QHSE Glossary — 151 Terms Explained
Understand a term, check its scope, then use it in a requirements brief or software evaluation. Search 151 definitions, including examples and primary-source links for selected terms.
How the glossary is organised. 124 terms have a page of their own: under each letter they come first, linked to that page and labelled with their subject in the QHSE library. A term page carries the definition, a scope note where the glossary has one, what the primary source says, what a software record for the term holds, the term it is often confused with, and common questions. The other 27 terms are defined in full on this page, and the search looks through the definitions, scope notes and examples of all 151.
Regulatory entries identify a framework, not a determination that it applies to your organisation. Check the jurisdiction, activity, reporting period and applicable version in the linked source.
Examples are suggested evaluation tasks, not evidence that a product meets a requirement.
Terms shown: 151 of 151
5
A
Audit Management
Planning and conducting audits, recording findings and following up responses against defined criteria.
Scope: An audit's scope and criteria determine the evidence needed; a completed checklist does not by itself establish conformity.
Example for your evaluation: Track a finding from its cited requirement through owner response and verification.
B
- BBSSafety culture, training and behaviour
- Bowtie AnalysisHazards and risk assessment
B Corp
Certification by B Lab for for-profit companies meeting verified standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. Increasingly adopted by ESG-focused firms.
Related guideC
- CalibrationInspection, measurement and 5S
- CAPANonconformance, complaints and corrective action
- CBAMCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- CDM RegulationsContractors, sites, travel and emergencies
- Confined SpacePermits and control of work
- Contractor ComplianceContractors, sites, travel and emergencies
- COSHHOccupational health and hygiene
- CSDDDCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- CSRDCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
Contractor Management
Coordinating contractor selection, work preparation, access, responsibilities and performance during a contract.
Scope: Required records and responsibilities depend on the work, site and applicable rules.
Example for your evaluation: Ask how an expired qualification affects a sample contractor's review and site-access decision.
CSRD Wave 1
Historical label for the first CSRD reporting cohort, which began with financial-year 2024 information.
Scope: Use current applicability rules for later reporting periods.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
CSRD Wave 2
Historical label for a later cohort of large-company CSRD reporters.
Scope: The original timetable was postponed. The label alone does not establish current eligibility or the first reporting year.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
CSRD Wave 3
Historical label for the cohort that included listed SMEs under the original CSRD timetable.
Scope: Check subsequent scope and timing amendments before using an old wave chart.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
D
- DART RateIncidents, near misses and learning
- Document ControlSuppliers, documents and procedures
- Double MaterialityCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- DSEARProcess safety
E
- EHSManagement system standards
- EMRIncidents, near misses and learning
- EMSEnvironmental management and ISO 14001
- ESGCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- ESRSCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- EU OmnibusCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- EU TaxonomyCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
ESRS E1
The ESRS topical standard addressing climate change.
Scope: Apply the relevant version and materiality rules.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
ESRS E2
The ESRS topical standard addressing pollution.
Scope: Apply the relevant version and materiality rules.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
ESRS E3
The ESRS topical standard addressing water and marine resources.
Scope: Apply the relevant version and materiality rules.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
ESRS E4
The ESRS topical standard addressing biodiversity and ecosystems.
Scope: Apply the relevant version and materiality rules.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
ESRS E5
The ESRS topical standard addressing resource use and circular economy.
Scope: Apply the relevant version and materiality rules.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
ESRS G1
The ESRS topical standard addressing business conduct.
Scope: Apply the relevant version and materiality rules.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
ESRS S1
The ESRS topical standard addressing own workforce.
Scope: Own workforce can include specified non-employees; use the applicable version's definition.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
F
- Fault Tree AnalysisHazards and risk assessment
- First Aid CaseOccupational health and hygiene
- Fishbone DiagramNonconformance, complaints and corrective action
- Fleet ManagementContractors, sites, travel and emergencies
- FMEAInspection, measurement and 5S
G
- GHG ProtocolCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- GHG Scope 1, 2 and 3Carbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- GHSEnvironmental management and ISO 14001
- GRICarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
GRI 305
GRI's emissions-reporting standard, covering specified greenhouse-gas and other air emissions disclosures.
Scope: Requirement 1.2 and disclosures 305-1 to 305-5 transition to GRI 102: Climate Change 2025 from 1 January 2027. Check the applicable version and remaining disclosures.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
H
- HACCPEnvironmental management and ISO 14001
- Hazard IdentificationHazards and risk assessment
- HAZOPProcess safety
- Heat Illness PreventionWellbeing, fatigue and human factors
- Hierarchy of ControlsHazards and risk assessment
- HIRAHazards and risk assessment
HSE
Health, Safety & Environment — the functional area responsible for managing occupational health, workplace safety, and environmental compliance within an organization.
Related guideI
- IFRS S1/S2Carbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- IMSQuality management systems
- Incident InvestigationIncidents, near misses and learning
- Internal AuditCompliance, legal registers and audits
- ISO 13485Quality management systems
- ISO 14001Environmental management and ISO 14001
- ISO 19011Management system standards
- ISO 31000Hazards and risk assessment
- ISO 45001Management system standards
- ISO 50001Environmental management and ISO 14001
- ISO 9001Quality management systems
IFRS S1
ISSB requirements for disclosure of sustainability-related risks and opportunities relevant to users of general-purpose financial reports.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
IFRS S2
ISSB requirements for climate-related financial disclosures, used with IFRS S1.
Scope: Check applicable amendments, transition reliefs and jurisdictional adoption.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
Incident Management
The process of recording, reviewing and responding to incidents, including investigation, actions and follow-up.
Scope: Internal classification, legal recordkeeping and urgent regulatory reporting are separate decisions.
Example for your evaluation: Show the original report, reviewer changes and evidence that an assigned action was checked.
J
- JSA / JHAHazards and risk assessment
- Just CultureSafety culture, training and behaviour
K
- KPIKPIs, reporting and calculators
L
- Lagging IndicatorIncidents, near misses and learning
- LCACarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- Leading IndicatorIncidents, near misses and learning
- Legal RegisterCompliance, legal registers and audits
- LOPAProcess safety
- LOTOPermits and control of work
- LTIFRIncidents, near misses and learning
LTIR
Lost Time Incident Rate — a rate relating defined lost-time cases to hours worked.
Scope: The multiplier and definition vary between reporting systems. State them explicitly before comparing sites.
M
- Management ReviewQuality management systems
- Materiality AssessmentCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- Measurement System AnalysisInspection, measurement and 5S
- MOCPermits and control of work
MSDS
Material Safety Data Sheet — an older name for a document describing a chemical's hazards and handling information.
Scope: The SDS format and legal requirements depend on the applicable chemical regime; check document version and jurisdiction.
N
- Near MissIncidents, near misses and learning
- Net ZeroCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- Non-conformanceNonconformance, complaints and corrective action
NCR
Nonconformance Report — a record of a failure to meet a specified requirement.
Scope: The issue's significance and applicable quality process determine whether correction, investigation or further action is needed.
O
- OHSOccupational health and hygiene
- OHSAS 18001Occupational health and hygiene
- OSHA 300Compliance, legal registers and audits
- OSHA NEPCompliance, legal registers and audits
OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Administration — the US federal agency responsible for enforcing workplace safety regulations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
Related guideP
Q
- QHSEManagement system standards
- QMSQuality management systems
- Quality AssuranceQuality management systems
- Quality ControlQuality management systems
- Quality PlanQuality management systems
- Quality PolicyQuality management systems
R
- RCANonconformance, complaints and corrective action
- REACHEnvironmental management and ISO 14001
- Recordable IncidentIncidents, near misses and learning
- Regulatory ComplianceCompliance, legal registers and audits
- RIDDORIncidents, near misses and learning
- Risk AssessmentHazards and risk assessment
- Risk ManagementHazards and risk assessment
- Risk RegisterHazards and risk assessment
S
- Safety CultureSafety culture, training and behaviour
- Safety Management SystemHazards and risk assessment
- Safety MomentSafety culture, training and behaviour
- Safety OfficerSafety culture, training and behaviour
- SASBCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- SBTiCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- Scope 1 EmissionsCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- Scope 2 EmissionsCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- Scope 3 EmissionsCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- SDSEnvironmental management and ISO 14001
- SECRCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- Severity RateIncidents, near misses and learning
- SIFIncidents, near misses and learning
- Silica StandardOccupational health and hygiene
- SOPSuppliers, documents and procedures
- Statistical Process ControlInspection, measurement and 5S
- Supplier Quality ManagementQuality management systems
- SWMSPermits and control of work
Scope Boundaries
The organisational and operational limits used to decide which sources enter a greenhouse-gas inventory and how they are classified.
Scope: Document the consolidation approach and any changes that require recalculating the baseline.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
T
- TCFDCarbon, ESG and sustainability reporting
- Toolbox TalkSafety culture, training and behaviour
- TQMQuality management systems
- Training MatrixSafety culture, training and behaviour
- TRIRIncidents, near misses and learning
TapRoot
A structured root cause analysis methodology developed for the nuclear industry, now widely used in oil & gas, chemicals, and aviation. Includes a Root Cause Tree and pre-built corrective action library.
Related guideTripod Beta
An incident analysis methodology used in oil & gas and aviation that identifies preconditions and barriers, exposing systemic causes beyond the immediate trigger.
Related guideV
W
- Walking-Working SurfacesPermits and control of work
- WELL Building StandardWellbeing, fatigue and human factors
- What-If AnalysisHazards and risk assessment
WHS
Work Health and Safety — terminology used in Australian workplace health and safety laws.
Scope: Model laws are not automatically the law in every state or territory; verify the local instrument.
Sources checked: . Examples are editorial illustrations.
Z
Zero Harm
An aspirational safety philosophy and goal that no worker should be injured, made ill, or killed by their work. Adopted by many oil/gas, mining, and construction majors as a strategic commitment.
Related guideTurn a definition into a requirement
Describe the task, responsible roles and evidence you need. Use the worked buying brief to prepare comparable questions for suppliers.
See the requirements example