Top 50 Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Acronyms
Posted by Anthony Webb on Dec 5th 2024
When it comes to safety in the workplace and the rules and regulations established to protect the planet and those who inhabit it, there's a whole host of terminologies and acronyms that can sometimes feel a little bit like alphabet soup. Add to that the countless pieces of legislation, a myriad of agencies, and a host of best practices designed to help people manage dangerous substances and make the workplace safer. You may feel like health and safety experts speak an entirely different language! It can certainly be hard to keep track of all the abbreviations, which is why we set out to help define and demystify some of the most common health- and safety-related acronyms.
Behind the many acronyms you'll soon learn about are the professionals who keep the environment protected and workers safe. In the U.S., there are roughly 98,000 Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) managers, and it's a profession that is growing each year. This growth is good news for companies, as it's been shown that the return on investment for every dollar spent on EHS is somewhere between $4 and $6. For an organization's bottom line, that is certainly money well spent! It can also significantly impact workers' safety, health, and well-being on the job site, benefiting everyone.
This article will explain the role of EHS professionals and detail 50 of the most common acronyms regarding environmental health and safety. We also highlight some leading software helping these influential professionals keep people safe at work.
What is EHS?
What does EHS mean? From a macro perspective, EHS, which is short for Environment, Health, and Safety, pertains to all the laws, regulations, and programs that safeguard environmental and worker safety. It typically refers to the department within an organization that ensures the workplace isn't causing unnecessary or undue damage to the environment and that its workers are not compromising their health and safety while on the job. Depending on where you are, an EHS department may also be called the SHE or the HSE. Regardless of the title, the goals of these departments are always the same:
- Minimize operational risk,
- Protect the environment, and
- Promote health and safety while on the job.
Some organizations may also have an EHSQ, which adds the pursuit of quality to their endeavors.
Safety Manager Profile
According to the National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM), EHS professionals wear many hats. For starters, they help companies conduct business environmentally responsibly, protecting valuable natural resources like fresh air, untainted soil, and clean water. Most importantly, EHS professionals protect employees from any dangers they might otherwise encounter on a worksite, especially those that can lead to physical harm or death.
So, what do EHS professionals do? Here is a look at some of the critical work activities carried out by EHS manager and safety professionals:
- Address air quality
- Inspect work environments
- Comply with environmental regulations
- Conduct inspections and safety programs
- Consult workers on appropriate safety equipment
- Develop emergency procedures
- Monitor hazardous waste handling
As you can imagine, a unique industry language has evolved over the years around these activities. We've gathered the top 50 EHS acronyms that safety professionals utilize daily, as the list sheds light on what's most important to these individuals.
Top 50 Acronyms
The most valuable benefit of abbreviations and acronyms is that they are easy to remember and allow individuals to retain or recall information quickly. Plus, they allow a person responsible for writing reports to save a lot of space and work more efficiently and for those talking about these ideas to save some breath.
Here are the top 50 acronyms EHS professionals use most often :
| Acronym | Interpretation | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| AA | Attainment Area | A defined geographic area that must comply with National Ambient Air Quality standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
| ACM | Asbestos-Containing Material | Any material containing more than 1% asbestos is hazardous and poses significant health risks. |
| AOC | Area of Contamination | An area exposed to hazardous waste or where hazardous waste is present in amounts that exceed environmental standards |
| ASTM | American Society for Testing and Materials | A collective of producers, consumers, academics, and government officials who create a consensus standard for products and systems |
| ATSDR | Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry | An agency whose emphasis is on protecting public health and communities regarding hazardous substances in the environment, especially after chemical exposure |
| BPJ | Best Professional Judgment | The top-caliber technical opinion based on scientific practices in managing pollutants—especially concerning the Clean Water Act |
| C&D | Construction and Demolition | Construction and demolition debris is waste that is not included in municipal solid waste but that may include materials such as drywall, steel, tile, shingles, concrete, and asphalt. |
| CAIR | Comprehensive Assessment Information Rule | A standard approach regarding accumulating information on how products and substances are gathered, produced, imported, and processed |
| CAMU | Corrective Action Management Unit | An area within a facility that manages CAMU-eligible wastes for implementing corrective action and cleanup at the facility |
| CAS | Chemical Abstract Service | A division of the American Chemical Society that provides chemical information and assigns a unique identifier to every chemical |
| CCP | Commercial Chemical Product | A chemical substance made for commercial, agricultural, or manufacturing use, including chemical products, intermediates, and container residues |
| CEQ | Council on Environmental Quality | This group is part of the President's Executive Office, and it manages the government's efforts to protect America's public health and the environment. |
| CFR | Code of Federal Regulations | An annually published set of general and permanent rules that come from the federal register surrounding 50 different subject categories, including Energy, Conservation of Power and Water Resources, Customs Duties, Protection of Environment, and more |
| CHEMTREC | Chemical Transportation Emergency Center | The chemical industry's 24-hour resource for any incident regarding hazardous materials and safe transport of hazardous chemicals |
| CHIPS | Chemical Hazards Information Profiles (EPA) | A profile detailing a chemical substance, its toxicity, safe exposure limits, potential health hazards, and whether or not it is a carcinogen |
| CSB | Chemical Safety Board | The U.S. federal agency tasked with investigating industrial chemical accidents |
| CTG | Control Techniques Guidelines | A set of guidelines designed to help reduce volatile organic compounds that emit gas and oil in ozone nonattainment areas" and then link whichever part of that you like to the CTG site |
| EPA | Environmental Protection Agency | The government agency responsible for protecting human health and the environment |
| EP | Extraction Procedure | A toxicity test method used to determine if a waste exhibits the characteristic of the extraction procedure toxicity |
| ESA | Environmental Site Assessment | Research is conducted to understand the current and historical uses of an area of land to determine whether or not contaminants have affected the soil and groundwater. |
| FDA | Food and Drug Administration | Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations refers to the Food and Drug Administration rules. |
| FIFRA | Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act | This statute governs the use, sale, distribution, and disposal of pesticides in the U.S., which must be approved by and registered with the EPA |
| GLP | Good Laboratory Practices | A set of standards or principles meant to guarantee the quality and integrity of non-clinical health-related studies |
| GMP | Good Manufacturing Procedures | A system of processes established to ensure manufactured products are made consistently and meet all standards and regulations |
| GRAS | Generally Recognized as Safe | A designation by the FDA deeming a chemical safe for adding to food |
| HRS | Hazard Ranking System | A scaled ranking mechanism that the EPA practices to put uncontrolled waste sites on the National Priorities List in a sequential order based on their threat to human health and the environment |
| HHW | Household Hazardous Waste | Household products can catch fire, explode, or react, as well as corrosive substances and toxic waste, including paints, pesticides, batteries, and cleaners. |
| HM | Hazardous Material | These dangerous goods present an excessive threat to health and safety, including flammable, corrosive, or explosive substances. |
| HW | Hazardous Waste | Any waste with harmful properties that poses a harmful impact on the environment or human health |
| HWM | Hazardous Waste Management | The safe collection and treatment of hazardous waste that is otherwise likely to be stored, transported, treated, or disposed of improperly |
| ISO | International Organization for Standardization | An international organization that sets industry standards across a vast range to ensure safe, high-quality, and reliable products |
| MCL | Maximum Concentration Limit or Level | The EPA sets standard limits or concentration levels to maintain drinking water quality and establishes a threshold for how much of a substance can be found in public water systems, usually expressed in milligrams or micrograms in one liter of water. |
| NCP | National Contingency Plan | A plan for how the government responds to oil spills or other released hazardous waste, promoting cooperation and communication between agencies |
| NEPA | National Environmental Policy Act | An environmental law in effect since 1970 aimed at protecting and enhancing the environment and natural world while conserving natural resources and promoting human health |
| NIH | National Institute for Health | The U.S. government's national medical research agency conducts research and performs studies on biomedical and public health. |
| NIOSH | National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health | This agency conducts research and offers recommendations to promote safety in the workplace and prevent workplace injuries, accidents, and illnesses |
| NRC | Nuclear Regulatory Commission | The government agency that regulates commercial nuclear power plants and nuclear materials |
| O&M | Operation and Maintenance | Work activities that involve daily operations, routine repairs, and replacement of parts in buildings and plants |
| OSHA | Occupational Health and Safety Administration | The government administration ensures safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing safety standards. |
| PAIR | Preliminary Assessment Information Rule | Requires all those involved in manufacturing chemicals to report plant site locations, the quantity of imported or manufactured chemicals, data on the number of workers involved in manufacturing and handling chemicals, and information regarding end-uses of the chemical |
| PEL | Permissible Exposure Limit | A limit or regulation on the concentration levels of potentially harmful substances in the air |
| QA/QC | Quality Assurance/Quality Control | Quality assurance/Quality control refers to ensuring all quality standards are met in the product and how the product is made. |
| RQ | Reportable Quantity | The amount of a particular hazardous substance required to trigger mandatory reporting to the National Response Center, State Response Center, and local emergency coordinators |
| RMP | Risk Management Plan | A document outlining an organization's relationship to risk, identifying potential risks, and highlighting considerations for risk analysis, risk tolerance, and risk mitigation |
| RSO | Radiation Safety Officer | The individual is responsible for overseeing all activities surrounding radiation and radioactive materials; after achieving the appropriate training and licensure, they supervise the use, handling, and storage of radioactive materials and uphold compliance with safety standards for radiation. |
| SOC | Schedule of Compliance | The schedule for remediation and sequence of activities necessary to achieve compliance with laws and regulations regarding health and safety |
| TAP | Toxic Air Pollutant | Any toxic chemical, gas, or compound found in the air that is known to cause cancer or other grave health issues. |
| TSCA | Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 | This legislation allows the EPA to require reporting, restrictions, and testing standards for chemical substances; the TSCA generally does not affect food, cosmetics, drugs, or pesticides but details the requirements for products like asbestos, radon, and lead-based paint. |
| WAP Waste Analysis Plan | Waste Analysis Plan | An established plan with step-by-step details for treating, storing, and disposing of hazardous waste |
| VOC | Volatile Organic Compounds | Chemical gases emitted from liquid or solid products, including paints, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, and building materials, can have both long-term and short-term adverse health effects. |
Do you agree with our top 50 EHS acronyms list? If we're missing one you believe deserves recognition, leave us a comment by clicking on the below comment image and link.
School and Training
As you've probably realized, there is a lot of technical knowledge safety professionals need. Those looking to become an EHS specialist will need training. The following link provides an updated ranking for the top 20 safety degrees. In addition, the below websites provide a wealth of information on specific safety training certificates every safety professional will be interested in taking:
- Advanced Health and Safety Certification - www.nsc.org/safety-training/workplace /advanced-safety-certificate
- Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM) Certificate - www.ishm.org/about-cshm/
- Certified Safety Practitioner (CSP) Certificate - www.bcsp.org/CS
- COSS® Programs - www.coss.net
- Etraining - www.etraintoday.com
- IOSH Managing Safety Certificate - IOSH Managing Safely course
In addition, newbb电子平台 Safety provides in-depth reviews for both of the most common safety training courses taken across industries. Here is a link to both:
- OSHA 10-Hour Training Courses - OSHA 10 | newbb电子平台 Safety Info Blog
- OSHA 30-Hour Training Courses - Offering Insight into OSHA 30 | newbb电子平台 Safety Info Blog
For additional insight into additional online safety resources, shows, and magazines, check out our article The Top Safety Resources Online.
EH&S Software and Websites
EHS managers work with tons of data, from safety inspections to hazard assessments and lab data. Instead of utilizing spreadsheets to handle increased information, EHS professionals are turning to specialized software designed to help EHS departments handle regulatory compliance and day-to-day safety management activities. An EHS software system helps companies save time, reduce risk, and prevent unwanted events. The benefit of utilizing this kind of software is significant, as the technology helps cut down on incorrect data entered into spreadsheets and guarantees recordkeeping is efficiently maintained.
Here are a couple of the leading EHS management software programs that EHS managers are using:
- EHS Insight is one of the most recognized EHS software programs. It allows companies to manage incidents, perform audits, issue corrective actions, adhere to compliance obligations, and manage training content.
- Intelex Technologies offers a comprehensive EHSQ platform, is used by over twenty Fortune 500 companies, and serves over 1,400 companies worldwide.
- Perillon consolidates a company's total regulatory compliance, health and safety, environmental data, and activities under one cloud-based platform.
- Sphera - allows for environmental safety and health software to be managed and allocated across all operations.
- UL Solutions - website provides a plethora of information on software and safety learning resources companies can utilize.
For additional software to consider, check out G2's Top 10 ranked software.
Arming EHS Specialists with Knowledge and newbb电子
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