Glossary of terms and acronyms A-B

The following is a glossary of some key terms, concepts and acronyms used in the publications in this and in linked web sites. The terms and definitions are drawn from a number of sources including legislation, standards, codes of practice, guides, reports and other documents. For translations into Maori of some of the key terms here, see the English-Maori Glossary of Occupational Safety and Health Terms.

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Glossary Terms A to B | C to D | E to G | H to K | L to N | O to R | S to T | U to Z

Term or Acronym	Definition
ABC	Airway, Breathing, Circulation.
A-train	An articulated vehicle towing a full trailer.
A-weighting	The A-frequency weighting specified in the International Standard IEC 651:1979. (Note: A-frequency weighting is used because it approximates the response of the human ear.)
Abatement	The removal or significant reduction of a source of hazard and intervention to reduce exposure to a hazard.
Abnormal result	A deviation from normal. This may be related to adverse health effects but this is not necessarily so.
Abrasive	Mineral or other substance used for grinding, sharpening etc., e.g. aluminium oxide, silicon carbide, diamond dust.
Abrasive blasting	The cleaning, smoothing, roughening, cutting, or removing of part of the surface of any article by the use as an abrasive of a jet of sand, metal shot, or grit or other material, propelled by a blast of compressed air or steam or by a wheel.
Abrasive wheel	(a) A wheel, cylinder, disk or cone consisting wholly or partly of abrasive particles held together by mineral, metallic or organic bonds whether natural or artificial; (b) a mounted wheel or point and a wheel or disk having separate segments of abrasive materials; (c) a wheel or disk made of either metal, wood, cloth, felt, rubber, paper or any other material and having a surface consisting wholly or partly of abrasive particles; (d) a wheel or disk the surface of which has a rim or segments consisting of diamond abrasive particles; (e) and all of which are, or intended to be, power driven and used in any grinding operation. An abrasive wheel revolves at high speed, attached to a spindle, for the purpose of removing material from any workpiece against the grinding face. Operations vary in precision from cutting steel or concrete on construction sites to the surface finishing of machine parts or jewellery.
Abrasion	A superficial injury where the skin is rubbed or torn; not a deep injury.
ABS	American Bureau of Shipping.
ABS (anti-lock braking system)	Brakes that are are designed to prevent wheel lock by automatically pumping at a rate of up to 18 times per second whenever a sensor detects the start of wheel lock.
Absorbed dose (radiation)	The energy imparted to matter by ionization per unit mass of irradiated material at the place of interest. The derived unit of absorbed dose is the gray, being equal to 1 joule of energy absorbed per kilogram of material irradiated. 1 Gy = 1 J kg-1
Absorption	Process by which chemicals can enter the body through pores in the skin.
Abuse	(Drug, alcohol, chemical, substance, or psychoactive substance) Psychiatric substance abuse has been defined as 'a maladaptive pattern of use indicated by ... continued use despite psychological or physical problem that is caused or exacerbated by the use (or by) recurrent use in situations in which it is physically hazardous'. Harmful use and hazardous use are the equivalent terms in WHO usage, although they usually relate only to the effects on health and not to social consequences. The WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence definition is: 'Persistent or sporadic excessive drug use inconsistent with or unrelated to acceptable medical practice'.
AC	Alternating current. This is electric current which reverses direction periodically, usually many times a second.
ACAS	Airborne collision avoidance system.
ACC	Accident Compensation Corporation, the agency responsible for the administration of the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001.
ACC	Area control centre.
Accessible	Having features to permit use by people with disabilities.
Accessible route	An access route usable by people with disabilities. It shall be a continuous route that can be negotiated unaided by a wheelchair user. The route shall extend from street boundary or car parking area to those spaces within the building required to be accessible to enable people with disabilities to carry out normal activities and processes within the building.
ACCT	Association for Challenge Course Technology.
Acceptable risk	The level of risk that is sufficiently low that society is prepared to accept it without wishing to spend time and money to reduce it.
Access authority	See Written authority.
Access route	A continuous route that permits people and goods to move between the apron or construction edge of the building to spaces within a building, and between spaces within a building.
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)	An enzyme in nervous tissue which inactivates a 'neurotransmitter', acetylcholine (AChol).
ACVM Act	Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997.
Acceptable daily exposure (ADE)	The amount of a hazardous substance (mg/kg body weight/day) that, given a lifetime of daily exposure, would be unlikely to result in adverse health effects.
Access cover	A panel covering an opening that is designed to permit access by a person to the interior of plant or equipment for the purpose of service or maintenance.
Accessible	Having features to permit use by people with disabilities.
Accessible route	An access route usable by people with disabilities. It shall be a continuous route that can be negotiated unaided by a wheelchair user. The route shall extend from street boundary or carparking area to those spaces within the building required to be accessible to enable people with disabilities to carry out normal activities and processes within the building.
Accident	An event that (a) causes any person to be harmed; or (b) in different circumstances, might have caused any person to be harmed.
Accident (aircraft)	An occurrence that is associated with the operation of an aircraft and takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and such time as all such persons have disembarked and the engine or any propellers or rotors come to rest, being an occurrence in which: (1) a person is fatally or seriously injured as a result of: (i) being in the aircraft; or (ii) direct contact with any part of the aircraft, including any part that has become detached from the aircraft; or (iii) direct exposure to jet blast - except when the injuries are self-inflicted or inflicted by other persons, or when the injuries are to stowaways hiding outside the areas normally available to passengers and crew; or (2) the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure that- (i) adversely affects the structural strength, performance, or flight characteristics of the aircraft; and (ii) would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component - except engine failure or damage that is limited to the engine, its cowlings, or accessories, or damage limited to propellers, wing tips, rotors, antennas, tyres, brakes, fairings, small dents, or puncture holes in the aircraft skin; or (3) the aircraft is missing or is completely inaccessible:
Accident alert	A 1-2 page information bulletin issued by OSH following a serious accident. The alert describes what happened in the accident, the circumstances of the accident, the result of the OSH investigation, and recommendations on how future accidents of this type could be prevented.
Accident prevention consultant	A consultant who assists employers to develop safety and health management systems.
Accident prevention tag	A miniature sign on card, paper, pasteboard or similar temporary or semi-permanent material, which can be attached to plant, equipment or other objects for the purpose of imposing a regulatory requirement or advising or informing users about some safety aspect of the item.
Accident register	Book for recording serious and non-serious harm in the workplace.
Acclimatisation	The physiological processes by which a person adapts themselves to work safely and comfortably in an environment of temperature extremes.
Accountability	The acceptance of rights and responsibility for conduct or behaviour. It is an acceptance of responsibility to self, the profession, the client, employers, and to society as a whole.
Accredited inspection body	An inspection body that holds current accreditation for the inspection work performed and that is recognised by the Secretary of Labour as provided for in the Health and Safety in Employment (PECPR) Regulations 1999. The inspection work may be all or any of: design verification, fabrication inspection or in-service inspection activities, relating to the equipment under the scope of the Regulations.
Accumulator (Hydraulic)	A device or vessel used to store fluid at a constant pressure, and to even out pressure fluctuations.
Accused, or person accused of the offence	In relation to a victim, means a person charged (whether as a principal or party or accessory after the fact or otherwise) with the commission of the offence that affected the victim.
AChE	Acetyl cholinesterase (in RBC).
AChol	Acetylcholine
ACOEM	American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
ACOP	Approved code of practice.
Acoustic calibrator	A device for applying a sound pressure of known level to the microphone of a sound measuring system for the purpose of calibration.
Aquaculture diving	Diving by those involved in fish, shellfish or plant aquatic farming; may include harvesting. It involves minor or routine maintenance and repair work. It does not include construction diving activities.
Actinic degradation	In relation to rope, means its chemical breakdown by solar radiation.
Actinolite	A type of asbestos.
Actuator	Part of a switch which is moved by an outside force.
Active (Phase or Live)	(Symbols A, P or L) Any wire used to conduct electricity that is maintained at a different voltage from the neutral or earth wires. Colours: brown or red.
Active conductor	Any electrical conductor in which the electrical potential differs from that of a neutral conductor or earth.
Active control	The control of vehicular or pedestrian traffic across a railway level crossing by devices such as flashing lights, bells, barrier arms or a combination of these. These control devices are activated prior to and during the time a train is passing.
Active medical device	(a) Means a medical device that is intended by the manufacturer: (i) to depend for its operation on a source of electrical energy or other source of energy (other than a source of energy generated directly by a human being or gravity); and (ii) to act by converting that energy; but (b) does not include a medical device that is intended by the manufacturer to transmit energy, a substance, or any other element, between a medical device to which paragraph (a) applies and a human being without any significant change in the energy, substance, or other element being transmitted.
Active medical device for therapy	An active medical device that is intended by the manufacturer to be used on a person, either alone or in combination with another medical device, to support, modify, replace, or restore biological functions or structures for the purpose of treating or alleviating an illness, injury, or handicap.
Activity	In relation to any equipment, means any of the following: (a) adjustment; (b) alteration; (c) commissioning; (d) construction; (e) disposal; (f) design; (g) design verification; (h) equipment inspection; (i) installation; (j) investigation; (k) maintenance; (l) manufacture; (m) operation; (n) repair; (o) testing.
Activity (A)	The number of nuclear transformations or disintegrations occurring in a quantity of radioactive material per unit time. The SI unit of radioactivity is the becquerel (Bq) (1 disintegration per second).
Acute aquatic ecotoxicity value	The lowest value expressed in units of milligrams of a substance per litre of water from: (a) fish LC50 data after a 96-hour exposure period; or (b) crustacean EC50 data after a 48-hour exposure period; or (c) algal, or other aquatic plant, EC50 data after a 72-hour or 96-hour exposure period.
Acute exposure	Exposure resulting from a single dose of a toxic substance with immediate effects on health.
Acute low back pain	The short-term (less than three months) presence of pain in the low back, without leg symptoms or the presence of a serious back injury or those medical conditions called 'red flags' in the New Zealand Acute Low Back Pain Guide. Research has shown that the majority of back claims, taken across the entire population, fall into this category.
Acute toxicity	Where a toxic effect occurs immediately or shortly after a single exposure.
ADAS	Australian Diver Accreditation Scheme.
ADF	Automatic direction-finder.
Additive	A substance added to fuel in trace or small quantities in order to bring about specific benefits.
ADI	Acceptable daily intake for pesticide residues in food, determined by toxicological data estimating safe consumption levels over a lifetime of daily exposure and incorporating a safety factor of at least 100.
Adjourned (ERS Employment Court, Tribunal or Authority)	A scheduled hearing that was adjourned.
Adjourned part heard (ERS Employment Court, Tribunal or Authority)	A hearing that took place where the hearing or investigation is not completed and will require a further hearing or investigation.
Adjourned sine die (ERS Employment Court, Tribunal or Authority)	An adjournment without a further date being set for resumption.
Adjudication (ERS Tribunal)	A process where an adjudicator after hearing both sides makes a decision for the parties.
Adjudicator (ERS Tribunal)	A Tribunal member who holds an adjudicator's warrant.
Administratively withdrawn (ERS Employment Court, Tribunal or Authority)	An application is withdrawn by the Registry in the absence of contact from the initiating party or applicant. Only initiating parties can legally withdraw an application.
Administrative controls	Controls to reduce or eliminate an employee's exposure to a hazard by changing the duration, frequency, and/or severity of exposure. Examples of administrative controls include rotating employees to jobs free of the specific hazard, adjusting work schedules, and providing adequate staffing when the work output is increased. It does not include engineering controls or the use of personal protective equipment.
Adsorption	The condensation of gases, liquids, or dissolved substances on the surfaces of solids.
Advanced scaffolding	Includes: (a) basic scaffolding: (b) suspended scaffolding: (c) a barrow ramp: (d) a bracket scaffold for tank work and formwork: (e) a cantilevered scaffold: (f) a catch net: (g) a hoist that is cantilevered from a scaffold, has a load limit not exceeding 250 kilograms, and is used for no purpose other than the support of material: (h) hung scaffolding, including scaffolding hung from a chain, tube, or wire rope: (i) a load platform cantilevered from a scaffold: (j) a mast climber: (k) a safety net for public protection: (l) scaffolding associated with a perimeter safety screen or shutter: (m) a sloping platform: (n) a spurred scaffold: (o) tube and coupler scaffolding, including a covered way or gantry made of tube and coupler scaffolding.
Adventure education	Education based on activities that create challenge and excitement by deliberately exposing participants to elements of risk. The purpose of adventure education is to enhance self-concept and improve social interaction. The risks could be physical (injury), social/emotional or material (gear/ equipment). In an educational setting, activities are usually promoted that have a substantial degree of learner-perceived risk, but a low degree of leader-perceived risk. Both natural environments such as mountains or rivers and constructed ones such as challenge ropes courses or climbing walls, can be used to achieve this.
Adverse effect	A biochemical change, functional impairment or pathologic lesion that affects the performance of a whole organism, or reduces an organism's ability to respond to an additional environmental challenge.
Adverse findings	A finding not in the person' s interest. This may be an abnormal result which exceeds occupational health limits or a health effect which reduces the capacity to work.
Advertisement	Any words whether written, printed, or spoken, and any pictorial representation, design, or device used to explain the use, or notify the availability, or promote the sale, of any substance or preparation; and includes any trade circular, any label, and any advertisement in any trade journal.
A&E	Accident and Emergency department.
AEE	Assessment of Environmental Effects.
Aerial logging	Extraction system using aerial means such as a balloon or helicopter.
Aerial operator	A business or person engaged in topdressing for an agricultural operation.
Aerial ropeway	A passenger ropeway which carries passengers in chairs, or cabins, which are lifted clear of the ground or snow surface and attached to a moving rope or cable.
Aerial shell	A pyrotechnic article of class 1.1G, 1.2G, 1.3G, or 1.4G that: (a) is fired or designed to be fired from a mortar tube; and (b) contains a lift charge capable of lifting the article above the firing point before any pyrotechnic display is produced.
Aerodrome	(1) Means any defined area of land or water intended or designed to be used either wholly or partly for the landing, departure, and surface movement of aircraft; and (2) Includes any buildings, installations, and equipment on or adjacent to any such area used in connection with the aerodrome or its administration:
Aerodrome control service	An air traffic control service provided for the control of aerodrome traffic.
Aerodrome control tower	A unit established to provide ATC service to aerodrome traffic.
Aerodrome flight information service	A service provided for the purpose of giving advice and information useful for the safe and efficient conduct of flights in the vicinity of an aerodrome.
Aerodrome Frequency Response Unit	A ground-based VHF radio, which on receipt of a modulated VHF transmission from an aircraft on the appropriate frequency, automatically transmits either a voice or a tone response to confirm the pilot's radio frequency selection.
Aerodrome incident	An incident involving an aircraft operation and: (1) an obstruction either on the aerodrome operational area or protruding into the aerodrome obstacle limitation surfaces; or (2) a defective visual aid; or (3) a defective surface of a manoeuvring area; or (4) any other defective aerodrome facility.
Aeronautical facility	Means: (1) The various types of communication systems used for an aeronautical broadcasting service, or an aeronautical fixed service, that supports IFR flight or an air traffic service; or (2) The ground elements of the various types of communication systems used for an aeronautical mobile service; or (3) The various types of radio navigation aids used for the aeronautical radio navigation service; or (4) Any other type of ground-based telecommunication system that supports IFR flight or an air traffic service; or (5) The various types of ground based telecommunication systems that operate in the aeronautical mobile radio frequency bands and are used to provide basic weather information, local aerodrome information, or flight following services.
Aeronautical Information Circular	A notice containing information that does not qualify for the origination of a NOTAM or for inclusion in the NZAIP, but which relates to flight safety, air navigation, technical, administrative or legislative matters.
Aeronautical information service	Any of the following services that distribute aeronautical information essential for the safety, regularity and efficiency of air navigation: (1) AIP service; or (2) NOTAM service; or (3) Pre-flight information service.
Aeronautical mobile service	A mobile service for communication between aeronautical stations and aircraft stations, or between aircraft stations, in which survival craft stations may participate, and emergency position-indicating radio beacon stations may also participate on designated distress and emergency frequencies.
Aeroplane	A power-driven heavier-than-air aircraft deriving its lift in flight chiefly from aerodynamic reactions on surfaces which remain fixed under given conditions of flight.
ACGIH	American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists, publishers of Threshold Limit Values.
Aerosol	Liquid droplets or solid particles dispersed in the air that are of fine enough particle size (0.01-100um) to remain so dispersed for a period of time.
Aerosol	A substance packed under pressure and designed to be released as solid or liquid particles in a suspension of gas, as a foam, paste or powder, or in a liquid or in a gaseous state.
Aerosol dispenser	A compressed gas container that: (a) is not refillable; and (b) incorporates a valve designed to dispense the container's contents as an aerosol; and (c) contains a compressed gas.
AF	Attributable fraction.
AFOM	Australasian Faculty of Occupational Medicine.
After-care	The provision of service to persons in the period after formal counselling, treatment and rehabilitation in order to assist them during the period of adjustment to independent functioning within the community.
AGA	When followed by a number, an Australian Gas Association standard.
AFPHM	Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine.
AFRM	Australasian Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Age-standardised rates	Rates that have been adjusted to take account of differences in the age distribution of the population over time. Mainly used to compare different populations or groups.
Agent Orange	A 1:1 mixture of the n-butyl esters of 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D used as a defoliant in Vietnam. The mixture contained varying amounts of 2,3,7,8-TCDD as a contaminant, at concentrations as high as approximately 100 mg kg-1.
Aggregate data	The sum total of individually collected data.
Aggregate water capacity	The aggregate or cumulative total volume of one or more containers, calculated as the equivalent volume of water at 20°C and at 101.3kPa.
Agitator	A device for stirring or shaking liquids, powders or mixtures.
AGL	Above ground level.
Agrichemical	Any chemical used in an agricultural context. This includes pesticides as defined under the Pesticides Act 1979, as well as fertilisers, plant growth regulators and spray additives, such as marker dyes and wetting agents.
Agricultural aircraft operation	The operation of an aircraft, on a single flight, or on a series of flights, including transit flights to and from a treatment area that is within 5 nautical miles of the loading area, for the following purposes: (1) dispensing an agricultural chemical; (2) dispensing any other substance intended for plant nourishment, soil treatment, propagation of plant life, or pest control; (3) engaging in dispensing activities directly affecting agriculture, horticulture, or forest preservation; (4) dropping farm supplies on farms in rural areas or delivering farm materials to farms in rural areas; (5) surveying agricultural, forest, or water areas at a height of less than 500 feet above terrain; (6) feeding or transferring livestock on farms in rural areas; (7) the reconnaissance of the proposed treatment area for the above types of operation.
Agricultural compound	Any substance, mixture of substances, or biological compound, used or intended for use in the direct management of plants and animals, or to be applied to the land, place, or water on or in which the plants and animals are managed, for the purposes of: (a) Managing or eradicating pests, including vertebrate pests; or (b) Maintaining, promoting, or regulating plant or animal productivity and performance or reproduction; or (c) Fulfilling special nutritional requirements; or (d) The manipulation, capture, or immobilisation of animals; or (e) Diagnosing the condition of animals; or (f) Preventing or treating conditions of animals; or (g) Enhancing the effectiveness of an agricultural compound used for the treatment of plants and animals; or (h) Marking animals; and includes any veterinary medicine, any substance, mixture of substances, or biological compound used for post-harvest pest control or disinfestation of raw primary produce, and any substance, mixture of substances, or biological compound declared to be an agricultural compound for the purposes of this Act [Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act] by Order in Council made under subsection (2).
Agricultural operation	An operation carried out in the course of agricultural work, pastoral work or horticultural work of any kind.
Agricultural security	The exclusion, eradication, and effective management of: (a) pests; and (b) unwanted organisms under the Biosecurity Act 1993.
Agricultural tractor	A vehicle propelled by mechanical power, controlled by a driver, that is designed exclusively or principally for the purposes of traction and not for the carriage of passengers, used in an agricultural operation.
Agricultural work	Work on any farm, being work directly related to the operation of the farm, including horticultural work and shearing work and cooking for any person carrying out horticultural work. Does not include work on any marine or freshwater farm.
Ah receptor	A protein molecule expressed on the surface of many cells (both mammalian and non-mammalian). Its primary function in the body is uncertain, but it is structurally related to many other important cell proteins involved in, for instance, rhythmic functions and organ development. When TCDD or other dioxin-like compounds bind to this protein, it causes biochemical changes in the cell, including the stimulation of aryl hydrocarbons (the source of the term 'Ah').
AIC	Aeronautical Information Circular.
AIP service	A service for the publication of the NZAIP, AIP Amendments, AIP Supplements and aeronautical information circulars.
Aircraft incident	Any incident, not otherwise classified, associated with the operation of an aircraft.
Air exchange rate	Used in two ways: (1) the number of times that the outdoor air replaces the volume of air in a building per unit time, typically expressed as air changes per hour; (2) the number of times that the ventilation system replaces the air within a room or area within the building.
Air hose	A rubber, plastic or cloth woven hose used to carry compressed air from its storage tank or compressor to be used for the operation of air tools (like sanders or spray guns) and/or breathing apparatus.
Air lift wells	Geothermal wells which discharge with the continual or near continual aid of an air compressor.
Air quality	The condition of the air we breathe.
Air toxics	A number of airborne compounds which may have adverse effects on human health.
Air traffic	All aircraft in flight or operating on any manoeuvring area of an aerodrome.
Air traffic control service	A service provided for the purposes of: (1) preventing collisions: (i) between aircraft; and (ii) between aircraft and obstructions on any manoeuvring area; and (2) expediting and maintaining a safe and efficient flow of air traffic.
AIRAC	Aeronautical information regulation and control, signifying a system aimed at advance notification based on common effective dates, of circumstances that require significant changes in operating practices. [The AIRAC system is based upon the international series of effective dates at intervals of 28 days including 10 January 1991]
Airborne contaminant	A potentially harmful substance that is either naturally absent from air or is present in an unnaturally high concentration, and to which workers may be exposed in their working environment.
Air-conditioning	The process of treating air to meet the requirements of a conditioned space by controlling its temperature, humidity, cleanliness and distribution.
Aircraft	Any machine that can derive support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air otherwise than by the reactions of the air against the surface of the earth.
Aircraft accident	An occurrence that is associated with the operation of an aircraft and takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and such time as all such persons have disembarked and the engine or any propellers or rotors come to rest, being an occurrence in which: (1) a person is fatally or seriously injured as a result of: (i) being in the aircraft; or (ii) direct contact with any part of the aircraft, including any part that has become detached from the aircraft; or (iii) direct exposure to jet blast except when the injuries are self-inflicted or inflicted by other persons, or when the injuries are to stowaways hiding outside the areas normally available to passengers and crew; or (2) the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure that: (i) adversely affects the structural strength, performance or flight characteristics of the aircraft; and (ii) would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component except engine failure or damage that is limited to the engine, its cowlings, or accessories, or damage limited to propellers, wing tips, rotors, antennas, tyres, brakes, fairings, small dents, or puncture holes in the aircraft skin; or (3) the aircraft is missing or is completely inaccessible.
Aircraft category	Category of aircraft means any one of the following classes of aircraft: aeroplane, helicopter, glider, and balloon.
Airspace incident	An incident involving deviation from, or shortcomings of, the procedures or rules for: (a) avoiding collisions between aircraft; or (b) avoiding collisions between aircraft and other obstacles when an aircraft is being provided with an Air Traffic Service.
Airstrip	A defined area symmetrically including the runway that is intended: (a) to reduce the risk of damage to aircraft running off a runway; and (b) to protect aircraft flying over it during take-off or landing operations.
Airworthiness certificate	Means: (1) for a New Zealand registered aircraft, an airworthiness certificate issued by the Director under Part 21, Subpart H; and (2) for a foreign registered aircraft, an airworthiness certificate issued by the competent authority of the State of registry.
Airworthy condition	The condition of an aircraft, including its components, fuel, and other materials and substances essential to the manufacture and operation of the aircraft, that complies with all the requirements prescribed by the Civil Aviation Rules relating to design, manufacture, maintenance, modification, repair, and safety.
AIS	Abbreviated Injury Scale.
Aid to navigation (AtoN)	A device or system external to vessels that is designed and operated to enhance the safe and efficient navigation of vessels, or vessel traffic.
ALAC	Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand.
ALARA	An acronym for the optimisation principle: As Low As Reasonably Achievable, social and economic factors being taken into account.
ALARP	As Low As Reasonably Practicable. A concept where the balance between risk, cost and safety margin is reasonably achieved.
Albuminuria	Presence of serum albumin in the urine.
Alcohol and drug dependence	As a general term, the state of needing or depending on something or someone for support or to function or survive. As applied to alcohol and other drugs, the term implies a need for repeated doses of the drug to feel good or to avoid feeling bad. Dependence has been defined as a 'cluster of cognitive, behavioural and physiological symptoms that indicate a person has impaired control of the psychoactive substance use and continues use of the substance despite adverse consequences'.
Alcohol- and drug-related problems	The term 'alcohol- and drug-related problems' can be applied to any of the adverse accompaniments of drinking or drug-taking. 'Related' does not necessarily imply causality. The term can be used either of an individual drinker or at the level of society as a whole. It may be taken to include both dependence and abuse, but it also covers other problems.
ALDE	Average lifetime daily exposure: the measure of exposure estimated from serum PCDD/F concentrations that reflect historic and current exposures from all routes. Under steady-state conditions, ALDE estimates represent a time-integrated lifetime exposure.
Alert (civil defence)	Advisory notice that a hazard is approaching but is less imminent than implied by a 'warning' message.
Aliquot part	Part of a whole that is to be analysed. NOTE: When analysing an aliquot part, i.e. a part of a whole sample which is homogenous, there is no need to use multiplication to obtain the concentration in the whole sample, because the concentration is the same in the sample and its part.
Alkanes	Chemical classification relating to the structure of hydrocarbons: alkanes have carbon atoms arranged in chains and contain no double or triple bonds.
Alkenes	Chemical classification relating to the structure of hydrocarbons: alkenes have carbon atoms arranged in chains and contain one or more double bonds.
Alkyl	Chemical classification of hydrocarbon groups attached to compounds: alkyl groups have carbon atoms arranged in chains and contain no double or triple bonds.
Alkynes	Chemical classification relating to the structure of hydrocarbons: alkynes have carbon atoms arranged in chains and contain one or more triple bonds.
All-round light	In relation to a ship means a light showing an unbroken arc over the horizon of 360 degrees.
All practicable steps	Doing what is reasonably able to be done to control hazards, taking into account a number of factors including the likelihood and severity of any harm that might occur, and the availability and cost of ways to prevent harm.
All terrain vehicle (ATV)	A special-purpose vehicle (with or without motor cycle controls and equipment) that is principally designed for off-road use, and has three or more wheels, and has an engine capacity exceeding 50 ml and has a gross weight of less than 1,000 kg. See also Farm ATV.
Allergen	A substance capable of inducing an allergy.
Allergy	Reaction to a substance to which the body has become sensitised. It can take the form of a rash, asthma, breathing difficulties, running eyes and sneezing.
Alley lamp	A work lamp designed primarily to provide a fixed or movable beam of light to the side of a vehicle to which it is fitted.
Allision	See Contact.
Alopecia	Loss of hair.
Alteration	To change the design of, adding to or taking elements away from equipment and includes the relocation of non-mobile equipment. 'Alter' has a corresponding meaning. It does not include repairs, replacements or routine maintenance.
Alternative duties	Tasks designed or identified to allow an early return to work by a person with a health or injury problem. Alternative duties should be: (a) identified beforehand as being within the capacity of people returning to work before they are fully recovered; and (b) matched to the particular capacity/problem of the person returning.
Altimeter setting (QNH)	The aerodrome level pressure reduced to mean sea level in accordance with the ICAO Standard Atmosphere, which is specified by a mean sea level pressure of 1013.25 hectopascals, and temperature of 15.0 degrees Celsius with a lapse rate of 6.5 degrees Celsius per 1000 M and is the altimeter sub scale setting to obtain the elevation when on the ground.
Alveolus	The terminal air sac of the lung.
Ambient air	The air outside buildings and structures. This does not refer to indoor air, air in the workplace, or contaminated air discharged from a source.
Ambient air quality standard	The standard for a contaminant as prescribed by regulation 13(1) of the Resource Management (National Environmental Standards Relating to Certain Air Pollutants, Dioxins, and Other Toxics) Regulations 2004. The contaminants concerned are: Carbon monoxide Nitrogen dioxide Ozone PM10 Sulphur dioxide.
Ambulance officer	An ambulance officer registered to the grade of proficiency or higher with the New Zealand Ambulance Board.
Ambulance	Any motor vehicle, aircraft, or vessel (a) designed and used principally for the transport of sick or injured persons; and (b) operated by an ambulance operator.
Ambulance operator	A person who (a) has a contract or arrangement for the emergency transport of sick or injured persons; and (b) is a participant in Ambulance New Zealand.
AMC	Accredited Medical Conclusion. [Aviation industry]
Amenity values	Those natural or physical qualities and characteristics of an area that contribute to people's appreciation of its pleasantness, aesthetic coherence, and cultural and recreational attributes.
Amenity tree	In relation to a tree, means the natural and physical qualities and characteristics of the tree that: (a) contribute to people's appreciation of the tree or the area in which that tree is situated; or (b) provide desired shelter or desired screening to a property adjoining the property on which the tree is situated.
Ammunition	Any explosive of any of the foregoing classes enclosed in any case or contrivance so as to form a cartridge, charge, fuse, firing tube, percussion cap, detonator, fog signal, shell, torpedo, war rocket, or other like contrivance other than a firework, or any explosive so otherwise adapted or prepared as to form any contrivance other than a firework.
Amosite	A type of asbestos. An iron-magnesium silicate, grey brown in colour.
AMPA	Accident and Medical Practitioners Association.
Ampere	One ampere is that constant current which, if present in each of two parallel conductors of infinite length and one metre apart in empty space, causes each conductor to experience a force of 2 x 10-7 newtons per metre of length.
Amphiboles	One of the two main types of asbestos, comprising crocidolite and amosite.
Ampoule	A glass container used to hold solutions or liquid chemicals which have to be hermetically sealed or kept sterile, but easily accessed when required.
AMSL	Above mean sea level.
Amusement device	In the Machinery Act 1950 defined as an appliance to which the motion of a prime mover is transmitted and which is used, or designed or intended to be used, for the amusement, recreation or entertainment of persons being carried, raised, lowered, or moved by the appliance, or any part thereof while it is in motion; and includes the prime mover, transmission machinery, supporting structure, and any equipment used or intended to be used in connection therewith. Examples of amusement devices are: Bumper boats Roller coasters Ferris wheels and other fair rides like the octopus ATV rides Mini trains.
AMVER	Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System.
Ancestral lands	Lands that have historical, cultural or spiritual value to Maori.
Anchor	An instrument for the purpose of holding a ship when it is at sea: (a) in moderate sea conditions; and (b) where the depth of water and sea bed is suitable for the anchor and chain cable; and (c) where there are no other means of securing the ship.
Anchor	A wire rope attached to a stump or deadman to prevent the hauler moving under load.
Anchorage	A component cast or fixed into a building or structure for the purpose of attaching a scaffold or safety line. It can also mean the holding-down system for cantilevered, hanging or suspended scaffolding and platform.
Anergy	Diminished reactivity to all antigens. This may take the form of diminished immediate hypersensitivity, or diminished delayed hypersensitivity to skin tests, or both.
ANFO	Ammonium nitrate fuel oil.
Angle of repose	The angle to the horizontal at which the material in the cut face of an excavation is stable and does not fall away.
Angle plate	An accurate angle bracket with slotted faces used to hold a workpiece, for example, to a machine.
Animal	Under the HSNO Act means any living stage of any member of the animal kingdom except human beings; and, in the case of any mammal, bird, fish, or reptile, includes the egg, or semen, or the carcass thereof.
Animal material	Any live or dead animal, or any tissue or other material taken or derived from an animal.
Animal product	Any animal material that has been processed (other than simply transported or stored in such a way as not to involve any alteration to its nature) for the purpose, or ultimate purpose, of consumption or other use by humans or animals.
Animal research work	Any research, experimental, diagnostic, toxicity, or potency testing work involving the manipulation of a live animal, or teaching involving the manipulation of a live animal.
Anode	The positive electrode in an electroplating or anodising solution.
Anodising	A process related to electroplating. It involves the anodic oxidation of metals, usually aluminium. In this instance, the metal concerned is the anode and undergoes surface oxidation by the oxygen liberated there.
Anorexia	Lack or loss of appetite for food.
Anoxia	Severe hypoxia, that is, lack of oxygen to tissues.
ANSI	American National Standards Institutes.
Anthropometry	The study and measurement of human physical dimensions.
Antidote	A treatment for chemical over-exposure which is specific (more or less) to the chemical or class of chemicals; in contrast to supportive treatment which maintains body functions.
Anti-fatigue mats	Mats or padding on the floor designed to reduce musculoskeletal fatique associated with static standing. Cushioned insoles for shoes can be viewed as 'portable anti-fatigue mats', to some degree.
Anti-glare band overlay	A tinted overlay that is transparent and that is applied along the top edge of the windscreen for the purpose of reducing glare from the sun.
Antineoplastic	Anti-cancer.
Antisapstain chemicals	Chemicals used to control the growth of fungi and moulds on timber.
Anti-two-block warning device	A device that warns the crane operator that the hook block is about to hit the boom head.
Anti-two-block cutout	A device that is activated as the crane hook block is about to hit the boom head and prevents any further upward movement of the hook block.
Antiviral	A type of drug which blocks the replication of particular viruses.
Anuria	Cessation of urine output by kidneys.
ANZSIC	Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification.
ANZSOM	Australian and New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine.
API	American Petroleum Institute.
Aplastic anaemia	Anaemia caused by the failure of the bone marrow to produce an adequate amount of blood cells.
Apnea	Respiratory arrest.
Appeal (ERS Tribunal)	If one of the parties was dissatisfied with the Tribunal's decision then they can appeal to the Employment Court to have the decision reconsidered.
Applicable collective agreement	The collective agreement that is binding on the relevant union and employer, at the relevant point in time in relation to an employee of the employer who is a member of the union.
Applicant (ERS Tribunal, Authority)	The person applying to the Tribunal/Authority. This can be any party to the employment relationship problem or, in some circumstances, a Labour Inspector.
Application (ERS Employment Court, Tribunal or Authority)	An application to the Authority, Tribunal or Employment Court for that institution to resolve or determine/decide or hear an employment relationship problem.
Approved code of practice (ACOP)	A statement of preferred work practice or arrangements which has been approved by the Minister of Labour under section 20 of the HSE Act. It may include m,easures to consider when deciding practicable steps. Its requirements are not mandatory or enforceable, but its observance is accepted in Court as evidence of good practice.
Approved handler	A person who is competent and certified to handle certain hazardous substances. To become an approved handler, a person must meet the requirements of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Personnel Qualifications) Regulations 2001.
Approved operator	(1) In relation to a specified controlled pesticide, a person who is licensed under section 178 of the HSNO Act to use that controlled pesticide. (2) In relation to any controlled pesticide that is applied from an aircraft, a pilot who holds a Chemical Rating pursuant to the Civil Aviation Regulation 1953.
Approved rim widths codes	The only allowable rim widths for a specific size of tyre.
Apron	A defined area on a land aerodrome intended to accommodate aircraft for the purpose of loading or unloading passengers or cargo, refuelling, parking, or maintenance.
Arbor	A shaft on which a cutter, wire brush, grindstone, etc. can be mounted. Usually removable from a machine.
Arboriculture	The maintenance and care of trees in the general community.
Arch	Structure on rear of skidder or tractor with a fairlead at its apex, for lifting log ends off the ground. Can be used as a pushing point in machine-assisted felling.
Area navigation	A method of navigation which permits aircraft operation on any desired flight path within the coverage of stationreferenced navigation aids or within the limits of the capability of self-contained aids, or a combination of these.
Arm rest	A height-adjustable cantilever mechanism device on an office chair that offers support to the underside of each forearm.
Armed Forces	Means the Navy, the Army, and the Air Force collectively; and includes any branch, corps, command, formation, unit, or other part of the Armed Forces; but does not include any part of the cadet forces.
Arm's reach	Means 2.5 m vertically upwards, and 1.25 m sideways or downwards, from any point on a surface where persons usually stand or move about.
Aromatics	Chemical classification relating to the structure of hydrocarbons aromatic hydrocarbons have carbon atoms arranged in rings with some of the electrons shared over the whole ring, for example benzene and naphthalene.
ARPA	Automatic Radar Plotting Aid.
Articles of Agreement	An agreement between an employer and one or more seafarers setting out the terms and conditions of the seafarers' employment.
Articulated vehicle	Any motor vehicle with a semi-trailer attached so that part of the trailer is superimposed upon the motor vehicle and a substantial part of the weight of the trailer and of its load is borne by the motor vehicle.
Aryl	Chemical classification of hydrocarbon groups attached to compounds: aryl groups have carbon atoms arranged in aromatic rings.
AS	Australian Standard.
Aspect ratio	In relation to a tyre, the ratio between the tyre section width and the height of the sidewall. Early tyre designs had an aspect ratio of 100%, which means that the section height and width are equal. With modern cars capable of much higher speeds, the tyre manufacturers have now designed tyres with decreased aspect ratios to complement the increased performance of vehicles. Today's modern sports cars are now fitted with 50%, 45%, 40%, or even 35% aspect ratios.
ASA	Lead azide, lead styphnate and aluminium powder.
Assembly point	With respect to evacuation, means a safe place clear of the building and clear of Fire Service operations.
AS/NZS	A joint Australian and New Zealand Standard.
ASTM	American Society for Testing and Materials.
Asbestos	A group of naturally occurring, fibrous minerals, hazardous to health. The term abestos includes actinolite, amosite, chrysolite, crocidolite, fibrous anthophyllite or tremolite, or any mixture containing these minerals.
Asbestos dust	For the purposes of the regulations, means: Chrysotile: (a) An average concentration over any 4-hour period of 1 fibre per millilitre of air; and (b) An average concentration over any 10-minute period of 6 fibres per millilitre of air. Amosite, crocidolite, fibrous actinolite, fibrous anthophyllite, fibrous tremolite: (a) An average concentration over any 4-hour period of 0.1 fibres per millilitre of air; and (b) An average concentration over any 10-minute period of 0.6 fibres per millilitre of air.
Asbestos fibre	A particle of asbestos that: (a) is not less than 5 micrometres and not more than 100 micrometres in length; and (b) is less than 3 micrometres in width; and (c) has a length to width ratio of not less than 3 to 1.
Asbestosis	A diffuse interstitial fbrosis of the lung resulting from exposure to asbestos.
Ascent rate	The rate of a diver moving towards shallower water. A major key to diver safety is the monitoring and adhering of acent rates to enure the recommended ascent rates of the dive table being used shall be adhered to. For any dive the slower the ascent rate, the better.
ASCEPT	Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists.
Aseptic	Sterile, free from germs.
Aspect	Compass direction to which a slope faces.
ASME	American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Asphyxiant	A gas or vapour that causes suffocation.
Assessment	The evaluation process used by ERMA to review the information provided by an applicant, relevant public authorities and other interested parties, and to weigh up the positive and adverse effects of the substance before deciding on whether to grant approval. (See also Reassessment)
Assault	The act of intentionally applying or attempting to apply force to the person of another, directly or indirectly, or threatening by any act or gesture to apply such force to the person of another, if the person making the threat has, or causes the other person to believe on reasonable grounds that he has, present ability to effect his purpose; and 'to assault' has a corresponding meaning.
Asymmetric patterns	An asymmetric tyre tread pattern generally consists of dissimilar tread pattern elements placed radially opposite each other in order to optimise pattern characteristics.
Asymmetrical earmuff	An earmuff in which the shape of the front and back and/or the top and bottom of the earcup is different. If the earcups are not positioned correctly, the attenuation of the earmuff may be significantly reduced.
Asymmetrical posture	A posture that requires the body to twist or bend to one side or to bear the weight unevenly on the feet.
Asystole	Cardiac arrest.
Ataxia	Uncoordination of voluntary muscular action, particularly of the muscle groups used in activities such as walking or reaching for objects; due to any interference with the peripheral or central nervous system pathways involved in balancing muscle movements.
ATC clearance	Authorisation for an aircraft to proceed under conditions specified by an air traffic control unit.
ATCRBS	Air traffic control radio beacon system.
Atmosphere	Air and its contents. Pneumatic systems exhaust to atmosphere.
Atmosphere	An atmosphere is a unit of pressure taken to be the standard pressure of the earth's atmosphere at sea level. An atmosphere is equal to the pressure of a column of mercury 760 mm high and expressed as 101.325 kilopascals (1.01325 Å~ 105 newtons per square meter), or about 14.7 pounds per square inch
Atmospheric monitoring	The continous measurement of oxygen levels or selected atmospheric contaminants over an unlimited duration of time.
Atmospheric pollution	Contamination of the atmosphere by large quantities of gases, solids and radiation produced by the burning of natural and artificial fuels, chemicals and other industrial processes and nuclear explosions.
Atmospheric testing	The short-term listing, that is not continuous, of oxygen level and atmospheric contaminants.
ATSDR	Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (USA).
Attendant care	(a) Means: (i) personal care; and (ii) assistance with cognitive tasks of daily living, such as communication, orientation, planning, and task completion; and (iii) protection of the claimant from further injury in his or her ordinary environment; and (b) includes training a person to provide attendant care, if the Corporation agrees to fund the training; but (c) does not include child care, domestic activities, or home maintenance.
Attended boiler	A boiler that is under the direct control of a qualified operator at all times when steam is being raised or is being taken from the boiler.
Attenuation	A reduction in the level of sound.
Attributable fraction	The maximum proportion by which the incidence or mortality of a specified disease or other health outcome in a specified population could theoretically be reduced if a given risk factor of the outcome of interest were eliminated.
ATV	All terrain vehicle.
At work	In relation to any person, means present, for gain or reward, in the person's place of work.
Audible range	Frequency across which normal ears hear: approximately 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
Audiologist	(1) A person qualified to carry out hearing tests and treat patients with impaired hearing. (2) A member of the New Zealand Audiological Society.
Audiometry	The measurement of the hearing threshold level of a person by means of a bilateral pure tone air conduction threshold test.
Audit	A systematic examination against defined criteria to determine whether activities and related results conform to planned arrangements and whether these arrangements are implemented effectively and are suitable to achieve the organisation's policy and objectives.
Auditor (rail)	A person accepted directly from the LTSA approved list, or nominated by a Rail Service Operator and appointed after approval by the LTSA, to conduct audits of the whole or part of a Rail Safety System. Auditors have a responsibility to the operator who appoints them, but a wider responsibility to act in the interests of safety by identifying and reporting to the LTSA areas of safety system noncompliance. They are required to report to the LTSA in a mandatory 10-point format and provide additional audit findings as necessary in the interests of operational safety.
Authorised explosive	Any substance specified in the Explosives Authorisation Order 1994.
Authorised gunsmith	In relation to powder-actuated fastening tools, means a person certified in writing by the master agent in New Zealand, or the maker of the tool, as competent to carry out repairs and overhauls to named models of the tool.
Authorised person	A person authorised by the employer or a responsible person to undertake a specific task or tasks and possessing the necessary technical knowledge and experience.
Automatic safeload indicator	A device fitted to a crane to provide the operator with automatic warning of approach to an overload situation.
Auto recloser	Protective switch gear which automatically relivens power lines after tripping out on a transient fault.
Auto populate	The software completes one or more fields of data based on what the user has entered.
Autoignition	The minimum temperature required to start or cause self-sustained combustion temperature in any substance in the absence of a high-temperature ignition source, such as a spark or flame. This is not applicable to many substances.
Automatic change-over regulator	A combination valve/gas pressure regulator, fitted to a LPG multiple-cylinder installation which will automatically change over from a cylinder(s) in use to a reserve cylinder at a predetermined pressure.
Auxiliary headlamp	A forward-facing lamp used under certain conditions to replace the headlamps; and includes a fog-lamp, being a vehicle-lamp providing illumination in conditions of fog, snow, cloud, or other atmospheric conditions which reduce visibility.
Avian Influenza A (Bird flu) (H5N1)	An illness affecting mainly poultry (e.g. chickens, geese) in a number of Asian countries. The virus responsible for the current outbreak is H5N1. Small numbers of people have become infected with the H5N1 virus, causing serious illness and/or death.
AWIB service	An automatic broadcast of aerodrome and weather information provided specifically for the facilitation of aviation, and for the avoidance of doubt, an AWIB service is not an air traffic service.
Awkward posture	Any fixed or constrained body position that overloads muscles and tendons or loads joints in an uneven or asymmetrical manner.
Axle	A transverse shaft or housing on which a vehicle's wheels are mounted.
B&D	Bondage and discipline.
B-train	A motor vehicle comprising of a towing vehicle and two semi-trailers connected at two points of articulation where the forward distance of the longer trailer divided by the forward distance of the shorter trailer does not exceed 1.3.
Back-pressure regulator	A device used to maintain a selected pressure in a system from which gas is being vented to a lower pressure (commonly atmospheric pressure). It maintains constant upstream pressure regardless of flowrate or variations in downstream pressure, provided that this does not exceed the selected pressure.
Backburn	A counterfire commenced from within continuous fuel for the purpose of fighting a fire.
Back cut	The final saw cut in felling a tree, opposite the scarf and the intended direction of fall.
Back guy	A wire rope attached to the spar and anchored opposite the line of pull and designed to take the strain when hauling logs.
Back injuries (serious)	Serious back injuries are fractures of the spine, medical co-morbidity where a back problem makes a medical problem worse (e.g. osteo-arthritis), intervertebral disc problems with serious complications or conditions that produce persistent severe pain that require a long time off work.
Background exposure	The exposure a person might be expected to have if they are not exposed to any particular identifiable source, such as living near a point source or working in an occupational setting where exposures may occur.
Backline	(1) Boundary line marked by blazed or painted trees indicating the cutting area. (2) That portion of the tailrope from the hauler to the first corner block.
Backpulling	Method of using a rope from a machine or winch to pull a tree to enable it to be felled against its natural lean.
Baffle	Device used to deflect or control the flow of oil, paint or gas.
Bailey bridge	A type of semi-trailer used to transport short logs.
Baldrige principles	Used internationally to measure and improve business performance based on what is commonly found in high-performance companies.
Baling press	A machine, usually hydraulic, for compressing loose materials, e.g. wool, waste papers, into bales.
Ball bearing	A bearing comprising two steel rings or races, one usually pressed onto a shaft, the other supported in a housing, separated by hardened steel balls running in grooves in the races.
Ball joint	A connection between two links in which the end of one member is partly spherical and fits into a corresponding cavity in the other member, thus allowing angular movement between them.
Ball mill	A rotating vessel containing balls of stone or steel, used to crush material placed inside it.
Ballrace turntable	A device incorporating a low-friction ball bearing fitted between two substantial structural components of a vehicle to enable rotational motion between those components about a vertical axis.
Balling	Mechanical demolition by the controlled swinging or dropping of a demolition ball suspended from a suitable lifting device.
Baluster	A post providing the support for the top and bottom rails of a barrier.
Balustrade	The infill parts of a barrier (typically between floor and top rail).
Band re-saw	A woodworking machine that is used to re-cut flitches or timber, and is equipped with automatic feed rollers, and is fitted with a blade in the form of a continuous band or strap, the cutting portion of which moves in a vertical or horizontal plane; but does not mean a log band breakdown saw or a narrow blade band saw.
Bar (of chainsaw)	(Synonym: Cutter bar, guide bar) Grooved flat steel bar around which the saw chain travels.
Barber chair	A result of poor felling technique which causes a vertical split in a tree stem, leaving a portion of the stem attached to the stump.
Bardon hook	A type of choker hook used with wire rope strops for gripping trees or logs to be skidded.
Bargaining	In relation to bargaining for a collective agreement: (a) means all the interactions between the parties to the bargaining that relate to the bargaining; and (b) includes: (i) negotiations that relate to the bargaining; and (ii) communications or correspondence (between or on behalf of the parties before, during, or after negotiations) that relate to the bargaining.
Barge	Any barge, lighter, or like vessel that does not have any means of self-propulsion.
Barotrauma	Any disease or injury due to unequal pressures between a space inside the body and the ambient pressure, or between two spaces within the body; examples include arterial gas embolism, pneumomediastinum, and pneumothorax, eye, middle ear and sinuses and the lung.
Barrel	The central portion of a winch drum on which rope is spooled.
Barrel swivel	A swivelling device used in hauler butt rigging.
Barring	Turning of a shaft or flywheel by hand, using a steel bar (tommy bar).
Base plate	A metal plate with a spigot for distributing the load from a scaffold standard or raker or other load-bearing tube.
Base support points	The parts of an office chair that touch the floor and support the weight of the chair.
Base-line hearing test	The test used to assess the level of hearing of a person.
Basel Convention	Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. Restricts and controls the movement of hazardous wastes between countries.
Basic scaffolding	Includes: (a) a fall arrest system; (b) a free-standing modular scaffolding system; (c) a gin wheel; (d) a rope; (e) a static line.
Basic weather report	A verbal comment, in support of aviation, describing any of the following current weather conditions observed at a particular place or airspace: (1) wind direction and strength: (2) mean sea level air pressure: (3) air temperature: (4) weather conditions and cloud cover.
Batter	The inclination of a slope, expressed as (a) vertical units on (b) horizontal units.
Bay	The portion of a scaffold situated between two adjacent pairs of standards measured longitudinally and extending the full height of the scaffold.
BCGA	British Compressed Gas Association.
BCITO	Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation.
Beacon	A warning lamp comprising one or more light sources designed to emit a flashing light or a revolving beam of light.
Bead	That part of a pneumatic tyre which fits and holds the tyre securely onto the wheel rim. It consists of a coil of high-tensile steel wire, treated to give good adhesion with rubber, and encased in a 'matrix' of hard rubber.
Beam	(1) A structural member, usually horizontal, supported at the ends and loaded vertically. (2) A focused transmission of light or other energy. (3) The main moving member of a down-stroking press brake. The tool is attached to its lower edge.
Bearer	Larger section timber used to support packets or stacks of timber.
Bearing	A device to support a shaft in its correct position and allow it to rotate with as little friction as possible. (See ball-bearing, bush, roller bearing.)
Bearing metals	Metal alloys, used for the surface of plain bearings which are in 'contact' with the shaft, selected for long life and low friction, e.g. bronze, white-metal.
Becquerel (Bq)	The SI derived unit of activity being one radioactive disintegration per second of time. The relationship to the traditional special unit, the curie (Ci) is 1 Bq = 2.70 x 10-11 Ci.
BEI	Biological Exposure Indices, as described in the Workplace Exposure Standards booklet.
Bell crank lever	A two-armed lever with the arms usually set at right angles to each other, pivoted at the meeting point.
Bell logger	A versatile three-wheel logging machine that can fell, bunch, extract, sort and load logs and roundwood. Different accessories can be fitted to perform the functions required.
Bell mouth	An open-ended vessel or pipe, with the end shaped in the form of a bell, or trumpet.
Bell prover	A device used for testing the accuracy of gas meters, consisting of a sealed 'bell' to or from which a measurable amount of a test gas (usually air) may be passed.
Belly chain	The wire rope or chain that is placed around the load at any position(s) in a complete circle and is attached to it and tensioned using a 'load binder'.
Belly hook	A helicopter's load hook directly attached to its frame.
Belt	An endless strip of leather, reinforced rubber or other material used to transmit rotary motion from one shaft to another by running over pulleys having flat or grooved rims.
Belt conveyor	A moving, continuous, flexible carrier of goods.
Belt creep	A gradual movement of a belt relative to the face of the pulley on which it runs, caused by the change in the stretch of the belt as it passes from the tight to the loose side of the belt.
Belt dressing	Substance used to prolong the life and improve the frictional grip of belts on their pulleys.
Belt fasteners	Connecting devices used to join the ends of a strip of belting to form a 'loop' or endless belt.
Belt slip	The slipping of a driving belt on the face of a pulley due to insufficient frictional grip to overcome the resistance to motion offered by the pulley.
Belt stricker (shifter)	A device for shifting a flat belt from a fast pulley to a loose pulley of the same diameter, mounted beside it.
Benching	Excavation of a sloping ground in horizontal steps.
Benchmark dose (BMD)	Usually defined as the lower confidence limit on the dose that produces a specified magnitude of changes in a specified adverse response. For example, a BMD10 would be the dose at the 95% lower confidence limit on a 10% response, and the benchmark response would be 10%. The BMD is determined by modeling the dose-response curve in the region of the dose-response relationship where biologically observable data are feasible.
Benchmarking	To improve one's own performance by measuring it against competitors' performance according to specified standards.
Benign	Not malignant, not recurrent, favourable for recovery.
Best practicable option	In relation to a discharge of a contaminant or an emission of noise, means the best method for preventing or minimising the adverse effects on the environment having regard, among other things, to: (a) the nature of the discharge or emission and the sensitivity of the receiving environment to adverse effects; and (b) the financial implications, and the effects on the environment, of that option when compared with other options; and (c) the current state of technical knowledge and the likelihood that the option can be successfully applied. [RMA]
Best practice guideline	A document developed with through industry groups and OSH agreement, to be used as a basis for safe workplace practices. It could also be further developed into an approved code of practice.
Beta radiation	Electrons emitted during the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei.
Bias	The systematic difference between the expectation of the measurement results and an accepted reference value.
Bight	The included angle of a rope running round a block or obstruction. 'In the bight' is a dangerous position.
Billet	An intermediate product in the rolling of steel, larger smaller than a bloom. Also applied to certain ingots.
Billet pierced cylinder	A gas cylinder in which the base and walls are made in one hot forming process.
Bind	Term used to describe an operating rope being held out of line by an obstacle such as a stump, log, or standing tree that causes considerable friction and eventual deformation of the rope.
Binder	In a paint, the solid ingredients in a coating holding the pigment particles. Binders are based on oil, alkyd, acrylic, latex and epoxy. The nature and amount determines the coating's performance.
Binder	Wires or straps tensioned around packets of timber.
Binder chain	Any chain used for holding a load on a truck. Various types include throw-over chains, belly chain, or longitudinal chain.
Binder fillet	Fillets placed at set intervals to give stability to block-stacked timber.
Bioaccumulation	Accumulation of substances in the tissues of organisms.
Bioaccumulative	In relation to a substance, means the substance has a BCF greater than or equal to 500 or, if BCF data is not available, a log Kow greater than or equal to 4; and, for the purposes of this definition, measured log Kow values take precedent over estimated values.
Bioassay	Exposing test organisms to samples (of water, sediment etc) and comparing their response with organisms exposed to control or reference treatment.
Biochemical preparation	Includes: (a) an antigen; and (b) an antitoxin; and (c) a toxin; and (d) a blood fractionation preparation; and (e) an insulin; and (f) a preparation from a mammalian gland; and (g) a serum;and (h) a vaccine; and (i) any other substance or preparation that is similar in nature to any of those specified in paragraphs (a) to (h) of this definition, whether natural or synthetic, that is intended for diagnostic, prophylactic or therapeutic purposes.
Bioconcentrate	To become more concentrated in the tissues of plants and animals.
Bioconcentration factor (BCF)	The steady state concentration of a substance in an aquatic organism divided by the concentration of the substance in the surrounding water.
Biocidal action	In relation to a substance, means the substance causes mortality, inhibited growth or inhibited reproduction in an organism.
Biodegradable	Able to be broken down into basic compounds by micro-organisms.
Biodegradation	Breakdown of chemical structure by biological process.
Biogas	The mixture of gases that is produced by anaerobic microbial decomposition of organic matter and that principally comprises methane and carbon dioxide together with lesser amounts of hydrogen sulphide, water vapour, or other gases.
Biogenic emissions	Emissions from natural sources including vegetation and soil.
Biological compound	Any agricultural compound that is: (a) a preparation of animal origin; or (b) a bacterial or viral vaccine, whether living or not; or (c) a virus, mycoplasma, or other micro-organism, whether living or not; or (d) a product of a virus, mycoplasma, or other micro-organism, or any substance manufactured for the purpose of having the same action as a product of a virus, mycoplasma, or other micro-organism.
Biological (air) contaminants	Agents derived from, or that are, living organisms (e.g., viruses, bacteria, fungi, and mammal and bird antigens) that can be inhaled and can cause many types of health effects including allergic reactions, respiratory disorders, hypersensitivity diseases, and infectious diseases. Also referred to as 'microbiologicals' or 'microbials.'
Biological diversity	The variability among living organisms, and the ecological complexes of which they are a part, including diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.
Biological Exposure Index	The index provides a warning level of biological response to a substance or agent, or warning levels of the substance or agent or its metabolite(s) in the tissues, fluids or exhaled air of an exposed worker. This index is to be used only in conjunction with designated exposure standards or codes of practice and not as a sole method for exposure control.
Biological hazard	Hazards in the workplace that include viruses, fungi, spores and bacteria, all of which can cause illnesses or disease.
Biological monitoring	The measurement and evaluation of hazardous substances or their metabolites in the body tissues, fluids or exhaled air of an exposed person.
Biological product	Any product derived from living organisms that is used for prevention, treatment or diagnosis of disease in animals or humans or for purposes of development, experiment or investigation of disease and includes, but is not limited to, finished or unfinished products such as vaccines and diagnostic products.
Biomarker	A measurement, typically a chemical, biochemical or other biological parameter, that reflects an interaction between a living organism and an environmental agent, which could be biological, chemical or physical.
Biomechanics	Biomechanics uses laws of physics and engineering concepts to describe the motion undergone by the various body segments and the forces acting on these body parts during activities.
Biomedical research	Means: (a) research in the biomedical sciences relevant to human health; and (b) research into the causes, consequences, diagnosis, and treatment of human illness.
Bioremediation	With reference to a marine oil spill is the process of using living organisms to break down the molecular structure of oil into less complex substances that are not hazardous or regulated. This is often undertaken by introducing large numbers of hydrocarbon-eating microbes to a contaminated site. Nutrients are often added to speed up the organisms' digestion of the oil, and reproduction.
Biosecurity clearance	A clearance under section 26 of the Biosecurity Act 1993 for the entry of goods into New Zealand.
Bird incident	An incident where: (a) there is a collision between an aircraft and one or more birds; or (b) when one or more birds pass sufficiently close to an aircraft in flight to cause alarm to the pilot.
Birdsnest	A tangle of loose or damaged rope.
Bladder cancer	A malignant disease of urothelial tissue lining the urinary tract. Occupational exposures strongly implicated as causing bladder cancer are aromatic amines and PAHs. Other exposures associated with an increased risk are paints, dyes, chlorinated hydrocarbons and other solvents, metals and industrial oils/cutting.
Blank	A piece of metal, roughly shaped, ready for further machining.
Blanking	The process of forming blanks, usually by punching from strip or plate in a press.
Blasting enclosure	A chamber, barrel, cabinet, or other similar enclosure designed for the performance of abrasive blasting.
Blasting chamber	A blasting enclosure into which persons enter.
Blast mat	An absorbent and protective covering of sufficient strength and weight and of fine enough mesh to contain flyrock during blasting operations.
Blasting powder	A low VOD explosive initiated by safety fuse.
Blind hole	A hole drilled only part-way through a component - one that has a solid bottom.
Blind lead	In logging, a haul path where the line of sight from the tailblock to the spar is obstructed by an intermediate ridge or convex slope.
Block	Metal case enclosing one or more sheaves to facilitate a change of direction of a rope, or to gain mechanical advantage in transmission of power through a rope.
Block straps	A short length of rope with an eye on each end used for hanging a block on a spar.
Blood/body fluid precautions	Includes: (a) avoidance of contact with infected blood and body fluids; (b) hand washing after contact with the case or potentially contaminated articles; (c) barrier protection, such as protective clothing, masks.
Bloodborne pathogen	Harmful micro-organisms which are present in human blood and which can cause disease in humans.
Blood lead	Blood lead level in micrograms of lead per decilitre of blood, µg/dl. Alternative units are µmol/l. 10 µg/dl = 0.48 µmol/l.
Blood lead test	A test to measure the level of lead in a person's blood.
Blood protoporphyrin levels	Two biochemical tests that measure the effect of lead on the blood-forming system, zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP). It may be used to indirectly estimate a persons's exposure to lead.
Blowout	An uncontrolled flow of steam, water, gas or rock material at the ground surface either inside the geothermal well or escaping from the well at depth.
BLS	(United States) Bureau of Labour Statistics.
BMD	Benchmark dose.
BMI	Body mass index, an indicator of body fatness. It is calculated from the formula weight/height2 where weight is in kilograms and height in metres.
BMU	Building maintenance unit.
Board	A governing or advisory body comprised of directors, which may include committees of management.
Boatswain's chair	A suspended chair used for work at heights, such as painting a building or window cleaning.
BOD	Biochemical Oxygen Demand.
BOD5	The five-day biochemical oxygen demand, being the consumed by micro-organisms during oxidation of the water over a period of five days, expressed in units of oxygen consumed per milligrams of the substance.
Body	The part of the vehicle that is designed for the use and accommodation of the occupants or to hold any goods.
Body belt	That part of a safety harness which is fastened around the waist.
Body burden	The total amount of a chemical in the body. Often expressed as an amount per mass of body weight (e.g. ng/kg bw). Some chemicals build up in the body because they are stored in body organs like fat or bone or are eliminated very slowly.
Body fluids	Human body fluids apart from blood that are considered potentially infectious from blood-borne diseases. These are: urine; faecal discharges; semen; cerebrospinal fluid; amniotic fluid; menstrual discharge; pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial fluid; inflammatory exudates; any other body fluid or tissue.
Boiler	(a) Means a device: (i) most of which is an arrangement of pressure containment parts; and (ii) the purpose of which is to generate steam by the use of a directly applied combustion process; or by the application of heated gases; and (b) includes any of the following: (i) boiler piping: (ii) combustion equipment: (iii) combustion management systems: (iv) controls: (v) economisers: (vi) fans: (vii) feed and circulating pumps: (viii) pressure fittings: (ix) reheaters: (x) superheaters: (xi) supports: (xii) water level management systems; but (c) does not include a hot water boiler.
Boiler management system (BMS)	A system that controls the entire boiler function including the energy input management system, the water level management system, the alarm system, the pressure controls, trip devices, all instruments, and circuitry.
Bollard	A short post installed in the road, especially as part of a traffic island.
Bolster	(1) The main support for a die on a press. (2) On a logging truck, the frame member that is mounted on the bolster bed and which supports the log load.
Bonded	Conductors and/or fittings connected together in such a manner as to ensure that they are at the same electrical potential.
Boom	(1) Projecting pole or metal beam, hinged at one end and capable of lifting a weight at the other. Normally part of a log loader. (2) A raft of logs, or a string of logs chained together end to end and used to hold floating logs.
Boom angle indicator	A device which shows the angle of inclination of a luffing (derricking) boom.
Boom arrestors	(Also referred to as safety ropes.) Ties fitted between the underside of the boom to a fixed part of the crane to prevent whip back. Safety ropes may also be fitted between the underside of a fly jib and boom.
Boom back stops	A device fitted to the crane to prevent whipback.
Bore cutting	Means of relieving the internal tension in a tree by means of a saw cut.
Boring	The operation of making large round holes in a workpiece with an offset single-point tool (as opposed to drilling a hole) either on a lathe or in a boring machine.
Boring	In tree felling, using the tip of the guide bar to cut into a tree or log.
Boss	A projection, usually cylindrical, on a machine part, in which a pin or shaft is to be supported.
Bottoming	When a reciprocating part, such as a press tool, touches a solid object at the extreme end of its stroke.
BPD	Boiling point for depth. Representing a column of pure water at its boiling (saturation) temperature corresponding to the pressure at every depth. Note: The values may be interpolated from published tables of the thermodynamic properties of water, i.e. steam tables.
Brace	A member placed diagonally to the vertical or horizontal members of a scaffold and fixed to afford stability.
Bracketing	Method consisting in principle in reducing the interval over which the linearity of the calibration function is assumed as much as possible. NOTE: This leads to surrounding the value of the unknown quantity by two values of reference materials (RMs) as tightly as possible (or bracketing).
Bradycardia	Slow heart beat and consequent slow pulse rate of less than 60 beats per minute.
Brake	(1) A device for slowing or stopping a moving part, usually a rotating component. (2) A system to reduce the speed of a vehicle, to stop the vehicle or to keep the vehicle stationary.
Brake drum	A cylindrical drum against which brake shoes are forced, or a brake band is tensioned, to slow the shaft or component on which the drum is mounted.
Brake friction material	A brake component having a friction surface that is designed to be preferentially sacrificed.
Brake shoe	A member lined with friction material which is forced against the brake drum to cause friction and slow it down.
Branch collar	A swelling where the branch leaves the tree stem.
Breach	Violation or contravention of statute requirements.
Breakaway brake	A service brake or parking brake fitted to a trailer that ensures, under all conditions of use, that, if the trailer is unintentionally disconnected from its towing vehicle, the brake will automatically and immediately apply and will remain applied for at least 15 minutes.
Breaker	A strip of rubber-coated cord fabric, or steel cord, fitted between the tread and casing of a radial ply tyre, running on a bias circumferentially around the tyre.
Breaker-out	Worker at the felling site responsible for connecting trees or logs to a hauling rope, tractor, skidder, etc. for transport to a landing.
Breaking-out	Operation of a breaker-out; or initial movement of tree(s) from the felled position.
Breaking	Opening an electric circuit.
Breaking load	In relation to cargo gear, means the minimum load that, when applied under test to a representative sample of the gear, will cause the sample to fail.
Breaking strength	(Synonyms: Ultimate load, ultimate yield, ultimate strength.) (Not to be confused with Safe Working Load.) The greatest loading that a wire rope (or material) can withstand without breaking.
Breast bench	A machine that is: (a) fitted with a circular saw; and (b) used to reduce flitches from the log breakdown to smaller dimension timber when the flitches are fed manually past the saw with or without assistance of horizontal live feed and return rollers.
Breast height	The standard height of 1.4 metres above the highest point of the ground at stump at which tree diameter is measured.
Breather vent	An orifice or opening designed to permit atmospheric pressure to act on one side of the diaphragm of a regulator or similar device.
Breathing zone	The worker's breathing zone is described by a hemisphere of 300 mm radius extending in front of their face and measured from the midpoint of an imaginary line joining the ears.
Bridge-plate/Dock board	A steel plate designed and engineered specifically for the travel of a loaded forklift from a loading dock onto a road vehicle deck or trailer.
Bridling	In logging, putting up a tailrope on a skyline setting so as to make the butt rigging move away from the skyline when it is hauled back.
Brittle roofing	Any type of roofing material such as asbestos cement, plastic or glass that will not safely support a person.
Brodifacoum	A widely used rodenticide. In New Zealand has been used to control possums since the early 1990s. An anticoagulant poison with empirical formula: C31 H23 BrO3. Talon® and PESTOFF® are trade names.
Bronchitis	Inflammation of the linings of the bronchial tubes. These are the main forks of the large airways in the respiratory system.
Broncho-constriction	Narrowing or constriction of the air passages of the lungs, e.g. in asthma.
Bronchus	An air passage in the lung.
Brothel	Defined by the Prostitution Reform Act as any premises kept or habitually used for the purposes of prostitution. It does not include premises at which accommodation is normally provided on a commercial basis if the prostitution occurs under an arrangement initiated elsewhere.
Brucellosis	A zoonotic infection caused by the Brucella abortus bacteria. The main symptoms are fever, chills, sweating, fatigue, myalgia and headache. The main occupational sources of infection are reproductive tract tissues of cattle, accidental exposures to Brucella vaccine, and exposure to the organism in laboratories.
BS	British Standard.
BTPS	Body temperature and pressure standard.
Bucking spikes	Spikes attached to the body of a chainsaw which enables the bar to be levered into a cut, giving more pressure on the saw chain.
Buckle guy	Rope attached near the middle of a spar to stop it bending.
Buff	A 'wheel' made of layers of cloth or similar material used for polishing.
Buffing	Polishing, by applying polish to a buff and running it over the surface to be polished.
Building	Any temporary or permanent movable or immovable structure (including any structure intended for occupation by people, animals, machinery, or chattels); and includes any mechanical, electrical, or other system, and any utility systems, attached to and forming part of the structure whose proper operation is necessary for compliance with the building code.
Building element	Any structural or non-structural component and assembly incorporated into or associated with a building. Included are fixtures, services, drains, permanent mechanical installations for access, glazing, partitions, ceilings and temporary supports.
Building envelope	Elements of the building, including all external building materials, windows, and walls, that enclose the internal space.
Building maintenance unit (BMU)	A permanent working platform suspended on wire ropes from an overhead structure on a building, to provide access to parts of the building.
Building performance index	In relation to a building, means the energy from a network utility operator or a depletable resource (measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre of floor area and per degree-day, and calculated using the Building Research Association of New Zealand's Annual Loss Factor Design Manual 1990 or some other method that can be correlated with that manual) needed to maintain the building at a constant internal temperature for the period from 1 May to the close of 31 August under the following standard conditions: (a) a continuous temperature of 20°C throughout the building: (b) an air change rate of 1 change per hour or the actual air leakage rate, whichever is the greater: (c) a heat emission contribution arising from internal heat sources for that period of 1000 kWh for the first 50 m2 of floor area, and 10 kWh for every additional square metre of floor area: (d) no allowance for (i) carpets; or (ii) blinds, curtains, or drapes, on windows: (e) windows to have a shading coefficient of 0.6 (made up of 0.8 for windows and recesses and 0.75 for site shading.
Building-related illness (BRI)	Diagnosable illness whose symptoms can be identified and whose cause can be directly attributed to airborne building pollutants (e.g., Legionnaire's disease, hypersensitivity pneumonitis). Also: A discrete, identifiable disease or illness that can be traced to a specific pollutant or source within a building. (Contrast with 'Sick building syndrome')
Bulk	In relation to the transport of dangerous goods, means: (a) dangerous goods in the form of a gas, in a container in an undivided quantity exceeding 250 litres; or (b) dangerous goods in the form of a liquid, in a container in an undivided quantity exceeding 450 litres; or (c) dangerous goods in the form of solids, in a container in an undivided quantity exceeding 400 kg.
Bulk carrier	A ship which is constructed generally with single deck, top-side tanks and hopper side tanks in cargo spaces, and is intended primarily to carry dry cargo in bulk; and includes such types as ore carriers and combination carriers.
Bulk Chemical Code (BCH Code)	The Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk adopted by the International Maritime Organization by Assembly Resolution A.212(VII), as amended by that organisation from time to time:
Bulk density	The weight of a unit volume of powder, usually expressed in grams per cubic centimetre (g/cm3). It is defined by a specific method. Apparent density is an alternate, but less commonly used, term for bulk density.
Bulkhead deck	On a ship, the uppermost deck up to which the transverse watertight bulkheads are carried.
Bull block	Large block having a throat of sufficient width to allow butt rigging to pass through it.
Bump rail	A rail or rope barrier around a work area, to prevent access to a hazard.
Bunch	To assemble logs together to form a load for subsequent extraction.
Burden of disease	A measure of the social impact of a disease (or injury) on a population, including both fatal and non-fatal outcomes of the disease (or injury).
Burn	Injury to tissues caused by excesses of heat, cold, sun, chemical agents such as acids or alkalis, radiation exposure, electrical current or friction.
Burnout	A counterfire commenced from a natural or previously constructed firebreak for the purpose of fighting a fire.
Burr	(1) A rough or sharp edge left on a workpiece by a cutting tool. (2) To deform the end or edge of a component by hammering, usually to help it grip another component.
Bush	A plain bearing in the form of a cylindrical sleeve, inside which the shaft rotates.
Business of prostitution	In terms of the PRA, a business of providing, or arranging the provision of, commercial sexual services.
Butt	Bottom (stump) end of a felled tree, or the larger end of a log.
Butt hook	A hook or other device to which strops are attached for hauling.
Butt log	The first or bottom log severed from a felled tree.
Butt pulling	Hauling with strops attached to the large end of the log.
Butt rigging	A system of swivels, shackles and chain which connects the tailrope to the mainrope and to which strops are attached.
BW	Bodyweight.
By-product	Incidental or secondary product made in the manufacture of another product.

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