OSHA & Workplace Safety Glossary
Plain-language definitions for 33 workplace safety and OSHA enforcement terms. From violation types to worker rights to safety programs.
Serious Violation
A violation where a workplace hazard could cause death or serious physical harm and the employer knew or should have known about it.
Willful Violation
A violation where the employer intentionally and knowingly committed an act that violates OSHA standards with plain indifference to the law.
Repeat Violation
A violation where the employer was previously cited for the same or substantially similar hazard within the past five years.
Other-than-Serious Violation
A violation that has a direct relationship to job safety and health but would not likely cause death or serious physical harm.
Workplace Fatality
A death that occurs as a result of a work-related incident, which employers must report to OSHA within eight hours.
OSHA Inspection
An official workplace examination conducted by an OSHA compliance officer to determine whether an employer is meeting safety and health requirements.
Complaint Inspection
An OSHA inspection initiated by a current employee or employee representative who reports unsafe or unhealthful working conditions.
Programmed Inspection
A planned OSHA inspection that targets workplaces in high-hazard industries or those with elevated injury rates, rather than responding to a specific complaint.
Imminent Danger
A workplace condition or practice that poses an immediate risk of death or serious physical harm, triggering OSHA's highest-priority response.
Multi-Employer Worksite
A workplace where employees of more than one employer are working, such as a construction site with multiple contractors and subcontractors.
General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1))
The OSH Act provision requiring employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
Recordable Injury
A work-related injury or illness that meets OSHA criteria for recording on the employer's injury and illness log.
OSHA 300 Log
The official Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses that most employers are required to maintain and make available to OSHA inspectors.
Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR)
A standardized metric that measures the number of recordable workplace injuries and illnesses per 200,000 hours worked (equivalent to 100 full-time workers per year).
DART Rate (Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred)
A metric measuring the rate of injuries and illnesses severe enough to result in days away from work, restricted duties, or job transfer per 200,000 hours worked.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Equipment worn by workers to minimize exposure to workplace hazards, including hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, respirators, and fall protection harnesses.
Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
Safety procedures to ensure that dangerous machines are properly shut off and cannot be started up again before maintenance or servicing work is completed.
Fall Protection
Systems and procedures designed to prevent workers from falling from elevated surfaces, including guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems.
Hazard Communication (HazCom)
The OSHA standard requiring employers to inform workers about chemical hazards in the workplace through labels, safety data sheets, and training.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
A standardized 16-section document that provides detailed information about a hazardous chemical's properties, hazards, handling, storage, and emergency procedures.
Ergonomic Hazard
A workplace condition that can cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to repetitive motions, awkward postures, forceful exertions, or vibration exposure.
Whistleblower Protection
Federal protections that prohibit employers from retaliating against workers who report safety concerns, file OSHA complaints, or exercise their safety rights.
Right to Know
The legal right of workers to receive information about hazardous chemicals and safety conditions in their workplace.
Workers' Compensation
A state-mandated insurance system that provides benefits to employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses, regardless of fault.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
The federal agency responsible for enforcing workplace safety and health standards across the United States.
Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)
An OSHA partnership program that recognizes employers and workers who demonstrate exemplary safety and health management systems.
Safety Score
OSHARecord's proprietary rating system that grades companies from 0-100 (A through F) based on their OSHA violation history relative to industry benchmarks.
National Emphasis Program (NEP)
A targeted OSHA enforcement initiative focused on specific hazards or industries with high injury and illness rates across the country.
Citation
A formal written notice issued by OSHA to an employer describing the specific violation, the standard violated, the proposed penalty, and the deadline for correction.
Abatement
The corrective action an employer must take to eliminate or control a cited workplace hazard within the timeframe specified by OSHA.
Contested Citation
An OSHA citation that the employer has formally challenged before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission within the 15-day contest period.
Informal Settlement Agreement
A negotiated agreement between an employer and OSHA to resolve a citation, often involving reduced penalties in exchange for prompt abatement.
Failure to Abate
A violation that occurs when an employer fails to correct a previously cited hazard by the abatement deadline specified in the citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Serious and Willful OSHA violations?
A Serious violation means a hazard could cause death or serious harm and the employer knew or should have known. A Willful violation means the employer intentionally and knowingly committed the violation with plain indifference to the law. Willful violations carry penalties up to $161,323 versus $16,131 for Serious.
What is an OSHA Safety Score?
The Safety Score is OSHARecord's proprietary 0-100 rating (A-F grade) based on four weighted factors: violation rate vs industry average (40%), serious violations ratio, willful/repeat violations (25%), penalty amounts (20%), and inspection history (15%).