BCSP CHST key terms

A proactive measure that tracks activities and conditions before harm occurs, such as completed inspections, training hours, or corrective actions closed. Because it looks upstream, it signals whether controls are working rather than counting injuries after the fact.

A reactive measure calculated after an event, such as injury rates, lost workdays, or workers' compensation costs. It confirms outcomes but cannot predict future performance on its own, so it is paired with proactive measures.

An organized set of policies, responsibilities, procedures, and review steps that an employer uses to identify hazards, control risk, and keep improving performance. It ties individual programs together under one documented structure with defined accountability.

The shared values, beliefs, and everyday behaviors that determine how seriously people at every level treat hazard control. It shows up in what leaders fund and reward, what workers report, and whether people feel safe raising concerns.

A comparison of current performance or conditions against a required standard, such as a regulation or internal policy, to identify what is missing. Results point to specific actions needed to close the difference.

A planned, systematic examination of documented programs, records, and practices to verify they meet a defined standard. Unlike a walk-through inspection that focuses on physical conditions, an audit tests whether management systems are actually working.

A four-stage cycle for continuous improvement: plan the change and expected results, carry it out, check whether it worked, then standardize or adjust. Repeating the cycle drives steady gains in safety performance.

A ranked order of ways to reduce risk, from most to least reliable: elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment. Employers start at the top and use lower-ranked measures only when higher ones are not feasible.

The process of identifying hazards, then judging how likely and how severe harm could be so controls can be prioritized. It produces a risk level, often using a matrix of likelihood and severity, that guides decisions.

A step-by-step study of a specific task that breaks the work into steps, identifies hazards at each step, and defines controls before the job begins. Also called a job safety analysis.

A physical change to equipment, processes, or workplace layout that removes or isolates a hazard, such as ventilation, machine guards, or sound enclosures. It protects everyone exposed without depending on individual behavior.

A procedural or scheduling measure that reduces exposure, such as job rotation, adjusted work pace, warning signs, or written safe-work procedures. It relies on people following rules, so it is less dependable than engineering controls.

Devices worn by a worker, such as gloves, respirators, or eye protection, that place a barrier between the person and a hazard. It is the last line of defense because its effectiveness depends on correct selection, fit, and use.

A space large enough to enter, with limited entry or exit, not designed for continuous occupancy, and containing a serious hazard such as hazardous atmosphere, engulfment, or entrapment. Entry requires a written permit and an attendant.

A procedure that isolates hazardous energy, whether electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, or thermal, and holds it off with locks and tags while workers service equipment. It prevents unexpected startup or release of stored energy.

A regulatory or advisory ceiling on how much of a substance or agent a worker may be exposed to over a stated time, such as an OSHA permissible exposure limit or an ACGIH threshold limit value.

An unplanned event or sequence of events that results in, or has the potential to result in, injury, illness, property damage, or environmental release. Each one is an opportunity to find and fix underlying conditions.

An unplanned event that did not cause injury or damage this time but could have under slightly different circumstances. Reporting near misses gives early warning without waiting for someone to be hurt.

A structured method for tracing an incident past its immediate symptoms to the underlying system failures that, if corrected, would prevent similar events. It typically ends with specific, verifiable corrective actions.

A simple questioning technique that asks why repeatedly, usually about five times, to move from an observed problem toward its underlying cause. It works best when each answer is checked against evidence.

A cause-and-effect diagram that arranges possible causes into branches, often categories such as people, equipment, materials, methods, and environment. It helps a team brainstorm broadly before testing which causes are real.

A condition or action that helped an incident happen but was not sufficient on its own to cause it. Incidents usually have several, and controlling them together is more effective than blaming a single cause.

A specific change made to remove a hazard or fix the system weakness an investigation identified, with an owner and a due date. Tracking completion and checking effectiveness closes the loop.

The documented record of who collected, handled, and stored evidence such as photos, samples, or failed parts, and when. It preserves the reliability of evidence for later analysis or legal proceedings.

A structured look at who needs what training, based on job tasks, hazard exposure, current skill levels, and regulatory requirements. It prevents wasted effort by targeting the gaps that actually affect safety performance.

A written statement describing what a learner should be able to do after training, stated in observable terms with any conditions or standards. It guides content, practice, and how the training is evaluated.

The body of principles about how adults learn: they need to know why something matters, draw on experience, prefer problem-centered content, and want to apply learning immediately. Training designed this way is more engaging than lecture-only delivery.

A short, focused safety discussion held with a work crew before or during a shift, usually about a specific hazard or task. It works best when brief, two-way, and tied to the work at hand.

A trainee performs a skill while an evaluator observes, showing that the correct method can actually be carried out. It confirms competence rather than only recall of facts.

A four-level framework for judging training: reaction, learning, behavior, and results such as fewer incidents. Each level requires different evidence, and higher levels are harder but more meaningful to verify.

Introductory training given to new hires, transferred workers, or contractors covering site hazards, emergency procedures, rules, and reporting expectations before they begin work. It sets expectations and delivers required information.

The form employers use to record each work-related injury or illness that meets recording criteria, with details such as the case number, date, body part affected, and days away or restricted.

An annual summary of the 300 Log that includes total counts of cases, days away, restricted duty, and injury types. It must be posted where employees can see it from February 1 through April 30.

The incident report form completed for each case entered on the 300 Log, describing how the injury or illness occurred. Employers may use an equivalent form if it captures the same information within seven calendar days.

A work-related injury or illness that requires more than first aid, results in loss of consciousness, days away, restricted work, or transfer, or is a significant diagnosed condition. These must be entered on the log.

Care limited to minor treatment, such as cleaning a wound, applying a bandage, or using a cold pack, does not by itself make a case recordable. More advanced treatment counts as medical treatment and is recordable.

Employers must report to OSHA within eight hours any work-related fatality and within twenty-four hours any in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye. These reports are separate from recording on the 300 Log.

Part of the OSH Act requiring employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious harm where no specific standard applies. It covers hazards even without a detailed rule.

Injury and illness records, including the log, annual summary, and incident reports, must be kept for five years following the end of the calendar year they cover and made available to employees and inspectors.