QHSE Glossary
Clear definitions for quality, health, safety, and environmental management terms. Click any term to read the full definition.
A
AS9100
The aerospace quality management standard, based on ISO 9001 with additional requirements for aviation, space, and defen
Audit
A systematic, independent examination of processes, products, or systems to verify compliance with defined standards.
C
CAPA
Corrective and Preventive Action — a systematic approach to investigating root causes of non-conformances and implementi
COSHH
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health — UK regulations requiring employers to control exposure to hazardous substanc
Calibration
The process of comparing measurement equipment against a known standard to ensure accuracy and traceability.
Competency Matrix
A visual tool that maps employees' skills and training against the requirements of their roles.
Continuous Improvement
An ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes incrementally over time.
E
EHS
Environment, Health and Safety — the discipline and compliance field concerned with protecting people and the environmen
Environmental Aspect
An element of an organisation's activities, products, or services that interacts with the environment.
I
ISO 13485
Explore ISO 13485 standards.
ISO 14001
Learn about ISO 14001 standards.
ISO 20000
Learn about ISO 20000 standards.
ISO 20121
Explore ISO 20121 standards.
ISO 22301
Explore ISO 22301 standards.
ISO 27001
Explore ISO 27001 standards.
ISO 37001
Learn about ISO 37001 standards.
ISO 45001
Explore ISO 45001 standards.
ISO 50001
Learn about ISO 50001 standards.
ISO 9001
Learn about ISO 9001 standards.
Incident Reporting
The process of recording, investigating, and learning from workplace incidents, near-misses, and hazardous conditions.
N
NADCAP
National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program — an industry-managed accreditation for special process
NCR
Non-Conformance Report — a formal record of a product, process, or service that does not meet specified requirements.
Near Miss
An unplanned event that did not result in injury or damage but had the potential to do so.
P
PDCA Cycle
Plan-Do-Check-Act — a four-stage continuous improvement cycle used in quality and process management.
PPE
Personal Protective Equipment — wearable equipment designed to protect workers from health and safety hazards.
Permit to Work
A formal written system to control high-risk activities such as hot work, confined space entry, and working at height.
R
RIDDOR
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations — UK legal requirement for reporting serious workp
Risk Assessment
A systematic process for identifying hazards, evaluating risks, and determining appropriate controls to reduce them.
Root Cause Analysis
A structured investigation method to identify the fundamental cause of a problem, not just its symptoms.
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