan.

AVD – Alleged Violation Description

An AVD is a complete description of an alleged violation, determined during an OSHA inspection, consisting of the necessary variable elements applicable to that specific violation along with Standard Alleged Violation Elements that are stored within a reporting system, accounting for consistency.

CSHO – Compliance Safety and Health Officer

The primary responsibility of the CSHO is to carry out the portion of OSHA’s mission that calls for the enforcement of standards. Through workplace inspections, the CSHO can help ensure hazards are identified and abated to protect workers. During these processes, the CSHO must use professional judgment to adequately document hazards and is responsible for the technical adequacy of each case file.

DOL – Department of Labor

Formed in 1913, the DOL is responsible for fostering the well-being of all workers and retirees, improving working conditions, and ensuring work-related benefits and rights. In carrying out this mission, the DOL administers and enforces more than 180 federal laws and thousands of federal regulations. In 1971, OSHA was established under the DOL.

FIRM – Field Inspection Reference Manual

This is the now-archived handbook for OSHA’s CSHOs. In 2009, it was replaced by the Field Operations Manual (FOM).

FOM – Field Operations Manual

This is the handbook currently used by OSHA’s CSHOs. It is updated periodically, and its length varies by edition. It’s intended to provide OSHA offices, State Plan programs, and federal agencies with policy and procedures concerning the enforcement of occupational safety and health standards and ensure standards are enforced uniformly. The FOM provides current information and guidance concerning OSHA’s policy and procedures for implementing inspections, issuing citations, and proposing penalties. It is also a reference document for field personnel, providing enforcement policies and procedures in conducting OSHA investigations.

FTA – Failure to Abate

All employers under the purview of OSHA, whether federally or through a State Plan, are subject to periodic inspections. Depending on the type of violation and severity of the danger, or potential danger, OSHA may issue a citation or fine. There are five main categories of OSHA violations that can result in a civil penalty. Each citation that is handed out includes a date by which the issue must be resolved. Employers who do not do so on or before the specified date may receive an FTA citation, which can result in a costly fine for each day beyond the abatement date.

GHS – Globally Harmonized System

The GHS is an international framework developed by the United Nations to standardize the classification and labeling of hazardous chemicals. GHS establishes consistent criteria for hazard communication elements such as Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), signal words, pictograms, and chemical labeling. OSHA incorporated GHS elements into its Hazard Communication Standard (HAZCOM) to improve worker understanding and chemical safety in the workplace.

HAZCOM – Hazard Communication Standard

OSHA’s HAZCOM (29 CFR 1910.1200) requires chemical hazards to be classified and communicated to workers through labels, SDSs, and employee training.

LEP – Local Emphasis Program

LEPs are a type of Special Emphasis Program designed and implemented at the Regional Office or AO level. These programs are intended to address hazards or industries that pose a particular risk to workers within that jurisdiction. The emphasis programs may be implemented by a single AO, or at the Regional Office level (known as Regional Emphasis Programs) and then applied to all the AOs within the region. These LEPs are accompanied by outreach intended to make employers aware of the program as well as the hazards that the programs are designed to reduce or eliminate.

LOI – Letters of Interpretation

Official written responses given to employers, workers, or organizations explaining how safety rules apply to specific job sites.

LOTO – Lockout/Tagout

LOTO refers to OSHA’s control of hazardous energy procedures designed to protect workers during equipment servicing and maintenance. OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.147 requires employers to establish energy control procedures that prevent machines or equipment from unexpectedly starting or releasing stored energy while work is being performed. Proper LOTO procedures help prevent serious injuries such as electrocution, amputations, crushing injuries, and burns.

MOU – Memorandum of Understanding

This is an official document outlining the details of intergovernmental relationships. Companies and organizations can use MOUs to establish official partnerships. They are not legally binding, but they carry a degree of mutual respect. OSHA maintains a list of its MOUs with other federal entities.

NEP – National Emphasis Program

When routine enforcement procedures are not going far enough to protect workers at a particular time, OSHA can enact a Special Emphasis Program to target additional inspections and improve worker safety. For example, if there is a spike in illness, injury, or fatality rates in a specific industry, OSHA might create an NEP to lower risk or mitigate corresponding hazards. Special Emphasis Program inspections are scheduled with a frequency above the rate of other inspections because they have a higher priority than Site-Specific Targeting plan checks. Currently, OSHA has multiple active NEPs, with the total changing periodically as OSHA adds, revises, or sunsets initiatives.

OSH Act – Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

This landmark legislation established the OSH Act, along with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC). The main goal of the OSH Act is to ensure employers provide environments free from recognized hazards by authorizing enforcement of health and safety standards, assisting states in their efforts to assure safe working conditions, and providing for research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health.

OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration

With the OSH Act, Congress created OSHA, under the Department of Labor, to ensure safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. OSHA also conducts tens of thousands of workplace safety inspections annually, both planned and based on complaints or referrals. These inspections have been proven to reduce injury rates and injury costs to employers.

OSHA 10/30 – OSHA 10-Hour or OSHA 30-Hour

The OSHA Outreach Training Program provides workers with training about common safety and health hazards on the job. There is a basic option (10-Hour) that provides basic awareness training on the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of workplace hazards, as well as a more advanced option (30-Hour) that goes far more in depth. These courses may be completed through OSHA-authorized Outreach Training providers, including online providers for eligible industries.

OSHRC - Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission

The OSHRC is an independent government agency created by Congress under the OSH Act. Its main job is to review and decide disputes when employers challenge OSHA citations or fines issued after workplace safety inspections. OSHRC helps ensure these disagreements are resolved fairly, independently, and as quickly as possible for OSHA, employers, employees, and their representatives.

OTI – OSHA Training Institute

The OTI is the division within OSHA that serves as the primary training provider for federal and state compliance officers, state consultants, other federal agency personnel, and the private sector. OTI Education Centers were introduced in the 1990s as the demand eventually exceeded OTI’s training capacity. Today, many workers and employers utilize OSHA-authorized trainers and online Outreach Training providers for OSHA-related training.

OTS – Other Than Serious

All employers under the purview of OSHA, whether federally or through a State Plan, are subject to periodic inspections. Depending on the type of violation and severity of the danger, or potential danger, OSHA may issue a citation or fine. There are five main categories of OSHA violations that can result in a civil penalty, OTS is one of them. A violation that would not result in serious injury or death, such as not posting required safety documentation in a work area, is considered “other-than-serious.”

PEL – Permissible Exposure Limit

A PEL is a legal limit in the United States for exposure of an employee to a chemical substance or physical agent such as loud noise. Many large industrial organizations have felt obligated to supplement the existing OSHA PELs with their own internal corporate guidelines, but OSHA PELs are legally enforceable exposure limits, though many organizations adopt more protective internal exposure guidelines.

PPE – Personal Protective Equipment

PPE refers to specialized clothing or equipment worn by workers to minimize exposure to workplace hazards that may cause injury or illness. Common examples of PPE include gloves, safety glasses, respirators, hard hats, hearing protection, and fall protection equipment. OSHA requires employers to assess workplaces for hazards and provide appropriate PPE when engineering or administrative controls cannot adequately reduce risk.

PMA – Petition to Modify Abatement

After receiving an OSHA citation, an employer may file a PMA date if, after making a good-faith effort to comply with the abatement requirements, such abatement has not been completed because of factors beyond the employer’s reasonable control.

R – Repeated

All employers under the purview of OSHA, whether federally or through a State Plan, are subject to periodic inspections. Depending on the type of violation and severity of the danger, or potential danger, OSHA may issue a citation or fine. There are five main categories of OSHA violations that can result in a civil penalty, R is one of them. If an employer receives a citation or fine and a subsequent inspection reveals an identical or very similar violation, a repeat citation may be issued. However, if the employer contested the original violation and is awaiting a decision from OSHA, inspectors cannot assess a repeated violation.

RA – Regional Administrator

Each Regional Office is assigned an RA, who is responsible for managing, executing, and evaluating all programs in their respective region. Each RA reports to the Deputy Assistant Secretary.

REL – Recommended Exposure Limit

A REL is an occupational exposure guideline developed by NIOSH to protect workers from hazardous substances and workplace hazards. Unlike OSHA PELs, RELs are not legally enforceable standards, but they are widely respected and often considered more protective due to updated scientific research. RELs are commonly used by employers and safety professionals when developing workplace exposure control programs.

RO – Regional Office

OSHA designates 10 regions with regional offices: Region 1, Boston; Region 2, New York; Region 3, Philadelphia; Region 4, Atlanta; Region 5, Chicago; Region 6, Dallas; Region 7, Kansas City; Region 8, Denver; Region 9, San Francisco; Region 10, Seattle.

S – Serious

All employers under the purview of OSHA, whether federally or through a State Plan, are subject to periodic inspections. Depending on the type of violation and severity of the danger, or potential danger, OSHA may issue a citation or fine. There are five main categories of OSHA violations that can result in a civil penalty, S is one of them. Just as it sounds, a serious OSHA violation exists when a hazard could cause an accident or illness that would most likely result in death or serious physical harm, unless the employer did not or could not have known of the situation.

SI – Standard Interpretation

SIs are official letters of interpretation issued in response to questions about OSHA standards and compliance requirements. These letters are a great source of information for answers to difficult safety questions, explaining the finer points of compliance with occupational safety and health standards, along with enforcement of said standards. SDIs have been occurring since 1972, and many times new SDIs replace older versions as industry and work have changed.

SST – Site Specific Targeting

SST inspections represent a portion of OSHA's programmed inspection activity and focus on establishments with higher-than-average injury and illness rates. The remaining inspections are imminent danger, fatality, catastrophe, complaint, referral, follow-up, and other programmed inspections (which mainly focus on a specific hazard). SST inspection plans are based on the self-reported injury and illness information submitted to OSHA. Each AO receives a list of establishments, with a focus on worksites where the highest rate of injuries and illnesses have occurred. Inspections are expected to occur within about a year. Establishments selected for a site-specific inspection receive both a comprehensive safety and a comprehensive health inspection. The intention of the SST is to help OSHA make more effective use of its enforcement resources.

TLV – Threshold Limit Value

A TLV is an occupational exposure guideline established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). TLVs are intended to represent airborne concentrations of substances that most workers can be exposed to repeatedly without adverse health effects. While TLVs are not legally enforceable by OSHA, many organizations use them as best-practice exposure guidelines when evaluating workplace chemical hazards.

TWA – Time Weighted Average

Related to chemical exposure, a TWA is a measurement used to determine PELs and Recommended Exposure Limits (RELs). TWAs are typically calculated over a specified exposure period, most commonly an 8-hour workday and a 40-hour workweek.

VPP – Voluntary Protection Program

Often referred to informally as OSHA’s “Star” program, the VPP recognize employers and workers who have implemented effective safety and health management systems and maintain injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries. To participate, employers must submit an application to OSHA and undergo a rigorous onsite evaluation. VPP participants are re-evaluated every three to five years and are exempt from OSHA-programmed inspections while they maintain their VPP status.

W – Willful

All employers under the purview of OSHA, whether federally or through a State Plan, are subject to periodic inspections. Depending on the type of violation and severity of the danger, or potential danger, OSHA may issue a citation or fine. There are five main categories of OSHA violations that can result in a civil penalty, W is one of them. This most serious category is reserved for situations when an employer shows complete disregard for employee safety. However, if the violation results in an employee’s death, it becomes a criminal offense and could result in jail time.

Other Resources:

• OSHA Training Assessment: not sure what safety training your workers should be taking as per OSHA regulations? We’ve got you covered.
• Safety Training Solutions: browse the hundreds of safety courses HSI has available to meet your training needs.
• EHS Software Solutions: from incident management to checklists and reporting, we’ve got you covered on all things safety.