Glossary of terms and acronyms H-K

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.

If you have any suggestions for additions to the glossary, please e-mail them to the webmaster.

High Rise Building

Term or Acronym	Definition
HACCP	Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point.
Haematemesis	Vomiting blood, usually from stomach ulcers or erosion of stomach wall following ingestion of corrosive substances.
Haemoglobin	A complex protein contained in red blood cells which gives them their colour and oxygen-carrying properties.
Haemolysis	Destruction of red blood cells causing anaemia and jaundice.
Haemoptysis	Bleeding from the lungs.
Haemorrhage	An escape of blood from its vessels.
Hairdresser	Any person who engages for profit or reward in the business or practice of hairdressing, whether in a hairdresser's shop or not.
Hairdressing	The dressing, curling, waving, cleansing, cutting, shaving, trimming, singeing, bleaching, tinting, colouring, or other treatment of the hair or beard of any person.
Half-body safety harness	Type of safety harness that straps the lower half of the body. The climber is connected at one point rather than two as with the full-body harness.
Half-life	A measure of the time required to eliminate one half of a quantity of a chemical from the body or from an environmental medium.
Half-mask respirator	A half-mask respirator covers the user's nose and mouth and is fitted with either cartridges or canisters to filter for sprays and vapours.
Halocarbon	A hydrocarbon with some hydrogen atoms replaced by halogen atoms such as chlorine or fluorine.
Halogenated	Containing one or more halogen atoms, i.e., fluorine, chlorine, iodine, bromine or astatine.
Halon 1211	(Bromochlorodifluoromethane) Halon 1211 was once widely used in yellow, hand-held fire extinguishers and in fixed fire protection systems in unoccupied spaces such as substations or computer rooms. Now largely superseded by more modern, ozone-friendly products.
Hammerlock	A device for joining chains or fixing chains to an anchor point.
Hang glider	A glider, including a powered glider with the engine not operating, capable of being launched and landed solely by the use of the pilot's legs, and includes paragliders.
Hanging scaffold	A working platform suspended by tubes, bolts, fixed rope slings or other methods and not intended for raising or lowering while in use.
Hand guard (chainsaw)	The metal or plastic guard in front of top handle, usually incorporating the chain brake.
Handrail	A rail to provide support to, or assist with the movement of a person.
Hapu	Eextended family structure.
Harbour	Includes the waters and any port within any pilotage area defined in Part 90 of the maritime rules, and any other coastal or inland waters that a regional council determines are a harbour for the purpose of the New Zealand Port and Harbour Marine Safety Code.
Harbourmaster	A person appointed as harbourmaster under section 650B of the Local Government Act 1974.
Hardeners (or catalysts)	The chemicals added to paint that make the paint harden as opposed to drying. These chemicals usually contain isocyanates.
Hardware	The mechanical and electronic components of a computer system.
Harm	(a) Illness, injury, or both; and (b) includes physical or mental harm caused by work-related stress.
Harm minimisation	With reference to drug use is an approach that aims to minimise the adverse health, social and economic consequences of drug use, without necessarily ending such use for people who cannot be expected to stop their drug using immediately. The primary goal is a net reduction in drug-related harm rather than becoming drug-free overnight, although harm minimisation strategies often lead to a reduced number of people who use drugs over time. An example of harm minimisation is the needle and syringe exchange programme for injecting drug users, which attempts to prevent the use of 'dirty' needles and needle-sharing, which can pose a risk of the transmission of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis.
Harmful use	A pattern of psychoactive substance use that is causing damage to health. The damage may be physical (e.g. hepatitis following injection of drugs) or mental (e.g. depressive episodes secondary to heavy alcohol intake). Harmful use commonly, but not invariable, has adverse social consequences; social consequences in themselves, however, are not sufficient to justify a diagnosis of harmful use.
Harvester	General term for a self-propelled multi-function logging machine which combines felling, processing and assembling logs.
HASARD	Health and Safety Accident Recording Database.
Hauler	(Synonym: Yarder) A machine equipped with winch or winches which operates from a set position to haul logs or drags from the stump to landing.
Haulage equipment	In relation to stationary compactors may be as detailed below but not limited to: (a) Hoist-type equipment or hoist equipment: The hoist arms, chains, and frames used to elevate, support, transport, dump, and unload compactor containers and self-contained compactors. (b) Tilt-frame or roll-off equipment: The tilt-frame, tilt-frame support equipment, hoisting devices, tilt cylinders, and controls for operating the tilt-frame and hoisting devices for loading, dumping, and unloading containers or stationary compactors. Tilt-frame equipment can be mounted on an engine cab and chassis or on a trailer chassis. (c) Hoist-type equipment is mounted on an engine-powered cab and chassis.
Hauling	Moving logs in a cable logging operation.
Hazard	(a) An activity, arrangement, circumstance, event, occurrence, phenomenon, process, situation or substance (whether arising or caused within or outside a place of work) that is an actual or potential cause or source of harm; and (b) includes (i) A situation where a person's behaviour may be an actual or potential cause or source of harm to the person or another person; and (ii) Without limitation, a situation described in subparagraph (i) resulting from physical or mental fatigue, drugs, alcohol, traumatic shock or another temporary condition that affects a person's behaviour. Hazardous has a corresponding meaning [HSE Act].
Hazard/risk assessment	In Australia, the term 'risk assessment' is used to mean the overall process of estimating the magnitude of risk and deciding what actions will be taken. In New Zealand, the term 'hazard assessment' is used to mean the overall process of determining whether a hazard is significant.
Hazard classification	A combination of the hazardous property of a substance and the level or type of hazard related to that property.
Hazard identification	The process of recognising that a hazard exists and defining its characteristics.
Hazard management	A system for identifying hazards to employees at work, assessing hazards, and managing hazards so that people are not harmed. Hazard management involves: (a) elimination (removing the hazard completely); (b) isolation (putting a barrier or distance between the hazard and the person); (c) minimisation (minimising the chance it will cause harm).
Hazard notice	A notice that: (a) describes a hazard identified in a place of work; and (b) is in the prescribed form; and (c) may set out suggested steps to deal with the hazard.
Hazard rating	The level of hazard (high, medium or low) applied to a hazardous substance for the purpose of an HFSP calculation, based on its HSNO classification.
Hazard register	A register to record (in writing) the existence of a hazard.
Hazard signs	Signs advising of hazards. These are subdivided as follows: Danger signs. Signs warning of a particular hazard or hazardous condition that is likely to be life-threatening. Warning signs. Signs warning of a hazard or hazardous condition that is not likely to be life-threatening.
Hazardous area	A delineated area in which all electrical installations and equipment used must be of a type approved by the electrical authority for installation and use in the area.
Hazardous area	A Zone 0, Zone 1 or Zone 2 area as defined in the relevant Parts of AS/NZS 2430.
Hazardous facility	Activities involving hazardous substances and sites, including vehicles for their transport, at which these substances are used, stored, handled or disposed of.
Hazardous manual handling	The presence in a manual handling task of one or more of the following: twisted, stooped, awkward, asymmetrical postures; fixed, sustained, rigid, prolonged postures; unvaried, repetitive movements; sudden, uncontrolled or jerky movements; handling or reaching away from the body; using high or sustained force; handling heavy or awkward loads; whole body vibration or upper limb vibration; handling that goes on for too long without a break.
Hazardous occurrence	In relation to a ship means an occurrence other than an accident which could affect the safety of the ship or persons, and includes a 'pollution incident' as defined in section 225 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994.
Hazardous sub-facility	A hazardous facility that is separated by more than 30 metres from any other hazardous facility on the same site.
Hazardous substance	Unless expressly provided otherwise by regulations, means any substance: (a) With one or more of the following intrinsic properties: (i) Explosiveness; (ii) Flammability; (iii) A capacity to oxidise; (iv) Corrosiveness; (v) Toxicity (including chronic toxicity); (vi) Ecotoxicity, with or without bioaccumulation; or (b) Which on contact with air or water (other than air or water where the temperature or pressure has been artificially increased or decreased) generates a substance with any one or more of the properties specified in paragraph (a) of this definition.
Hazardous substance emergency	The release or potential accidental release of any hazardous substance from any building or other premises, or from any receptacle, container, vessel, or pipe, or from any conveyance (whether motorised or not), where the release of that hazardous substance constitutes a contaminant.
Hazardscape	The net result of natural and manmade hazards and the risks they pose cumulatively across a given area.
Hazchem code	The Hazchem emergency action code of numbers, letters and diamonds give information to emergency services. Its use is required by the NZS 5433:1988 Code of practice for the transport of hazardous substances on land.
HAZID	HAZard IDentification meeting. Structured meeting to achieve maximum information flow about hazards, causes and consequences.
HAZOP	Hazard Operability Study.
HBFCs	Hydrobromofluorocarbons.
HCB	Hexachlorobenzene, previously used as a pesticide.
HCFCs	Hydrochlorofluorocarbons.
HDC	Health and Disability Commissioner.
HCH	1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane, also known as lindane. An insecticide previously used in New Zealand.
HCN	Hydrogen cyanide.
HCV	Hepatitis C virus.
Head	Top of tree severed from merchantable stem.
Head off, or top	Cut off unmerchantable top of tree.
Head pull	Extracting a tree or log by the small end.
Head restraint	A fitting forming part of a vehicle seat intended to restrain occupants' heads from excessive movement in the event of a crash.
Headlamp	A lamp designed to illuminate the road ahead of a vehicle, and that is: (a) a dipped-beam headlamp; or (b) a main-beam headlamp; or (c) a combination of a dipped-beam headlamp and a main-beam headlamp.
Headspar	The rigged spar at or near the landing.
Headboard	A device mounted at the front of a vehicle platform to restrain the load and protect the driver.
Health	A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.
Healthy	In the HSE Act means unharmed, and 'health' has a corresponding meaning.
Health agencies	Those organisations that provide a health service, whether or not a charge for service is made.
Health and safety activity plan	An annual action plan outlining the activities that will be undertaken to manage health and safety during the plan period.
Health and safety committee	A committee established to support the ongoing improvement of health and safety in a place of work.
Health and Safety in Employment Act	An Act providing for the prevention of harm to employees at work.
Health and safety inspector	An officer of the Occupational Safety and Health Service, appointed under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.
Health and safety representative	An employee elected, as an individual or as a member of a health and safety committee or both, to represent the views of employees in relation to health and safety at work.
Health and usage monitoring system	A system that acquires data from specialised sensors that measure various parameters related to the airworthy condition of the aircraft and its systems.
Health assessment	Check of a person's health to determine their fitness for a job, e.g. if the job will involve work in a hot environment.
Health care services	Services that are hospital care, residential disability care, rest home care, or specified health or disability services.
Health exposure criterion (HEC)	An estimated level of exposure to a hazardous substance that can be used for developing regulatory measures and public policy to manage ongoing population exposures to that substance. When used in the context of a public health risk assessment approach, the HEC is directly related to the existing background exposure of the population to the substance being considered.
Health gain (loss)	A way to express improvement (or deterioration) in health outcomes. It can be used to measure: (1) the improvement (or deterioration) in population health status; or (2) the degree to which the level of health of a population has changed in response to a policy or other intervention
Health gap	The difference between the observed health status of a population and some standard or reference level of health.
Health impact assessment	A systematic process to assess the actual or potential effects of policies, objectives, programmes, plans, consents, or activities on the health of individuals, groups or communities. It is an assessment of risks to people either directly or indirectly as a result of environmental conditions or hazards.
Health information	In relation to an identifiable individual, means: (a) information about the health of that individual, including that individual's medical history: (b) information about any disabilities that individual has, or has had: (c) information about any services that are being provided, or have been provided, to that individual: (d) information provided by that individual in connection with the donation, by that individual, of any body part, or any bodily substance, of that individual.
Health needs	Either: (1) what an individual requires to achieve or maintain health; or (2) an estimation of the programmes required to improve the health of populations.
Health needs assessment	A process designed to establish the health requirements of a particular population.
Health outcomes	A change in the health status of an individual, group or population that is attributable to a planned programme or series of programmes, regardless of whether such a programme was intended to change health status.
Health practitioner	A person who is, or is deemed to be, registered with an authority established or continued by section 114 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 as a practitioner of a particular health profession.
Health professional	A registered medical practitioner, nurse, psychologist, pharmacist, dietician, physiotherapist, or other registered qualified health practitioner recognised by the Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994.
Health promotion	The process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health status, as described in the Ottawa Charter (WHO 1986).
Health protection officer	A public health officer employed by a District Health Board.
Health surveillance	The monitoring of individuals for the purpose of identifying changes in health status due to occupational exposure to a hazardous substance. It includes biological monitoring but not atmospheric monitoring or other measures used to control hazardous substances in the workplace
Health Research Council	The major Government funder of biomedical, public health, health services, Maori health and Pacific health research in New Zealand.
Health services	Goods, services or facilities which are provided by health agencies and which are: (a) provided to individuals for the purpose of improving or maintaining a person's health status; or (b) provided for the purposes of related or incidental to improving or maintaining a person's health status.
Health Sponsorship Council (HSC)	Organisation set up under the Smoke-free Environments Act that focuses on promoting health and healthy lifestyles through social marketing.
Health status	A set of measurements which reflect the health of populations. The measurements may include physical function, emotional wellbeing, activities of daily living, etc.
Health target	A change in the health status of a population that can be reasonably expected within a defined period
Hearing (ERS Tribunal, Court)	A future or past event of fixed duration involving one or more files. The method by which the Tribunal or Court hears the cases of the parties to an employment relationship problem.
Hearing protectors	A device worn on or inserted in the ears to reduce a person's noise exposure.
Hearing test	Test to ascertain if a person has hearing loss caused by exposure to excessive noise.
Heat cramp	Muscular spasms common in people who work vigorously in the heat, caused by a reduction in the concentration of sodium chloride in the blood.
Heat exchanger	A device to transfer heat from one medium to another.
Heat rash	Rash caused when sweat cannot evaporate from the skin. 'Prickly heat' is the most common heat rash.
Heat strain	The effects that occur in the body as a result of heat load. Early symptoms include muscle cramps, change in breathing pattern and pulse rates, heavy perspiration, and dizziness or faintness.
Heat stroke	Severe heat strain leading to convulsions and coma, potentially fatal if not treated promptly.
Heat treatment	The controlled heating and cooling of metals to change their physical properties (e.g. to harden/soften, toughen, etc.) to suit their intended use.
Heaving line	A light line of sufficient length to reach the water from a position on deck near the transfer arrangement.
Heavy engineering	That branch of engineering: (a) which characteristically but not exclusively uses as its raw material ferrous or non-ferrous metals in the form of plate having a thickness greater than 4.5 mm or in the form of angles, shapes, and sections exceeding 80 mm by 80 mm in cross-section; or (b) which is engaged in the machining of components or items large enough to require cranage to present or locate the workpiece to or in a machine tool being used in the fabrication of machines, equipment, or structures. Typical items include steel fabrication for buildings, bridges, and towers; storage tanks and containers; pressure vessels; firetube boilers; process machinery, metal-working machinery; saw-milling and log-handling equipment; cranes, hoists, forklift trucks, rail wagons, and transporters; construction and mining equipment; equipment used in the energy industry, in fertiliser manufacture, pulp and paper manufacture; and ships.
Heavy metal	Refers to any metallic chemical element that has a relatively high density and is toxic, highly toxic or poisonous at low concentrations. Examples of heavy metals include mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), thallium (Tl), and lead (Pb).
Heavy motor vehicle	A motor vehicle that is either: (a) of Class MD3, MD4, ME, NB, NC, TC or TD; or (b) a vehicle (not of a class specified in Table A: Vehicle classes) with a gross vehicle mass that exceeds 3500 kg.
Heavy power press	A straight-side press fitted with a friction clutch and used to form panels or other products from blanks. It does not include a bending brake, press brake, or hot forging press.
HEI	Health Effects Institute (USA).
Helicopter	A rotorcraft incorporating one or more power-driven rotors.
Heliport	Any defined area of land or water, and any defined area on a structure, intended or designed to be used either wholly or partly for the landing, departure, and surface movement of helicopters.
Hematopoietic agent	A chemical which interfers with the blood system by decreasing the oxygen-carrying ability of haemoglobin. This can lead to cyanosis and unconsciousness. Carbon monoxide is one such agent.
HEPA filter	High-efficiency particulate air filter capable of removing particles of 0.3 mm or larger from air at 99.97 percent efficiency.
Hepatotoxin	A chemical capable of causing liver damage.
Hepatic disease	Disease of the liver. A variety of liver disorders may be related to occupation. These include acute hepatitis (inflammation of liver cells), chronic active hepatitis, and hepatic cirrhosis. Cirrhosis a disorder of the liver involving damage to liver cells, resulting in irreversible fibrosis. Acute hepatitis in an occupational setting is most commonly due to exposure to certain hazardous substances (particularly organic solvents) and to hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV). Chronic active hepatitis is due to exposure to HBV and HCV. The strongest connection between occupational exposures and hepatic cirrhosis is to HBV and HCV.
Herbal smoking product	A product that: (a) is or contains vegetable matter; and (b) is intended to be smoked; but (c) contains no tobacco.
Herbicide	Chemical poison used to destroy plants, especially weeds.
Heritable material	In relation to a new organism, means viable biological material, including gametes and spores, arising from the organism that can, without human intervention, regenerate the organism or reproduce a new generation of the same species of the organism.
Heritage operators (rail)	Operators of vintage rail vehicles or trams, usually on a small dedicated railway or tramway, or on railway excursion trips over Tranz Rail's lines. Two small (15-inch gauge) Tourist Railways are also included in this definition.
HEWP	Horticulture elevating work platform.
HFSP	Hazardous Facility Screening Procedure.
High explosive	An explosive having a VOD of 1500 m/s or more.
Highlead logging	A hauler logging system in which a lead block is hung on a spar or tower to provide lift to the front of the logs being hauled.
High pressure liquefiable gas	A liquefiable gas that has a critical temperature greater than -50°C but not exceeding 65°C.
High rise building	A building having five or more storeys above ground level.
High-Speed Code	The International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft, adopted by IMO resolution MSC.36(63).
High-speed craft	A ship in respect of which a High-Speed Craft Safety Certificate has been issued in compliance with the International Code of Safety for High-Speed Craft adopted by Resolution MSC 36(63) of the International Maritime Organisation's Maritime Safety Committee dated June 1994, as amended by that committee from time to time.
High temperature hazardous waste incinerator	An incinerator that is designed and operated principally for burning hazardous waste at a temperature greater than 850C as measured: (a) near the inner wall of the incinerator; or (b) at another point in the combustion chamber where the temperature is likely to represent the temperature in the incinerator.
High-visibility (hi-vis)	Clothing and equipment that is 'hi-vis' has the property that it can be easily spotted and seen from a great distance when compared to ordinary-coloured clothing and equipment. Common hi-vis colours include fluorescent yellow, pink, and orange, though it has been found that yellow is the most easily spotted of the fluorescent colours.
High-voltage (HV)	Any voltage exceeding 1000 V a.c. or 1500 V d.c.
High-voltage lines	Lines conveying electricity at a voltage of 1000 volts or more.
Hinge	The wood left between the scarf and the backcut, used to control the direction of fall.
HIPC	Health Information Privacy Code.
Hiree	Someone who may be an employer or employee who hires an item of plant.
Hirer of plant	A person who hires out plant for use at work.
Histopathology	Branch of medicine concerned with cause, origin and nature of disease in animal or plant tissues.
Hitch hiker	Debris in a turn (the helicopter's load of logs) which may fall free and become a hazard to ground crews.
Hitch-hiker pest	A pest that is carried by a commodity and in the case of plants, and plant products, does not infest those plants or plant products.
HIV	Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Infection with this virus may result over time in a person having AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
Hi-vis	See High-visibility.
Hoarding	A structure alongside a public way providing side protection but no overhead protection.
Hogget	A sheep that is 7 to 15 months of age.
Hoist unit	A standard mass-produced lifting unit providing powered vertical lifting capacity by either chain or wire, via a hook and block. Power may also be provided to a beam runner, if fitted, for horizontal travel.
Hold-to-run	A control that requires continuous pressure by the operator. May also be referred to as deadman control.
Home	In the HSE Act means a place occupied as a dwelling house; and includes any garden, yard, garage, outhouse, or other appurtenance, of a home.
Home-based health care	Home-based services provided from a variety of sources, required to realise the aims of supporting a person to remain living at home, and traditionally associated with home help, attendant care, district nursing and respite care. It includes services for people with disabilities and people with personal health needs. An indicative list of health and disability services includes categories of personal care/ assistance with activities of daily living, health care services, domestic help with household tasks, social support and respite care.
Homeostasis	State of equilibrium.
Homeworker	(a) Means a person who is engaged, employed, or contracted by any other person (in the course of that other person's trade or business) to do work for that other person in a dwellinghouse (not being work on that dwellinghouse or fixtures, fittings, or furniture in it); and (b) includes a person who is in substance so engaged, employed, or contracted even though the form of the contract between the parties is technically that of vendor and purchaser.
Hook truck	A vehicle recovery service vehicle with a crane hoist that partially lifts the vehicle to be recovered, which is then towed in this position.
Hooker (breaker out)	An employee who directs the helicopter pilot to the load site and hooks up the load to the remote hook.
Horticultural elevating work platform (HEWP)	A rough terrain self-propelled platform of a single, rigid articulated or telescoping boom type, with a single-person cage. It is intended to be driven and operated from the cage with the boom in the elevated position.
Hose assembly	A flexible tube or pipe complete with end couplings.
Host organism	An organism that is the subject of a genetic modification procedure.
Hot deck	Landing where log hauling and loading is done concurrently.
Hot water boiler	An item of pressure equipment and includes an arrangement of mainly pressure-containing parts such as drums, vessels, tubes, coils, and interconnecting parts used to heat water at pressures exceeding 200 kPa and temperatures exceeding 100°C by the use of a directly applied combustion process, or by the application of heated gases.
Hot work	Welding, thermal or oxygen cutting, heating or other fire-producing or spark-producing operations that may increase the risk of fire or explosion.
Hours of darkness	Means: (a) any period of time between half an hour after sunset on one day and half an hour before sunrise on the next day, or (b) any other time when there is not sufficient daylight to render clearly visible a person or vehicle at a distance of 100 m.
Household unit	Any building or group of buildings, or part of any building or group of buildings, used or intended to be used solely or principally for residential purposes and occupied or intended to be occupied exclusively as the home or residence of not more than one household; but does not include a hostel or boardinghouse or other specialised accommodation.
Housekeeping	Attention to tidiness and cleanliness in the workplace.
Hover	A helicopter flight at a constant height and position over the surface.
Hovercraft	A transport vehicle capable of travelling over water or land by riding on a cushion of air produced by power from its own engines; and includes a ground effect machine and an air cushion vehicle, but does not include an aircraft within the meaning of the Civil Aviation Act 1964. A hovercraft is deemed under the General Harbour Regulations to be a vessel at all times when it is standing in or moving over the water.
HPF	High powered field. Term used in microscopy.
HRC	Health Research Council of New Zealand.
Hydrogen sulfide H2S	Colourless, toxic gas with an odour similar to rotten eggs.
HSDR	Hazardous Substances (Disposal) Regulations 2001.
HSE Act	Health and Safety in Employment Act.
HSE Act Improvements	Unless otherwise specified, means any of: written warning improvement notice prohibition notice infringement notice.
HSEMR	Hazardous Substances (Emergency Management) Regulations 2001.
HSER	Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995.
HSIR	Hazardous Substances (Identification) Regulations 2001
HSNO	Includes both the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 and HSNO Regulations in relation to hazard classification and life cycle requirements for hazardous substances.
HSNO Act enforcement actions	Unless otherwise specified, means any of: compliance notices emergency declarations search warrants.
HTL	Hearing threshold level.
Hui	Gathering to speak and share ideas and thoughts.
Human cells	(a) Means human cells, human cell lines, or human tissues that are being grown or maintained outside the human body; and (b) includes human reproductive cells or human embryonic cells that are being grown or maintained outside the human body.
Humboldt scarf	Scarf where the bottom cut is angled and the top cut is horizontal.
Humping	The loading or unloading of an excavator from a transporter or truck without the use of a ramp or ramp.
HUMS	Health and usage monitoring system.
Hung scaffold	A working platform suspended by tubes, fixed ropes, slings or other methods and not intended to be raised or lowered during use.
Hung-up tree	A cut or windblown tree caught in another, thus preventing it falling to the ground.
HV	High voltage.
HVAC	Abbreviation for heating, ventilating and airconditioning.
Hybrid	An organism resulting from a cross between genetically different parents. Hybrids can arise from crosses between closely related species (interspecific hybrids) or by crosses between different types (subspecies, varieties, cultivars) within a species (intraspecific hybrids).
Hydraulic	Using oil under pressure as a means of doing work.
Hydraulic cylinder	A hollow cylinder containing a sliding piston which is connected to a piston rod protruding through a bearing in one or both ends of the cylinder. Pressurised fluid can be introduced to either end of the cylinder, forcing the piston to move in the required direction.
Hydraulic machinery	Machinery producing, controlling, or powered by pressurised liquid. The working liquid is usually oil-based. Includes pumps, control valves, motors, cylinders, etc.
Hydraulic press	A press in which the power is transmitted to the ram by hydraulic pressure, used in the sheet metal and plastics industries.
Hydrocarbon	A chemical compound consisting of only the elements carbon and hydrogen, for example methane, propane, butane, etc.
Hydrocarbon dew point	Temperature above which no condensation of hydrocarbons occurs at a specified pressure. NOTE 1: At a given dew point temperature there is a pressure range within which retrograde condensation can occur. The cricondentherm defines the maximum temperature at which this condensation can occur. NOTE 2: The dew point line is the locus of points for pressure and temperature which separates the single phase gas from the biphasic gas-liquid region.
Hydro-extractor	A centrifuge for removing water or other liquid from 'wet' objects. The water is thrown outwards through holes in the rotating 'basket' while the material to be dried is retained in the basket, e.g. a spin-dryer.
Hyperbaric	Pertaining to gas pressures greater than 1 atmosphere of pressure.
Hyperbaric chamber	An air-tight chamber that can simulate the ambient pressure at altitude or at depth; is used for treating decompression illness.
Hyperthermia	Abnormally high body temperature.
Hypomanic	Characterised by overactive behaviour and racing thoughts.
Hypothermia	A dangerous body condition in which the core temperature becomes too cold. Early symptoms include shivering, coldness, and numbness of extremities, pale skin colour, clumsiness, and irrational behaviour.
Hypoxia	Oxygen deficiency. When the cells do not have, or are unable to utilise, sufficient oxygen to carry on their normal functions.
Hz	Hertz, the international measure of frequency. 1 Hertz equals 1 cycle per second.
1080	Sodium fluoracetate, a vertebrate toxic agent used in the control of possums, rabbits and other pests.
IAEA	International Atomic Energy Agency.
IANZ	International Accreditation New Zealand. It is part of New Zealand's national standards and conformance infrastructure and is the national authority for the accreditation of laboratories, inspection bodies and other technical competence based activities.
IAQ	See Indoor Air Quality.
IARC	International Agency for Research on Cancer.
IATA	International Air Transport Association.
IBSCs	Institutional Biological Safety Committees, which are based in academic and research institutions and may be delegated decision-making powers by ERMA for applications relating to low-risk GMOs.
ICAO	International Civil Aviation Organisation.
ICD	International Classification of Diseases.
ICISS	International Classification of Diseases-based Injury Severity Score.
ICNIRP	International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.
ICRP	International Commission on Radiological Protection.
ICRU	International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements.
Icteric	Jaundiced.
ID	Internal diameter.
Idema	A round dish with 4-8 high-pressure nozzles that make it spin, used for cleaning salmon nets. It is only to be used with SSBA diving gear.
Identification	Under HSNO means the provision of any information about a substance or organism which: (a) Clearly identifies the chemical or biological nature of the substance or organism: (b) Specifies the nature and degree or type of hazard intrinsic to the substance or organism: (c) Describes precautions to be taken by persons managing hazardous substances to avoid injury to people or environmental damage: (d) Directly or indirectly aids in managing any hazardous effect of a hazardous substance: (e) Identifies and specifies the means of contacting any person knowledgeable in the management of the substance.
Idler	A non-driving wheel to support or guide the track in a track laying machine.
IEC	International Electrotechnical Commission.
IED	Improvised Explosive Device.
IFCS	Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety.
IFR flight	A flight conducted in accordance with the instrument flight rules.
Ignitability index (Ig)	That index number for ignitability which is determined according to the standard test method for measuring the properties of lining materials.
Ignition source	A source of energy sufficient to ignite a flammable atmosphere and includes naked flames, smoking, exposed incandescent material, electrical welding arcs and electrical or mechanical equipment not suitable for use in the particular hazardous zone. A vehicle is not regarded as being an ignition source while it is entering or leaving the hazardous zone surrounding a LP Gas dispenser or a bulk LP Gas filling connection. However, it is treated as a potential ignition source during the period of bulk liquid transfer, and precautionary measures need to be taken.
IHD	Ischaemic heart disease.
Illuminance	The luminous flux falling onto a unit area of surface.
ILO	International Labor Organization, international agency of the United Nations which addresses labour issues. Has an interest in occupational safety and health issues, and publishes useful reference materials.
IM	Intramuscular.
IMDG Code	International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code. A code which sets out packaging and separation requirements for smaller quantities of hazardous goods carried on board vessels, generally container or RoRo vessels.
Immediate family	In relation to a victim: (a) means a member of the victim's family, whanau, or other culturally recognised family group, who is in a close relationship with the victim at the time of the offence; and (b) for the avoidance of doubt, includes persons whose relationship to the victim at that time is close through a relationship that is, or 1 or more relationships that are, that of spouse or de facto partner (whether the partner and victim are of the same sex or different sexes), child or step-child, brother or step-brother, sister or step-sister, parent or step-parent, and grandparent.
Immunisation	(Synonym: vaccination) Protection of susceptible individuals from communicable disease by administration of a living modified agent, a suspension of killed organisms or an inactivated toxin (see vaccine). Temporary passive immunisation can be produced by administration of an antibody in the form of immune globulin in some conditions.
IMO	International Maritime Organisation. The London-based, United Nations organisation responsible for setting international standards for shipping by the use of international maritime conventions.
Impervious	That which does not allow the passage of moisture.
Ignition source	Any agency capable of igniting a flammable gas, vapour, or other combustible substance; and includes a fire, flame, spark, fuel-lamp, and any electrical equipment of a type not approved for use in the particular location where a flammable gas or vapour or combustible substance is or may be present.
Immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)	Exposure to an atmosphere that poses an immediate adverse effect on health or the ability to escape.
Immersion accident	Accident occurring when the drowned or injured person either did not intend to be in the water at the time, or was submerged accidentally.
Immune system toxicity (immunotoxicity)	The occurrence of adverse effects on the immune system that may result from exposure to environmental agents, such as chemicals.
Immunity	Protection against infectious disease conferred either by the immune response generated by immunisation, or previous infection, or by other non-immunological factors.
Immunology	The study of immunity and an individual's response to antigens.
Immuno-compromised / immunosuppressed	Having the immune response reduced by administration of immuno-suppressive drugs, by irradiation, by malnutrition, or by some disease process (eg, cancer).
Immunosuppressive drug	A drug that is administered to reduce the tendency of the living organism to reject tissues or an organ, e.g. kidney or heart from a donor.
Importation	In relation to hazardous substances, has the same meaning as in section 47 of the Customs Act 1966; and 'to import', in relation to those substances, has a corresponding meaning.
Improvement notice	A notice issued by an OSH inspector under the Health and Safety in Employment Act, requiring a person to comply with a provision of the Act.
Impulse noise	Noise consisting of a single pressure peak, or a sequence of such peaks, or a single burst with multiple pressure peaks, or a sequence of such bursts.
In bulk	In relation to liquid or gaseous dangerous goods, product contained in receptacles of a liquid capacity greater than 250 litres. Conversely, non-bulk means contained in receptacles of 250 litres capacity or less.
In writing	Printed, typewritten, or otherwise visibly represented, copied, or reproduced, including by fax or email or other electronic means.
In vitro	Laboratory studies not involving whole organisms (eg, tissue culture studies); 'in glass'.
In vivo	Laboratory studies involving whole organisms (eg, studies on rats or mice); 'in life'.
Inching	Limited motion of machinery where dangerous parts of machinery are exposed during cleaning, setting, adjustment or feeding material. Depending on the machine and industry, may include the terms jog, crawl and pulse.
Incidence	The number of new cases of a disease in a given period of time (normally one year).
Incident	Any unplanned event resulting in, or having a potential for injury, illhealth, damage or other loss.
Incident (aviation)	Any occurrence, other than an accident, that is associated with the operation of an aircraft and affects or could affect the safety of operation. Note: Incident has many sub-categories.
Incident category	A method of categorising different events into, for example collisions, contacts or groundings, for use in the risk assessment.
Incineration	In relation to waste or other matter, means its deliberate combustion for the purpose of its thermal destruction; and 'to incinerate' and 'incinerated' have corresponding meanings.
Incompatibility	A situation where any substance or residue which, by combining chemically with the incompatible substances or promoting self-reaction or decomposition of the incompatible substance, may create a hazard.
Incubation period	The time between initial contact with an infectious agent and the appearance of the first sign or symptom of the disease.
Independence allowance	An independence allowance under the Accident Insurance Act 1998 that is or may be payable by virtue of the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Act 2001.
Independent brake	A brake of which the entire operating mechanism or system is either: (a) distinct and separate from all parts or connections of any other brake or brake system, so that the independent brake cannot be adversely affected by the operation or failure of any other brake; or (b) common to any other brake or brake system only in parts or connections which are of such design and strength that under normal operating conditions and with a proper standard of maintenance there is no reasonable probability of failure by reason of the failure of any other brake or brake system.
Independent spar yarder	A yarder winch (one or two drums) with a separate guyed spar or tower.
Index case	The initial case that prompts a contact investigation. In most communicable diseases this is the source case. For TB, the index case is usually, but not necessarily, the source for infections found in a social group. DNA fingerprinting can clarify this.
Indexing	Rotating a workpiece by a predetermined accurate amount, usually dividing the circle into an integral number of divisions for cutting the teeth of a gear wheel or similar operations.
Indirect contact (electrical)	Contact is made when part of the body touches a conductive object in contact with a live electrical conductor. An indirect contact can be made through conductive tools, branches and equipment.
Indirect sampling	Sampling in situations where there is no direct connection between the medium to be sampled and the analytical unit (i.e. off-line instrument). NOTE: In the case of indirect sampling, depending on the fluctuations of composition and/or properties, the following sampling techniques can be used: periodical sampling where a spot sample is periodically taken from the gas stream and brought to the analytical unit; incremental sampling which accumulates gas samples into one composite sample then brought to the analytical unit.
Individual employment agreement	An employment agreement entered into by one employer and one employee who is not bound by a collective agreement that binds the employer.
Individual stress management	Where an individual is taught coping skills.
Indoor air quality	A general term combining a multitude of issues related to complaints by the occupants of buildings about illnesses or discomfort resulting from being in the building. Typically, no single agent or easily recognised group of agents is present in excess of a WES.
Inductive	Causing magnetic flux by passage of current through a conductor.
Industrial railway operators	Operating a railway servicing the needs of their works, usually on a localised site, using their own motive power, with a rail connection to Tranz Rail and using their own or Tranz Rail wagons.
Industry	A particular branch of trade, manufacture or commerce. Key participants in industries are employers, employees, self-employed persons, employer organisations, and trade unions.
Industry health and safety group	A group established by industry participants with the principal objects of promoting workplace health and safety, and reducing the social and economic impact of occupational diseases and injuries.
Infection	Invasion and multiplication of micro-organisms in body tissues, which may result in local cellular injury due to competitive metabolism, toxins, intra-cellular replication, or antigen antibody response. Infection may be clinically inapparent.
Infectious agent	Any principle or substance capable of causing infections.
Infectious disease	(synonym: communicable disease) An illness due to a specific infectious agent or its toxic products that arises through transmission of that agent or its products from an infected person, animal or reservoir to a susceptible host. It may be transmitted directly, or indirectly through an intermediate plant or animal host, vector or the inanimate environment .
Infectious substances	(Class 6.2 dangerous goods) Substances known, or reasonably expected, to contain pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, parasites, fungi or recombinant micro-organisms (hybrid or mutant) that are known, or reasonably expected, to cause infectious disease in humans and animals that are exposed to them. Classification of infectious substances may be determined according to guidelines issued by the relevant regulatory authority.
Inflammation	A condition of part of the body which involves heat, swelling, redness and usually pain.
Infrared	Heat radiation within the range 400 nm to 4000 nm. nm = nanometres = 10-9 metres.
Infringement notice	A notice given under section 56B of the HSE Act.
Infusion	The term applied to the injection of a solution into blood vessels or tissue underlying the skin.
Ingestion	Introduction of a substance to the body through the mouth.
Ingress	Entrance to a confined space.
Inhalation	Breathing of air, gases, vapours, dusts or aerosols into the lungs.
Inhaul	In logging, the segment of an extraction cycle where the drag is hauled in towards the landing.
In-house inspection body	An inspection body that: (a) is part of an organisation that designs, manufactures, or controls equipment; and (b) has a separate identity within the organisation; and (c) has a reporting path that ensures adequate segregation of responsibilities and accountabilities in the provision of inspection services.
Initiation/ignition	The process of starting combustion.
Injury	Tissue damage resulting from either the acute transfer to individuals of one of the five forms of physical energy (kinetic or mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical or radiant) or the sudden interruption of normal energy patterns to maintain life processes.
Injury-related information	Data and statistics related to personal injury, including occupational diseases and illnesses.
Injury setting	The physical location or environment where the injury occurred.
Inspector's notice	Under the HSE Act, means an improvement notice or a prohibition notice.
Integral fixed tower yarder	A yarder with a built-in tower not capable of swinging relative to the chassis or car body.
Illness	A departure from a state of health. A disease or sickness.
Illumination	The amount of light flux per unit area at a specified distance from a light source.
ILO	International Labour Organisation.
IMMP	Intensive Medicines Monitoring Programme. A programme that undertakes prospective, observational, cohort studies on selected new medicines. These are aimed at measuring the incidence of adverse reactions, their characterisation, the early identification of previously unrecognised reactions and the construction of a risk profile for each medicine.
Impairment	A loss, or loss of use, of any body part or organ function.
ICAO	The International Civil Aviation Organisation established under the Convention; and includes any successor to the Organisation.
Incapacity	State where a person is unable to return to work because of a personal injury.
Inching	Adjusting by small amounts, usually under power at slow speed.
Incremental sampler	Sampler that accumulates a series of spot samples into one composite sample. NOTE: There are two general classes of commercial incremental samplers: (a) pressure increment: a specially designed pressure regulator increases the pressure of the collected sample in a sample cylinder from zero to a maximum of line pressure during the sample period; (b) volume increment: the sample is displaced by a pump into a floating piston cylinder at constant line pressure during the sampling period.
Incubation	The period the time between initial contact with an infectious agent and the appearance of the first sign or symptom of the disease.
Independence allowance	A weekly non-taxable allowance to help offset the additional costs associated with living with a disability or impairment.
Indirect measurement	Measurement of a property from quantities which, in principle, do not define the property, but have a known relationship with the property. NOTE: For example, the determination of the calorific value from measurements of the air-to-gas ratio required to achieve stoichiometric combustion which is related linearly to the calorific value.
Individual physiology	Drugs are metabolised differently and have a different effect on different people on account of the difference in size, age, health (e.g. state of liver and kidneys), gender, genetics, and different experience of previous drug use.
Individual Rehabilitation Plan (IRP)	The key management and planning document for ACC case management. It collects information, sets goals and establishes plans of action for treatment and for social and vocational rehabilitation.
Indivisible load	A load that cannot reasonably (without disproportionate effort, expense or risk of damage to the load) have its size reduced or be divided into two or more sections for road transport; and includes customs-sealed import/export ISO containers.
Induced draught burner	A system where all or part of the air for combustion is introduced by providing suction in the combustion chamber by mechanical means.
Industrial hygiene	The science of identifying, evaluating, and controlling or eliminating physical, chemical, and biological hazards in the workplace.
Industrial use, commercial use	In relation to dangerous goods, means the use of dangerous goods in connection with any trade, business, profession, commercial enterprise, or industry; and includes the use of any such goods for any purpose incidental to the pursuit or conduct thereof.
Informative Appendix	An Appendix for information and guidance only.
INMARSAT	The organisation established by the Convention on the International Maritime Satellite Organisation (INMARSAT) adopted on the 3rd day of September 1976.
Inmarsat-C	A satellite telex system.
Inmarsat-E	A satellite EPIRB system.
Inner liner (tyre)	The air retaining part of a tubeless and consists of a sheet of special of the first (inside) casing ply.
Inorganic	Chemicals not containing carbon-carbon bonds.
In plant bin	Specialised steel bin of one cubic metre to 1.5 cubic metre capacity, normally wheeled and used for hydraulically lifting waste into a stationary compactor.
In-service	In relation to equipment, means that the equipment has been commissioned and is being used, or is capable of being used, for the purpose for which it was designed.
In-situ filling	A cylinder-filling procedure by which an installed cylinder on a customer's premises is filled from a tanker.
In vitro	Isolated from the living organism and artificially maintained, as in a test tube (literally 'in glass').
In vivo	Occurring within the living organism.
Inspection body	(a) An organisation currently recognised under the HSE Regulations; and (b) in relation to a design verifier or equipment inspector, the inspection body by which the design verifier or equipment inspector is employed or engaged.
Inspirable	That fraction of dust which enters the respiratory tract.
Instability	The condition where the overturning moments exceed the restoring moments. (See also Stability.)
Institution	The Employment Tribunal, the Employment Relations Authority and the Employment Court. These are made up of the various Registries around the country.
Institutional Biological Safety Committees (IBSCs)	Committees that sit within scientific institutions or research organisations that have been appointed by the Authority as delegated decision-making agencies. IBSCs are authorised to make decisions on approvals for low-risk genetically modified organisms.
Instrument approach procedure	A series of predetermined manoeuvres by reference to flight instruments with specified protection from obstacles from the initial approach fix, or where applicable, from the beginning of a defined arrival route, to a point from which a landing can be completed and thereafter, if a landing is not completed, to a position at which holding or en-route obstacle clearance criteria apply.
Instrument flight	Flight during which an aircraft is piloted solely by reference to instruments and without external reference points.
Insulated	In relation to conductors, means that the conductors are covered with insulation in such a manner that a person may safely handle them when they are live.
Insulating elevating work platform (Insulating EWP)	An approved and tested insulated aerial device.
Insulating joint	A joint or fitting designed to prevent the flow of electric current across the joint or fitting.
Insulating material	A material that has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.07 W/mK.
Insulating rope	Commercial grade synthetic rope that is tested and manufactured to ensure good insulating properties but should not be intentionally placed across phase to phase or phase to earth air gaps.
Insulation	In the context of fire protection, the time in minutes for which a prototype specimen, of a fire separation when subjected to the standard test for fire resistance, has limited the transmission of heat through the specimen.
Insurance	A contract whereby the insurer agrees, for payment of a premium by the insured, to idemnify the insured against losses resulting from certain events. The policy is the document which contains the insurance contract.
Integrated management	The management of activities, existing or potential, in a manner which ensures that each is in harmony with the other and that priorities are clear.
Integrity	Design for predictable operation.
Interaction	Relations, interface or dealings with a client.
Interaction	Modification of toxic effects of one substance by another. The effects can be amplified (synergism) or reduced (antagonism).
Interception	(of a pest) The detection of a pest during inspection or testing of an imported consignment.
Interested parties	Individual(s) or group(s) concerned with, or affected by the OHS performance of an organisation.
Integrated radio communication system (IRCS)	A system in which individual radio communication equipment and installations are used as sensors, that is, without the need for their own control units, providing outputs to and accepting inputs from the operator's position (workstation).
Interlock	System to prevent a machine from operating unless the guard is in place.
Interlock system	In cable logging, a means of synchronising the main and tailrope speeds to maintain tension in the operating ropes.
Interlocutory (ERS Authority, Tribunal, Court)	An interlocutory application is an application filed in the course of the proceedings. Most are purely procedural in nature. Filing fees are not always required and are dependent upon the type of application. A file can have any number of interlocutory applications associated with it.
Intermediate pressure (IP)	An operating pressure greater than 700 kPa but not exceeding 2000 kPa.
Internal area	[Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act 2003] In relation to any premises or vehicle, means an area within or on the premises or vehicle that, when all its doors, windows, and other closeable openings are closed, is completely or substantially enclosed by: (a) a ceiling, roof, or similar overhead surface; and (b) walls, sides, screens, or other similar surfaces; and (c) those openings.
Internal safety control valve (ISC)	A quick-closing internal valve incorporating an internal excess-flow valve function.
International airport	Any airport designated as an airport of entry and departure for international air traffic where the formalities incident to customs, immigration, public health, animal and plant quarantine, and similar procedures are carried out.
International Protection (JP) ratings	Degree of protection provided by enclosures for electrical equipment. AS 1939-1986 provides a statement for use in New Zealand.
International Bulk Chemical Code	The International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk adopted by the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organisation by Resolution MEPC.19(22), as amended by that organisation from time to time.
International Life- Saving Appliance Code	The Code adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organisation in Resolution MSC.48(66) and made mandatory under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 by amendments to that Convention adopted by MSC.47(66).
International Load Line Certificate	Means: (a) for a New Zealand ship, an International Load Line Certificate that has been either: (i) issued under section 258 of the Shipping and Seamen Act 1952 and deemed to be issued or recognised as a marine document under Part V of the Maritime Transport Act 1994 pursuant to section 468(5) of that Act; or (ii) issued under section 160 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994 and saved under section 468(8) of that Act; or (iii) issued in accordance with rule 47.55(l)(a) and that is in the form shown in Appendix 4; and (b) for a foreign ship, the International Load Line Certificate referred to in rule 47.59(1) of the maritime rules.
International Safety Management Code	Or 'ISM Code' means the International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention adopted by the International Maritime Organisation by Resolution A.741(18), as amended by that organisation from time to time.
International Tonnage Certificate (1969)	Means: (a) in relation to a New Zealand ship, a maritime document issued under Part V of the Maritime Transport Act 1994 in accordance with rule 48.12; and (b) in relation to a foreign ship, the international tonnage certificate referred to in rule 48.12.
Internode	On a tree, the length of stem between whorls of branches.
Inter-vehicle spacing	The distance between a towing vehicle (excluding the tow coupling shroud) and trailer (excluding the drawbar or tow rope or front dolly but including the load).
Intervention	A specific prevention measure or activity designed to meet a programmeobjective. The three categories of intervention are:legislation/enforcement; education/behaviour change; and engineering technology.
Intima	Innermost lining of blood vessel.
Intoxication	A condition that follows the administration of a psychoactive substance and results in disturbances in the level of consciousness, cognition, perception, judgement, affect, or behaviour, or other psychophysiological functions and responses. The disturbances are related to the acute pharmacological effects of, and learned responses to, the substance and resolve with time, with complete recovery, except where tissue damage or other complications have arisen.
Intrinsic values	In relation to ecosystems, means those aspects of ecosystems and their constituent parts which have value in their own right, including: (a) their biological and genetic diversity; and (b) the essential characteristics that determine an ecosystem's integrity, form, functioning, and resilience.
Introduction	The entry of a pest resulting in its establishment.
Investigation meeting (ERS Authority)	A method by which the Authority investigates an employment relationship problem lodged with it. Usually consists of all parties appearing before the Authority and giving scorn of affirmed evidence about the employment relationship problem.
IOMC	Inter-Organisation Programme for the Sound Management of Chemicals.
Ion	An atom in a charged state following ionisation.
Ionisation	The process by which one or more electrons are removed from, or sometimes added to, an atom leaving the atom in a charged state.
Ionising radiation	Radiation which is capable of causing ionization, either directly (for example: for radiation in the form of gamma rays and charged particles) or, indirectly (for example: for radiation in the form of neutrons).
IP	Institute of Petroleum, London.
IPCS	International Programme on Chemical Safety. The WHO/UNEP/ILO has established a network of poison control centres throughout the world. The primary role is to contribute relevant expertise and experience in the preparation and review of poisons information monographs (PIMs), the establishment of methodologies for recording case data and compiling files on local products and the strengthening of poison information centres worldwide. The overall programme is known as the INTOX Project.
IPENZ	Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand.
IPNANZ	Injury Prevention Network Aotearoa New Zealand. It seeks to promote safe living, working and recreational environments in Aotearoa New Zealand through injury prevention.
IPRC Act	The Injury Prevention Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2001.
IPRU	Injury Prevention Research Unit, University of Otago.
Irradiating apparatus	Any apparatus that can be used for the production of X-rays or gamma rays or for the acceleration of atomic particles in such a way that it produces a dose equivalent rate of or exceeding 2.5 microsieverts per hour at a point which could be reached by a living human being.
Irritant	A substance that will produce local irritation or inflammation on contact with tissues and membranes such as skin or eyes, or will, after inhalation, produce local irritation to nasal or lung tissue.
Ischaemic heart disease	A condition characterised by partial or complete blockage of arteries taking blood to the muscle of the heart. It can result in angina (chest pain), myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure or sudden death.
ISO	The International Standards Organisation, located in Geneva, Switzerland.
Isocyanates	A group of chemicals characterised by the general chemical formula R(NCO)x. They are used in the production of polyurethane foams and paints. Isocyanates can cause respiratory sensitisation and lead to occupational asthma.
Isolate (electrically)	Positively disconnect a machine from its power supply to ensure that maintenance, tool setting or adjustments can be carried out without risk of accidental starting.
Isolation	Separation for the period of communicability of infected persons or animals from others, in such places and under conditions designed to prevent or limit the direct or indirect transmission of the infectious agent to those who are susceptible.
Isolation valve	A valve installed in a piping system for the purpose of isolating the pipework downstream of the valve from the supply of gas.
Isolating transformer	An electrical transformer which, when connected between a wall socket and an electrical power tool, will supply power to the tool at the normal voltage but drastically reduce the risk of the operator receiving a dangerous shock if the insulation of the tool or cord breaks down. It should be used especially in damp places and on building sites, etc. where there is a high danger of the cord or tool being damaged.
I-TEQ	International toxic equivalents.
ITL	ICD Injury Threat-to-Life scale.
ITO	Industry Training Organisation.
ITP	Inspection and test plan. It is: (a) for equipment under manufacture, a schedule of surveillance and hold points at which any inspection and testing required by the manufacturing standard is performed; (b) for in-service equipment, a schedule of equipment, inspection periods and inspection and test methods.
ITU	International Telecommunication Union.
ITU Radio Regulations	The ITU Radio Regulations as adopted by the World Administrative Radio Conference , Geneva, 1979, as well as the revisions and resolutions adopted by subsequent Conference s of the ITU, and published under the authority of the Secretary-General of the ITU.
ITU	Intensive Treatment Unit.
IU	International units.
IUATLD	International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease.
IV	Intravenous(ly).
Iwi	Tribe, nation.
IWRC	Independent Wire Rope Core.
J-hook assembly	A load-rated metal lashing that; (a) consists of a bush, fastener, associated washer or washers, and 'J'-shaped bar including its threaded portion; and (b) is used for the retention of a stockcrate or detachable bin to the vehicle load platform; and (c) is vertically fixed either inside or outside the deck coaming rail and tensioned through a permanently fitted bush on the crate or bin structure by way of a threaded fastener.
Jack	(Synonym: Skyline jack) Device for suspending the skyline in an intermediate support or tail tree.
Jacket	A sleeve around a cylinder or vessel arranged so that steam, water, air, refrigerants or other fluids can be circulated between them to heat or cool the contents of the vessel.
Jammer	A truck-mounted two-drum hauler incorporating a leaning boom on which blocks are hung, for short-distance hauling and, sometimes, for loading.
Jig	A device attached to a machine tool to hold the workpiece in the desired position while machining operations are being carried out. Sometimes also used to guide the tool, e.g. a drilling jig.
Jinker pole	A telescoping or sliding pole that forms the drawbar to steer a pole trailer.
JIS	Japanese Industrial Standard.
Jitter	A small, jerky repeated motion of a VDU screen image.
Job	The group of activities (which may include manual handling tasks) which a person does at work.
Job design	Deliberate attention given to the way all the aspects of a person's job are designed and integrated together to form a job.
Job prescription	Detailed specification for a job, covering what is to be done, where, and to what standard.
Job strain	Describes the extent to which the worker is exposed to any of a range of work factors such as excessive workload, unreasonable leadership/management style, professional conflict, excessive emotional demands of the job, and lack of job security. (The term 'workplace stress' is sometimes used synonymously with 'job strain'.) Job strain (and/or low job control) has been associated with a range of work-related disorders. These include anxiety, depression and related psychological disorders; ischaemic heart disease (particularly related to low job control); upper limb musculoskeletal disorders; and suicide.
Jockey pulley	An 'extra' pulley placed between two others used to tension a driving belt.
Joined File (ERS Authority, Tribunal, Court)	Two files may be joined, e.g. AEA 100/01 and AEA 101/01.
Judgments (ERS Court)	A written decision on a judicial matter before the Court i.e. a verdict, a conclusion.
Kaitiakitanga	Guardianship rights, the ability of Maori to act as stewards or caretakers.
Kerato-conjunctivitis	Irritation of the eyes caused by excessive UV exposure. The symptoms are pain, discomfort similar to that resulting from grit in the eyes, an aversion to bright light, and inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva. The symptoms tend to disappear after about 36 hours. The condition is known colloquially as 'arc-eye', 'welder's flash' and 'snow blindness'.
Kerb ramp	A short ramp either cutting through a kerb or built up to the kerb.
Kerf	The width of a saw cut.
Key	A piece of metal, usually square in cross section or half-round, used to locate a pulley, gear etc, on a shaft and prevent it rotating relative to the shaft.
Keyway	A slot or groove cut into the surface of a shaft or the bore of a pulley, gear, etc, into which a key fits. Usually flat-bottomed and rectangular in cross section but may be half-round in a shaft to take a half-round key (Woodruff key).
kg/l	Kilograms per litre.
Kickback	Reaction caused when a chainsaw's bar nose contacts wood or is pinched and the guide bar is thrown back towards the operator.
Kingpin	A pin attached to the skid plate of a semi-trailer and used for connecting the semi-trailer to the fifth wheel of a towing vehicle.
Kink	Permanent deformation caused by an open loop pulling tight in a wire rope.
Knock-down	The initial attack on a fire using a jet of water to knock down the flames.
Knurling	(1) Corrugations around the edge of a knob or handle, etc. to aid gripping. (2) The operation which produces a knurled surface.
Kow	The steady state ratio of the solubility of a substance in n-octanol to the solubility of that substance in water.
kPa	Kilopascals.
kPag	Kilopascals (gauge)
KPI	Key Performance Indicator.
kV	Kilo-volts (1000 volts).
K/W	Kelvin/Watts.