NSSCO Building Studies 6186 key terms

Clothing and gear worn to reduce injury risk on site, such as hard hats, safety boots, gloves, goggles and high-visibility vests. Employers must provide it and workers must use it correctly.

A short safety briefing given to workers at the start of a shift or before a new task, covering the specific hazards, controls and emergency arrangements for that work.

A written document describing the sequence of work, resources, plant and safety controls for a specific construction activity, so the task can be carried out safely and consistently.

A structured review that identifies hazards, decides who might be harmed and how, evaluates the likelihood and severity of harm, and records control measures to reduce the risk.

A formal written authorisation allowing a high-risk activity such as hot work, confined-space entry or excavation to proceed under stated precautions, for a limited time and area.

The ratio between a distance on a drawing and the real distance it represents, for example 1:100 means one unit on paper equals one hundred units on site.

A drawing method that shows a building from several directions at right angles, producing separate plans, elevations and sections that describe the same object accurately.

A drawing showing a building cut through by an imaginary vertical plane, revealing internal construction, floor levels, roof structure and the relationship between rooms and materials.

A view from above of a building with the roof removed, showing walls, openings, room layout, fixtures and dimensions at a stated scale.

A document listing measured quantities of work items, described and itemised so contractors can price labour, materials and plant consistently and fairly when tendering.

A written description of the quality, materials, workmanship and standards required for a building project, complementing the drawings and forming part of the contract documents.

The process of transferring the positions, levels and dimensions of a building from the drawings onto the ground, using pegs, profiles, string lines and surveying instruments before excavation begins.

A fixed reference point or level from which heights and depths are measured on site, often marked on a permanent object and transferred to the works using a level.

A horizontal timber board fixed to stakes around an excavation, marked with the wall positions and used with string lines to control alignment and levels of foundations and walls.

A surveying instrument with a telescope rigidly fixed to a levelling base, used with a staff to take readings and establish or transfer levels and horizontal lines on site.

A foundation formed by filling a trench with concrete up to near ground level, used where soil has adequate bearing capacity and saving the labour of building deep masonry footings.

A continuous concrete or masonry footing running beneath load-bearing walls, spreading the wall load over a wider area of ground to keep pressure within safe limits.

The maximum pressure a soil or rock can safely carry without excessive settlement or shear failure, determined by investigation and used to size foundations.

The downward movement of a structure or ground caused by compression of soil under load. Uneven settlement causes cracking, so foundations must spread loads and reach suitable strata.

An impervious layer built into a wall near ground level to stop moisture rising by capillary action into the masonry and internal finishes above.

A continuous sheet of moisture-resistant material laid beneath a concrete ground floor slab or within a floor build-up to prevent ground moisture entering the building.

Keeping fresh concrete moist and at a suitable temperature for a period after placing so that cement hydration continues, developing strength and durability and reducing cracking.

The proportion of cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water in a concrete mix, stated by volume or mass and chosen to give the required strength and workability.

A site test in which fresh concrete is placed in a standard cone, the cone is lifted, and the drop of the concrete is measured to indicate workability and consistency.

A brickwork bond with alternating courses of stretchers and headers, giving strong, thick walls with good longitudinal strength and no continuous vertical joints through the wall.

A brickwork bond in which every brick is laid lengthwise along the wall, with vertical joints offset by half a brick. Common in half-brick walls and cavity wall leaves.

The corner brick or stone of a wall, often formed with alternating long and short faces to bond the two wall faces together and give a neat, strong external corner.

A wall of two masonry leaves separated by an air gap, often partly filled with insulation, with wall ties connecting the leaves and weep holes to drain moisture.

A corrosion-resistant metal connector built into both leaves of a cavity wall to tie them together, resist wind loading and allow slight movement without cracking.

A board fixed to the ends of roof rafters along the eaves, carrying the gutter and closing the roof edge to give a neat, weather-tight finish.

A sloping timber member in a roof that runs from the ridge or purlin down to the eaves, supporting the roof covering and transferring loads to the wall plate.

The angle of a roof slope measured from the horizontal, expressed in degrees or as a ratio; it governs the choice of roof covering and how quickly rainwater drains.

The depth of water held in a plumbing trap that seals the pipe and prevents foul air and gases from the drainage system entering the building.

The main vertical drainage pipe that carries soil and waste water from sanitary fittings down to the drain, vented at the top to relieve pressure and prevent trap seal loss.

An access point in an underground drain, with a removable cover, where pipes change direction or size, allowing the drain to be rodded and inspected for blockages.

Connecting exposed metal parts of an electrical installation to the general mass of earth so that fault current flows and protective devices disconnect the supply quickly.

A switch that automatically opens a circuit when current exceeds a set value, protecting cables and people from overload and fault current, and can be reset after tripping.

A formal priced offer submitted by a contractor to carry out specified work within a stated time, prepared from the drawings, specification and bill of quantities.

A percentage of each payment withheld by the client during a contract and released after completion or the defects period, giving security against unfinished or faulty work.

A schedule of minor defects or incomplete items identified during inspection before handover, which the contractor must rectify before final payment and acceptance.

A stated period after practical completion during which the contractor must return to remedy defects in materials or workmanship that appear, before retention is fully released.

A projection of money expected to come into and go out of a building business over coming weeks or months, used to plan payments, purchases and working capital.