Site safety glossary

Plain-English definitions of the terms that come up most in construction safety and in the Operatives practice questions.

Hazard: Anything with the potential to cause harm, such as a fall from height, a live cable or a hazardous substance.
Risk: The likelihood that a hazard causes harm, together with how serious that harm could be.
Risk assessment: A structured look at what could cause harm on site, who could be harmed, and which controls are needed to reduce the risk.
Hierarchy of control: The order of control options: eliminate the hazard, substitute it, isolate or engineer it, use safe systems of work, and use personal protective equipment last.
Safe system of work: The planned method for doing a task safely, including the controls, the sequence of steps and the competence needed.
Method statement: A written plan that sets out how a task will be done safely, step by step.
Permit to work: A formal written authorisation for high-risk work. It lists the controls and checks that must be in place before the work starts.
Site induction: The briefing given before someone starts work on a site. It covers site rules, hazards, welfare and emergency arrangements.
Toolbox talk: A short safety briefing on one topic, given to the workforce, often at the start of a shift or a new task.
Near miss: An event that could have caused injury or damage but did not. Reporting near misses helps prevent the injury that might follow.
RIDDOR: The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. They require certain injuries, illnesses and incidents to be reported to HSE.
COSHH: The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations. They require hazardous substances to be assessed, controlled and managed.
PPE: Personal protective equipment, such as helmets, gloves, eye protection, hearing protection and respiratory protective equipment. It is the last line of control, used when other controls cannot remove the risk.
Competent person: Someone with the training, experience and knowledge to do a task safely and to recognise its hazards.
First aider: A person trained to give first aid. The training should match the site and the number of workers.
Welfare facilities: Toilets, washing facilities, drinking water, rest areas and changing facilities provided for workers on site.
Working at height: Work where a person could fall a distance likely to cause injury, including from a ladder, a scaffold, an edge or through an opening.
Excavation: Any man-made cut, trench, pit or hole in the ground. Excavations need planning and support so they do not collapse.
Manual handling: Lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying. A risk assessment should be done before the task starts.
Exclusion zone: An area kept clear of people during a hazardous activity, such as a lift or a crane swing.
Emergency procedure: The planned response to a fire, an injury or another emergency, including how to raise the alarm and where to meet.

Definitions are general summaries for practice. Check HSE guidance and your site rules for the exact requirements. HSE: construction safety topics.