OSEA Safety Blog

Key Acronyms Ready Reference

Whether it’s a topic on safety, hazardous materials transportation, or environmental management, there’s bound to be an acronym or two (or three) involved. While some may seem intuitive to the masses, the reality is they often aren’t. These topic areas are like their own language, and they can be daunting to learn, let alone memorize all the associated acronyms. So below is a common list of acronyms to use as a reference. It might not include them all, but it’s a great list to start:

ACGIH American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists

AED Automated External Defibrillator

AIHA American Industrial Hygiene Association

ANSI American Standards Institute

APHA American Public Health Association

APR Air Purifying Respirator

ASP Associate Safety Professional

ASSE American Society of Safety Engineers

BBP Bloodbourne Pathogens

BBS Behavior Based Safety

BCSP Board of Certified Safety Professionals

C Ceiling Limit

CCA Clean Air Act

CAS Chemical Abstracts Service (Number)

CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

CFM Cubic feet per minute

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CIH Certified Industrial Hygienist

CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

CSP Certified Safety Professional

CWA Clean Water Act

dB Decibels

DOL Department of Labor

DOT Department of Transportation

EHS Environmental Health and Safety

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

ESCBA Escape Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus

FDA Food and Drug Administration

FID Flame Ionization Detector

FIFRA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act

FMCSR Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

FR Flame Resistant

GFCI Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter

GHS Global Harmonized System

HAZCOM Hazard Communication

HAZWOPER Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response

HCA Hazardous Communications ACT

HDPE High-Density Polyethylene

HEPA High Efficiency Particulate Air Filtration

HM Hazardous Material

HMIG Hazardous Materials Identification Guide

HMIS Hazardous Materials Information System

HMTA Hazardous Materials Transportation Act

HVAC Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning

IAQ Indoor Air Quality

IATA International Air Transportation Association

IDLH Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health

IMO International Maritime Organization

ISO International Organization for Standardization

JSA Job Safety Analysis

LED Light-Emitting Diode

LEL Lower Explosive Limit

LOTO Lock Out Tag Out

LUST Leaking Underground Storage Tank

Mg/m3 Milligrams per cubic meter

MSHA Mine Safety and Health Administration

MUTCD Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices

NEC National Electric Code

NEMA National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

NESHAP National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants

NFC National Fire Code

FNPA National Fire Protection Association

NIOSH National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health

NPDES National Pollution Discharge Elimination System

NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission

NRR Noise Reduction Rating

NSC National Safety Council

NYSDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

ORMD Other Regulated Material

ORP Oxidation Reduction Potential

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration

PAPR Powered Air-Purifying Respirator

PBC Polyclorinated Biphenyl

PEL Permissible Exposure Limit

PFAS Personal Fall Arrest System

pH Hydrogen Ion Concentration

PID Photoionization Detector

POP Performance-Orientation Packaging

PPE Personal Protective Equipment

PPM Parts Per Million

PPB Parts Per Billion

PSI Pounds Per Square Inch

PSIG Pounds Per Square Inch Guage

PSM Process Safety Management

PVC Polyvinyl Chloride

RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

REL Recommended Exposure Limit

RTK Right-to-Know

RQ Reportable Quantity

SARA Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act

SCBA Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus

SDS Safety Data Sheet

SPCC Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures

SRL Self-Retracting Lifeline

STEL Short-Term Exposure Limit

TDS Total Dissolved Solids

TLV Threshold Limit Value

TSCA Toxic Substance Control Act

TWA Time Weighted Average

UEL Upper Explosive Limit

UFC Uniform Fire Code

UL Underwriter’s Laboratory

UN United Nations

USCG United States Coast Guard

UST Underground Storage Tank

UV Ultraviolet Light

VOC Volatile Organic Compound

WBGT Wet Bulb Glove Temperature

WHMIS Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System