Plain-English explanations of the technical terms and legislation used in this document.
- Anaesthetic gas scavenging system (AGSS)
- Equipment that captures and removes waste anaesthetic gases from an operating theatre so staff are not exposed to them.
- Anaphylaxis
- A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction needing immediate emergency treatment.
- Aseptic preparation
- Preparing medicines in tightly controlled, sterile conditions to prevent contamination.
- Blood-borne virus (BBV)
- An infection such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV that can be passed on through blood.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- The independent regulator of health and social care services in England.
- Carcinogen
- A substance that can cause cancer.
- Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (CDG)
- The law governing how dangerous goods, including gas cylinders, are safely transported.
- Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation
- The law setting out how hazardous chemicals must be classified, labelled and packaged so users know the dangers.
- Closed-system transfer device (CSTD)
- A sealed device used when handling hazardous drugs that stops the medicine or its vapour escaping into the air.
- Cold burn
- An injury to the skin caused by contact with something extremely cold, such as liquid nitrogen.
- Competent person
- Someone with the training, knowledge and experience to carry out a task safely and correctly.
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
- The law for safely managing chemicals and other hazardous substances at work.
- Cytostatic medicine
- A medicine that slows or stops cells from growing and dividing, often used in cancer treatment.
- Cytotoxic medicine
- A medicine that is toxic to cells, used mainly in chemotherapy, which is harmful if staff are exposed to it.
- Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR)
- The law for controlling risks from substances that can catch fire or explode.
- Decontamination
- The combined process of cleaning, disinfecting and, where needed, sterilising equipment so it is safe to reuse.
- Diathermy
- A surgical technique that uses heat from an electric current to cut tissue or stop bleeding.
- EH40
- The Health and Safety Executive publication that lists the legal workplace exposure limits for hazardous substances.
- Emollient
- A moisturising cream or ointment used to protect and soothe the skin.
- Endoscopy
- A procedure using a thin, flexible camera tube to look inside the body, after which the instrument must be carefully cleaned.
- Entonox
- A ready-mixed gas of nitrous oxide and oxygen, breathed in for pain relief, for example during childbirth.
- Fume cupboard
- A ventilated enclosure that draws hazardous fumes away from the person working with them.
- Fundamental standards
- The minimum standards of safety and quality below which care must never fall.
- FFP3 respirator
- A close-fitting face mask that filters out very fine particles to protect the wearer's lungs.
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
- The main law setting out employers' general duties to protect the health and safety of staff and others.
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
- The national body responsible for regulating and enforcing workplace health and safety in Great Britain.
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
- The law setting out the fundamental standards that registered care providers must meet.
- Health surveillance
- Ongoing health checks for staff exposed to certain hazards, to spot early signs of work-related illness.
- Hierarchy of control
- A ranked list of ways to reduce risk, starting with removing the hazard and using protective equipment only as a last resort.
- Infection prevention and control (IPC)
- The measures used to stop infection spreading between patients, staff and visitors.
- Inoculation incident
- An event where the skin or eyes are exposed to blood or body fluids, for example a needlestick injury, risking infection.
- Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017
- The law protecting patients from harm caused by radiation used in medical procedures such as X-rays.
- Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017
- The law protecting workers and the public from the harmful effects of radiation.
- Isolator
- A sealed, ventilated cabinet used to prepare medicines while protecting both the product and the worker.
- Local exhaust ventilation (LEV)
- An extraction system that captures harmful dust, fume or vapour at its source before it can be breathed in.
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- The law requiring employers to assess and manage risks to health and safety at work.
- Mutagenic
- Capable of causing harmful changes to the genetic material (DNA) in cells.
- Near miss
- An event that could have caused harm but did not, by chance or because it was caught in time.
- Nitrile gloves
- Disposable protective gloves made from a synthetic rubber, used instead of latex to avoid allergy.
- Occupational asthma
- Asthma caused or made worse by breathing in substances at work.
- Occupational contact dermatitis
- Skin inflammation caused by contact with irritants or allergens at work.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Items such as gloves, aprons and masks worn to protect against harm or infection.
- Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992
- The law requiring employers to provide suitable protective equipment where risks cannot otherwise be controlled.
- Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
- Medicine taken soon after possible exposure to an infection, such as HIV, to reduce the chance of becoming infected.
- Reasonably practicable
- Doing what is sensible and proportionate to reduce a risk, weighing the effort and cost against the level of danger.
- Registered Manager
- The person registered with the regulator as responsible for the day-to-day running of a service.
- Regulated activity
- A type of care or treatment the law requires a provider to register with the regulator to deliver.
- Reprotoxic
- Capable of harming fertility or the development of an unborn child.
- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
- The law requiring certain workplace injuries, diseases and dangerous events to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
- Residual risk
- The level of risk that remains once existing control measures are taken into account.
- Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
- Masks or respirators worn to protect the lungs from harmful dust, gases or vapours.
- Risk assessment
- A structured check identifying what could cause harm and what is being done to prevent it.
- Safety data sheet (SDS)
- A document from a product's manufacturer describing its hazards and how to use, store and dispose of it safely.
- Sensitiser
- A substance that can make a person develop an allergy, so that future exposure triggers a reaction.
- Sharps
- Needles, blades and other items that can cut or puncture the skin.
- Single assessment framework
- The structure the regulator uses to judge a service, built around quality statements and five key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive, well-led).
- Sluice room
- A room used for cleaning, disinfecting and disposing of waste, soiled items and body fluids.
- Spirometry
- A simple breathing test that measures how well the lungs work.
- Standard infection control precautions
- The basic infection-prevention measures, such as hand hygiene and protective equipment, used for all patients at all times.
- Sterilant
- A chemical strong enough to destroy all micro-organisms on equipment.
- Surgical plume
- The smoke produced when tissue is cut or burned during surgery, which can contain harmful particles and chemicals.
- Thorough examination and testing (TExT)
- A detailed inspection and test of extraction equipment by a competent person to confirm it is working properly.
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- A serious infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs and can spread through the air.
- Wet-work
- Work that involves having the hands wet, or frequently washing or wearing gloves, for long periods, which can damage the skin.
- Workplace exposure limit (WEL)
- The maximum legal amount of a hazardous substance that staff may be exposed to in the air over a set period.